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The Coyote Den

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Quick Intro to Therianthropy

A therian is someone who psychologically, emotionally and/or spiritually identifies as a non-human animal, despite not having the physical features to match this identity. Despite popular belief, there can be a visual/physical aspect, where a therianthrope may see themselves as a non-human animal. Therianthropy is different to clinical lycanthropy, which is a psychiatric delusion where the subject wholly believes they can transform into an animal.

There are multiple ways to know if you might be a therian, with shifts being a large factor. A shift means a psychological transition into a more animalistic state of mind, or feeling a phantom limb (eg tail, wings, ears). Many therians also experience species dysphoria, where you feel uncomfortable with your physical species and body. Therians also typically will feel at home in their theriotype's habitat, and may feel driven to go to said location.

What Therianthropy is Not

  • Gear (masks, tails, any item or clothing that you feel has a part in your therian identity)
  • Quadrobics (the sport of moving about on all fours)
  • A connection to an animal
  • Identifying with an animal
  • Apart of the LGBTQ+ community
  • A choice
  • A religion
  • A phase

Therians vs Furries

While furries and therians are two communities that share some similarities, they are both vastly different and have nothing to do with each other. Furries are people who find entertainment in anthropomorphic animals (animals with human characteristics), and typically have a character which is known as a fursona. A furry might identify with their fursona, but they do not identify as an animal or as their fursona. A fursona might represent facets of their identity, but a furry does not see themselves as an animal (typically, unless they are also a therian).

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