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#1 2009-03-21 15:17:16

SherlawkDragon
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Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Ok, there are alot of questions that people who are new to the idea of Therianthropy ask, so I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread to answer them right here!  If you think you are a Therian, but aren't sure what it is, think carefully and make a list of reasons, and then take a look at this.

(NOTE: as I was making that first post, it occurred to me that some people might have a problem with what I've said.  If you think something should be changed, either post the change you want to see, or reanswer it.)

Last edited by SherlawkDragon (2009-03-21 15:31:46)


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
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#2 2009-03-21 15:29:13

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I consolidated these under this one post for easy reading.  Responses should be to suggest changes and corrections.  Please go to the QAF to suggest new additions.

What is "Therianthropy"?
That's extremely hard to answer, especially when Therians themselves can't agree on that.  In simple terms, a Therian is when you have a deep, inner connection to an animal which cannot be broken or denied.  An "Inner Beast" as some put it an "Animal Identity" as others put it.  This differs from Totemism, because the animal connection is to something within, and it differers from Daemianism, because the animal is not a separate being, but the therian's own self, and it differs from Furry, because unlike Furries, Therians cannot stop being therians whenever they please, it is not a choice.

Where did the word "Therianthropy" come from?
Therianthropy is also referred to as "Wereism".  This is because the community started on a Usenet group called Alt.Horror.Werewolves (AHWW), where some of the members realized that they themselves identified with Werewolves because they themselves felt like they had an "animal inside of them".  They created the term "therianthropy" off of "lycanthropy": Therian - Animal, Thrope - Person.  "Animal Person" is also a new, more "politically corrrect" way of saying it.

---- These three are basically the same ----
How do I know if I'm a Therian?
By looking at how you feel inside.  Therianthropy is not a Physical thing and it is not in how you act.  It is what is in your mind.  When you look at the mental-mirror in your own mind, what do you see?  A person?  A Fictional Character?  Or yourself as an animal?  A Therian can't help but look at themselves as an animal, it is simply what they are on the inside.

How do you know if you're a therian?
Being a therian is a deeply internal thing.  To find if you are or aren't one, you need to look deep within yourself, beyond words or images, to abstract thoughts and feelings.  Being a therian isn't about phantom tails or animal dreams, it's about the thing that causes them, which, in the case of a therian, is a sort of "inner animal", which has influence over every aspect of their lives.
Now, someone make a better version of that terrible explaination.... >!>;;

Am I a Therian/Were?
We don't know.  Statistically, it is very unlikely, as a tiny amount of the population are Therians (or anything like that for that matter).  If you think you might be, you should try looking through the threads here to find some sort of clarification on what exactly Therianthropy is, then ask questions about it to clarify what you don't understand.  It's best to avoid asking right out if you are one, as, once again, we do not know enough about your daily experience to know if you are one.  A better way is to thoroughly examine yourself and decide if you really have the traits that we describe when talking about it.  Remember though: Therianthropy is not a physical characteristic or a way that you act, but a deeply rooted state of mind.  To know if you are one requires you to look beyond the physical into the underlying feelings you have.  You should also be ready for whatever answer you get, even if that answer is no, which, as I said, it most likely is.
---- That's that ----

Is 'awakening' the same for everyone?
Nothing in Therianthropy is the same for everyone: everyone's personal experience is different, as well as how they view it.  That's why we have so many abstract terms and no specific ones to describe things.  Some therians (like me) have gradual and quiet awakenings where they start to realize what's there, where a part of them that was an unidentifiable smudge begins to take shape.  Other therians have sudden, explosive awakenings, where one day they're just like anyone else, and the next night they're howling at the moon on all fours.  There are some Therians (Like WVZ, I think) who never really had a significant awakening, they just woke up one morning and said "oh my, I'm a therian!", and moved on, perhaps joining the community, perhaps saying hi and shrugging it off.  Awakenings can also be more difficult to go through depending on how accepting and how self-restrictive the person is.  Occasionally, there are those who "reawaken": a therian denies their Therianthropy after they've awakened and forces it out, and then one day, after years of depression, they suddenly break down and let it all out.

