paleodeer

[paleodeer]

Woah, that's actually my cousin Jeremy. What a small world we live in

Went to the Museum of Natural History yesterday. As soon as I saw the Megaloceros, I thought, "Hey, my mutual is one of those!" @paleodeer

[paleodeer]

today's daily is: the irish elk! (megaloceros giganteus)

[paleodeer]

Woah! This looks so good, it really has my vibe...

Thanks for the mention!

Fallow deer mask available for Preclaim :) just needs a nose and lining

Please message me privately for more information!

Also on instagram under my user - daisymorriscostume

[paleodeer]

Good to know there are other paleo-zoanthropes.

I wasn't sure how to respond to this, but I wanted to let you know I see and hear you and it's relieving to know I'm not the only one. Feel free to send me more messages in the future, but no pressure obviously.

Here, have this sketch of me - it's a bit of a metaphorical piece but I'm too tired to refine the sketch or elaborate on it at the moment.

[paleodeer]

I voted for magical girl transformation, but have you considered:

The Sims spinny-spinny changing clothes animation + sound effect...

let’s say you could shapeshift physically between a human form and your ’type(s). What would you want it to look like? None of these transformations will hurt, nor will they have long-lasting negative consequences on your physical or mental health. They do not take energy to perform.

Werewolf-like

Animorphs

Magical Girl Transformation

Old Gacha life mini movie teleportation effect

Minecraft shapeshifting mod transformation

Instantaneous- like switching characters in a rp game

A veil or mist forms around you, and when it clears you’ve changed

Different answers for different ‘types

Other answer not listed here (put in tags)

[paleodeer]

These are interesting takes to me, because to me saying something like this sounds similar to "Anyone under 14 cannot be transgender or gay"

I understand that being a therian is a serious identity, and that kids usually don't understand the depth of it, but that applies to almost any identity label. And I feel like if we want these things (not only alterhuman identities but queer identities as well) to be more accepted in society, maybe we should stop caring about what other people (yes, even kids) identify as.

Listen, I'm not bashing you for saying this, and I also try to avoid arguments as much as I can - this is just something I need to point out because the way you two talk reminds me of how transmedicalist folks talk about trans stuff, just change the alterhuman terminology into gender and sex related terminology. The idea that an identity is "rare" and cannot be valid until you are an adult, or that an identity isn't valid if you grow out of it, doesn't really make sense to me. A lot of folks forget that identities are fluid; for some they are always there, for some they come and go. I think a lot of alterhumans can look back on their childhood and find "signs" of the identity being there. And for some ex-alterhumans, the identity really did exist and it was valid even if it did eventually fade. Now, can we not see the same happen with experiences such as gender and sexuality?

Also, certain identities just aren't as intense for some, while it is for others, and their identities are still valid. We all experience life differently! If we start talking about how "rare" and "serious" and "deep" alterhumanity is, we will start throwing each other under the bus sooner or later.

Since there's so little research around alterhumanity, how do we really know if it's as rare as we think? Yes, we're a relatively small community, but maybe it's because most people around the world don't have the words for how they feel yet.

The kids are helping in building the community. Even if the way kids express their identity is different, people around them will notice, and if there are any sort of alterhuman-adjacent individuals around the kids, finally finding the words to explain how they feel can be life saving.

Don't bash me in for saying this..but I don't consider anyone 14 or under who especially has tiktok to really be a therian.

They're more than likley gonna grow out of it. I'm not hating them for saying they are a therian but most people that young don't even know the meaning and seriousness of the identity.

[paleodeer]

Being a ranger I spend a lot of time alone in the wilderness for hours in the company of one of four co workers.

One such worker for the purpose of this post we shall refer to as Dave.

Dave is a very quiet man. He confesses that if conversation happens too quickly and for too long he gets tired so we often work in silence. He's very polite and good natured but it's obvious that he would happily live and work alone for the rest of his life given the option.

