Hi. So. Trying to manufacture a divide between otherkin and therians is a very new thing. I have never been in an otherkin space that excludes therians and I've never been in a therian space that excludes otherkin. I think a majority of the community falls under both labels anyway. Even those who don't like either term for themselves are usually included in these spaces.
This has never erased the history of either name. In fact, it's spread awareness of it.
What would erase our history would be to deny the connection both communities have with each other. No one trying to divide us right down the middle has any good intentions for our future. Please get along with your cousins.
The reason I think it's a new thing to be a therian separatist of sorts is because I have only ever seen these talking points on tiktoks before they came to tumblr. And I think it's because young therians on tiktok are lowkey trying to be accepted by a mainstream audience. When this happens a lot of respectability politics come into play and the 'acceptable' meaning gets thinned down and community members who do not fit the narrative being presented to the mainstream, get erased, silenced, and ridiculed.
But guess what? We don't need mainstream approval to be who and what we are! We can just be it! We can have each other, the minute we stop erasing each other!!
Rant over, I love you all, go outside and enjoy nature today 💚🌿🍄