How long does the "doubting stage" last?
It depends on what you mean.  Usually, people take a few days to finally accept it.  As for doubt?  That's constant, it never goes away.  This is a good thing though, it's the reason you see people realizing that they aren't therians no matter how long they thought they were.  It keeps us honest with ourselves, keeps us from delusion.  It's important not to deny it.

Are therians and Humans physically compatible for breeding?
Yes, of course.  Therians ARE human and thus compatible.  Anyone who says anything else should be ignored.

Where can I get more information on therianthropy, or network with therians in my area?
There are many sites that will do exactly this and more.  Therian.Wikia is a database of community knowledge covering a broad range of things from affiliated communities (like the vampire one), to forums that are out there, to common community terns.  There are also small, personal sites all over with similar information and articles.  The Were Library is also a good resource, as it has a ton of essays and links.  If you want to network, try Werelist and Weresource, and join a forum or two.

You should also take a look at the Resources post for some useful links.

Last edited by SherlawkDragon (2010-07-23 04:25:00)


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
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#3 2009-03-21 15:35:39

Iceis The Husky
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I'm wondering if you can answer two for me

"Is 'awakening' the same for everyone?"

"How long does the doubting stage last?"


<3

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#4 2009-03-21 16:04:35

SherlawkDragon
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From: South Florida
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

GhostDog> Sure, I asked that it be Stickied in the "to be moved" thread.  As for changes, I guess we should make a compilation of what we think, and when a FAQ thing is good enough to call "official", a moderator or I can stick it in the first post.
Now, Lycan:
(moved to top )

Last edited by SherlawkDragon (2010-07-23 04:10:31)


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#5 2009-03-21 16:13:58

Iceis The Husky
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I'm torn between accepting it and denying it, been for a bit now. It gets annoying, I wake up one day accepting, but the next can be different.


<3

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#6 2009-03-21 21:45:25

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Maybe your skepticism is good, maybe it's trying to tell you that you have real reason to doubt whether or not you're a therian.  Statistically, it's not likely.  You should make a list of the reasons you think you are one and the reasons you don't think so.  Remember though: don't try to be something you're not, it will only end up hurting you in the end.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#7 2009-03-21 22:03:39

Iceis The Husky
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I know it's there, I know there's something else there, but I don't know if it's an animal and I sharing a body, or an animal and I sharing a mind.


<3

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#8 2009-03-22 17:56:13

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

That's a good idea.  How about I just make that topic this topic and make a new one for the Official FAQ to be out into.  Let's see... I guess there's a couple of the one's I wrote that could be in there to start... I'll grab them and make the new one over the next few minutes...

Edit: ok... nevermind, looks like I can't rename a topic once I start it... so I'll just split this one with quoting, and you can delete the posts after the first.

Last edited by SherlawkDragon (2009-03-22 18:04:22)


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#9 2009-03-22 20:01:08

Iceis The Husky
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

If it's this one, it's already crowded with this conversation, so I'll just ask it.

Friend of mine wanted to know "Could your other side be the opposite sex?"


<3

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#10 2009-03-23 23:29:57

SherlawkDragon
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From: South Florida
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Posts: 1308
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Ghost Dog> This one is the FAQ, so delete all of the other posts here, I'v already stuck them in the other one.  QAF (Questions Asked Frequently) is the one for building this one.
Lycan> As I said in the other one just now: we can't ask things in these.  If we did, we'd have no topics outside of the QAF one and that one would become bloated and impossible to answer (with so many questions being asked at once).  You should ask that in its own thread where it can be discussed a bit.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#11 2009-06-03 12:44:18

cromshart
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Registered: 2009-06-03
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

are therians and humans genetically compatible? could be that if someone is 100% therian  that conception with a human is not possible?

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#12 2009-06-03 14:51:05

Ace
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Registered: 2009-06-01
Posts: 120

Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I can't say that it wouldn't be possible considering the anatomy and chemistry would technically be the same.


Alpha, bipolar, great lover- in that order.