He's very much in the previous generation of ranger, a practical man in his fourties or fifties happy to be kept physically busy for a day and then be sent home with some pay. I had to show him how to use a work issued smart phone.

Meanwhile the rest of the team is made up of the current generation of rangers; openly nurodivergent queer women in their twenties or thirties who work this job because it's the only setting where we can vaguely look sane.

So Dave sticks out a bit. It's really nice when he opens up though because he's an impulsive individual when left to his own devices and has plenty of stories to tell if the mood takes him. I really like working with Dave.

Anyway, one day we've got a job that takes a three hour hike to get to and early on the topic of deer comes up.

I hadn't realised this was the first time we had discussed deer, but blatantly it was. Dave's entire demeanour changes, there's a bit of passion in his voice, but it's also hushed as if he's talking about something sacred.

"Deer are my favourite animal." He says.

I'm also eager to hear Dave talk about himself, so I encourage him to say more.

"I'd love to be a deer myself."

And more

"If a genie offered me the opportunity to become a deer I'd take it. I wouldn't even stop to ask what the price was."

And more

"Sometimes I feel like I'm a deer having a dream about being a human.*

And there I am, a long time commuter to the therian/otherkin community keeping up the encouraging face of someone being politely interested, knowing that this man is straight up a therian with no frame of reference.

And I decided that I wouldn't push the subject outside of the bounds of what Dave is comfortable with, I wouldn't try to teach him the terms "Therian" or "Otherkin" but absolutely I would talk with this man as if he's a deer.

And it's a bit magical really. He's an impulsive individual so I have to talk him out of some risky choices every so often and "this is why deer like you keep getting stuck in fences" has become this magical phrase that allows him to step down from a mistake with a bit of a smile on his face.

[paleodeer]

GRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYOOOOOORRRRR

Wait-

THOSE ARE ALL WOLVES. SHIT SHIT SHIT

HELP

AAAWWWWOooowoooooooaoooooaoooowooooaoooooooooouuuuoooo

OooooooooowooooooUUUUUUUUUUUuuuooooooOOOoooooooooo

Let's all howl together!!

[paleodeer]

Nonhuman gender and gendered words

I don't really care if it's weird, but I love calling myself male instead of a man, it's so affirming. After all I'm not a human, so why should I call myself a man? Even words like 'masculine' don't really describe me, because I think that's an inherently anthropomorphizing word.

It's even more affirming for me to be called a stag, bull or a buck.

It's also worth noting that some species affirming things can be gendered in a human society, even if it necessarily isn't to you. For example, I love platform heels - which is probably one of the most feminine things out there for humans - but it's not for me. Heels are one of the most deerlike things I can think of, and they aren't exclusive to female deers. They make my legs feel longer and more slender and stiff, and the sound they make towards the ground reminds me of the sound hooves make. Plus, they make you feel digitigrade. Just thinking about it makes me happy - I'd love to get some custom made ones one day, with the cloven hooves attached. But yeah, it doesn't really matter to me if humans thought of me in a feminine way if they saw me rocking some platform heels, they are affirming to my species, and I know what I am. So who cares?

I'm curious to know if any other nonhumans can relate to this. Are there any animal terms that are both species affirming and gender affirming to you at the same time? And nonbinary creatures, feel free to give your thoughts as well! I guess I'm sort of nonbinary as well, but in a male deer way.

[paleodeer]

I don't want to engage in discourse, but I've seen so many posts here lately talking about "Tik Tok Therians" and worries about them migrating to Tumblr.

I'm just imagining what it's like for them. Imagine coming to Tumblr for the first time and discovering all this hate and infighting. Your main way of seeing content of others like you has been taken away from you, so you turn to Tumblr, only to find hundreds of posts making assumptions and generalizations about you. Imagine coming from Tik Tok and the first post you see on here is someone calling you annoying.

Are we really as accepting as we claim to be? Now is the time to prove it.

Yes, I would absolutely be bullied off the face of Tik Tok if I ever ended up there, but that doesn't mean I will treat them the same if they ended up here. If you're scared of Tumblr turning as toxic and hostile as Tik Tok, maybe the answer is to simply avoid being toxic and hostile.

