I’ve read through some of the top posts for r/therian. I have a vague understanding of otherkin in general but hadn’t heard of therians in particular. If my kid said they were a furry, I’d be well within my comfort zone. I fuck with furries. But this seems like people who feel they are trans-species and talk about having species dysphoria. I just don’t know what to make of it but I’m also trying to not overreact or let my snap judgements alienate my kid. I assume they feel like they’ve just had to come out to me, which is something I’ve gone out of my way to not make necessary in terms of gender and sexuality stuff. Just didn’t see this coming.
If the worst thing that happens is they enjoy making animal noises and spend more time out in nature, I’m super down. If they start experiencing alienation from their own identity because of this, I’m not sure what I’ll do.
I’m not sure if I have any advice, really, but my first reaction is to want to know more. Meaning, I’d probably be asking questions that help me understand how they arrived at this place. What have they been feeling internally, or what experiences have they had that resonates with being “therian”? I know what it’s like to experience the world differently and not understand why. Granted, that turned out to be ADHD. I’d be curious if what they tell me aligns something I understand or are aware of, that they are not, and have supplanted “therian” with. On the flip side, maybe it’s innocent.