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#13 2009-06-04 00:15:13

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

.....cromshart, either something wasn't clear somewhere, or you haven't read anything on this site.  I mean, the last post I made said not to ask questions in this thread but outside of it, you probably didn't even look for the answer on this site, which (I'm pretty sure) has been given multiple times now.  Please try reading around before you post things.
To answer your question, therians ARE humans: humans are "genetically compatible" with humans.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#14 2010-01-06 01:40:31

Trevorious
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From: Edmonton, Alberta
Registered: 2010-01-06
Posts: 13

Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

So, this post is just to help people understand what Therianthropy is....no questions just opinions?  <---oops

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#15 2010-01-06 03:44:27

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Basically, it's supposed to be agreed upon answers to the most frequently asked questions, so people don't ask them.  Unfortunately, no one else seems to be interested in compiling questions and answers to put here....


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#16 2010-01-06 14:34:32

Canis Sapiens
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Registered: 2010-01-05
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Ok my opinion on the fact would involve the soul or spirit. in many arias of philosophy the soul returns to something much larger and then in recycled. (like a raindrop falling onto a lake and then evaporating later into a different cloud.) so in my eyes a therein is someone who has the soul of a wolf or part of a wolf soul in themselves. I think there should be a line drawn between therianthropy (dictionary definition- someone who poses beast or animal like qualities or attributes). and shamanism- the communion and connection with spirits.


the wilds have my heart
the wolf has my soul

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#17 2010-03-17 00:49:39

CivilSavage
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Posts: 7

Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

cromshart wrote:

are therians and humans genetically compatible? could be that if someone is 100% therian  that conception with a human is not possible?

Allow me please to begin by saying I am no one and I know nothing.  Through my web browsing, however, I came across something which suggests that humans and therians are not the same thing.  Do not shoot the messenger - I'm only relaying (dubious) information.  I found this in a document entitled "The Therian Bible"; please refer to the first two pages of Chapter 1.

http://books.google.com/books?id=hIcKow … mp;f=false

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#18 2010-03-17 22:49:49

Randomwolf42
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From: Canada, eh?
Registered: 2007-11-22
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

CivilSavage wrote:

cromshart wrote:

are therians and humans genetically compatible? could be that if someone is 100% therian  that conception with a human is not possible?

Allow me please to begin by saying I am no one and I know nothing.  Through my web browsing, however, I came across something which suggests that humans and therians are not the same thing.  Do not shoot the messenger - I'm only relaying (dubious) information.  I found this in a document entitled "The Therian Bible"; please refer to the first two pages of Chapter 1.

http://books.google.com/books?id=hIcKow … mp;f=false

Personally, I wouldn't pay any attention to anything called 'The Therian Bible' in the first place, but having skimmed through that, I've come to conclude that I was right. This er, publication, seems to be full of crap, frankly, and I'm inclined to believe someone just wrote it for kicks. It doesn't say anywhere in the part I read, but I think that was the book that those "Therian Temple" people require their members to buy. Therianthropy, remember, isn't a religion, and this sort of document, is frankly, both irritating and misinformation.

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#19 2010-03-20 03:28:29

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Honestly, this should be in the QAF, but I guess we should just come up with an answer here...

scifiguy wrote:

CivilSavage wrote:

cromshart wrote:

are therians and humans genetically compatible? could be that if someone is 100% therian  that conception with a human is not possible?

Allow me please to begin by saying I am no one and I know nothing.  Through my web browsing, however, I came across something which suggests that humans and therians are not the same thing.  Do not shoot the messenger - I'm only relaying (dubious) information.  I found this in a document entitled "The Therian Bible"; please refer to the first two pages of Chapter 1.
http://books.google.com/books?id=hIcKow … mp;f=false

Personally, I wouldn't pay any attention to anything called 'The Therian Bible' in the first place, but having skimmed through that, I'm come to conclude that I was right. This er, publication, seems to be full of crap, frankly, and I'm inclined to believe someone just wrote it for kicks. It doesn't say anywhere in the part I read, but I think that was the book that those "Therian Temple" people require their members to buy. Therianthropy, remember, isn't a religion, and this sort of document, is frankly, both irritating and misinformation.

I've been around for a few years, and the Therian Temple's "Therian Bible" has been old news since before I got here.  After a long time of flying around on the issue, I've decided it's not something anyone should worry about.
I've read through that book, it's interesting, and from a credible source (one of the people involved actually has an account here, but I wouldn't bother him over it), but I've never subscribed to it.  In any case, it does not mean to say that therians aren't human, rather, separate from other humans.

I think this should be added to the FAQ, and I think the answer we should give is a flat "Yes.  Therians are human and thus compatible."


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#20 2010-07-23 04:26:33

SherlawkDragon
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

I just moved all these answers to the second post.  Anyone who has any problems with the second post is strongly encouraged to reply with their correction.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#21 2010-12-30 21:16:13

lupinealchemist
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Registered: 2010-12-30
Posts: 264

Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Stuff gets freaky when you hallucinate a black wolf beside you keeping you company. There were times I growl at things, I find it uncomfortable to come in contact with silver for extended periods of time, one time my mind turned feral when taking a shower which scared me.

Would this be considered something similar to an awakening?

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#22 2011-01-01 00:21:04

SherlawkDragon
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From: South Florida
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

lupinealchemist wrote:

hallucinate

Would this be considered something similar to an awakening?

No, it would be considered crazy.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#23 2011-01-02 22:28:47

lupinealchemist
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Registered: 2010-12-30
Posts: 264

Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

SherlawkDragon wrote:

No, it would be considered crazy.

Perhaps I should explain the hallucinations happened during sleep paralysis.

I was basically referring to the shower incident as a possible awakening.

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#24 2011-01-03 14:56:31

SherlawkDragon
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From: South Florida
Registered: 2007-08-18
Posts: 1308
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Ok, that might be a sign of some connection to wolves, but really, Therianthropy is alot deeper than that: it's something you feel and live every day.  Most therians already know what they are before they find out about Therianthropy as a word and a community.

What we call an awakening is an extended process which may take weeks or even years, in which ones therianthropy begins to come fourth.  It isn't just one shift, or suddenly seeing a wolf, it's a series of gradual changes and revelations which come as you develop into a fully awakened therian.

You should make a new thread about this.


"GIVE ME NUDITY OR GIVE ME DEATH!!!!!"  -me, here, just now.
My Kewl Story about Unicorns

Hey, if anyone wants to IM me, go ahead, I'd love to chat...  Oh, by the way: ANWERS!

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#25 2011-01-17 21:49:53

Werewolf of Waldorf
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From: Waldorf, Maryland
Registered: 2008-04-17
Posts: 28
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Re: Therian FAQ (read before you ask!)

Well, since I have nothing more really to do for the time being, and I have been laying in my bed bored, I may as well throw some stuff out here.

I have been active in the online community since I joined this site in '08? I think it was.  WolfVanZandt referred me to the Werelist where I quickly grew up some and learned a few things.

--Identifying as a Therian--
Therianthropy is a self identy: You just ARE. It is a matter of looking in the mirror, and seeing not only yourself looking back at you, but the animal-half looking back at you. The animal IS you, and you are the animal, there is no diffence between the two (or multiple pieces).

--What about Therianthropy--
It is debated as to whether or not it could be mental or spiritual, but the majority consensus seems to be mental: we are mentally hardwired diffently.  There could be some spiritual side (reincarnation, mixed souls, spirit guide IS you) and personally, I think it is a mix of mental and spiritual, with a heavy bias on the mental.

--What to do with it--
Live with it. There is nothing special to do with therianthropy.  If you are blessed enough to have mental or aural/phantom shifts (expeienceing a body that isn't really there) congratulations, it isnt negatively effecting your life I hope.  If you are blessed with the mental shifts, though, i hope having a complete mental flop doesn't effect day-to-day life.  I have had experiences in which i have completely blacked out thinking I was a dog (not good while driving)!  You are not special, you are not endowed with mystical powers in this society (perhaps in other spiritual and superstitious cultures, not this one) you are just a unique and different person, with the same life to live.

If you have the philosophy of a hippy, then please, live a more natural and wild lifestyle, just don't be an anarchist idiot and mess with the rest of us!

--Why do we have Therians?--
Absolutely no idea. Why are we here? Why not.


I host a podcast (www.setzireal88.podbean.com) that I regularly post new stuff on regarding therianthropy, and am getting involved in the real-life community, with real people.  I am also on the Werelist pretty often, and it has good information on therianthropy (currently one of the least amount of BS places for therians).

But I figured i could help out! smile


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                  2) Miss.

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