Also, a bit of a tangent, but sometimes the best way to go about things is just agreeing to disagree with those around you. I can't even count how many times I've changed my mind about something because I saw someone with a different opinion and had a civil discussion, or did proper research about something I was misinformed on because I befriended someone new. Of course we are all entitled to opinions, and we can't always see eye to eye, but that's life.

Personally, my blog will welcome these "Tik Tok Therians" with open arms. They will see that I'm weird, but most importantly they will also see that I am one of them, I am kind, and willing to educate without hate.

[paleodeer]

Sound on for this one

[paleodeer]

Nonhuman gender and gendered words

I don't really care if it's weird, but I love calling myself male instead of a man, it's so affirming. After all I'm not a human, so why should I call myself a man? Even words like 'masculine' don't really describe me, because I think that's an inherently anthropomorphizing word.

It's even more affirming for me to be called a stag, bull or a buck.

It's also worth noting that some species affirming things can be gendered in a human society, even if it necessarily isn't to you. For example, I love platform heels - which is probably one of the most feminine things out there for humans - but it's not for me. Heels are one of the most deerlike things I can think of, and they aren't exclusive to female deers. They make my legs feel longer and more slender and stiff, and the sound they make towards the ground reminds me of the sound hooves make. Plus, they make you feel digitigrade. Just thinking about it makes me happy - I'd love to get some custom made ones one day, with the cloven hooves attached. But yeah, it doesn't really matter to me if humans thought of me in a feminine way if they saw me rocking some platform heels, they are affirming to my species, and I know what I am. So who cares?

I'm curious to know if any other nonhumans can relate to this. Are there any animal terms that are both species affirming and gender affirming to you at the same time? And nonbinary creatures, feel free to give your thoughts as well! I guess I'm sort of nonbinary as well, but in a male deer way.

[paleodeer]

how do you have the courage to be yourself? how do you not fear of their looks or their words? I just... I'm sorry if this is hard to answer.

don’t be sorry. honestly, it took me a long time to be able to not care about being judged. i used to be a super socially anxious and shy person. but recently within the last few years i’ve realized that it just… doesn’t matter what other people think of you. i know that’s so cliche. but honestly.

when i was in high school i started dressing uhhh.. let’s say a little weird. i wanted to test the waters, so to speak. i was experimenting with clothes and trying to teach myself to not be afraid of getting weird looks. because people WOULD give me weird looks, and comments, and even laugh at me. but i liked the way i looked, and my friends thought it was fun, so… what’s the big deal? how is it really affecting me, what they think about how i dress?

i got called a furry a lot in high school, and sometimes barked at. i didn’t know what a furry even was, so it didn’t bother me. i asked my friend one day, and she told me its people who dress like animals, and that i should look it up, because she thinks i’d really like it. and you know what? she was right. so i was a furry. i sometimes wore cat ears or a collar to school. and it still didn’t bother me when people tried to make fun of me for it. partially because i didn’t realize they were making fun of me (the tism) but partially because i didn’t care. *i* thought furries were cool, so i wasn’t embarrassed about them calling me one. they were right, after all 🤷‍♀️

i’m still openly a furry. i wore my fursuit to my college classes on halloween. i’m openly queer. i’m semi-openly a therian (close friends and family know, and ill tell anyone who asks). i don’t mind being weird or different, because i learned when i was a teenager to not be afraid of weird looks or being laughed at. they cant hurt you. it just doesn’t matter to me if other people think i’m cool or not, *i* think i’m cool. i made friends with other people who thought i was cool.

i was worried for a while that if i was too weird, nobody would like me and i wouldn’t have any friends. but the thing is, you won’t make friends by pretending to be someone you’re not. not real friends. i promise that *someone* will still like you. you’ll find someone like you. someone will still understand and think you’re cool no matter how weird you are. and if they don’t, i’m always here :)

LASTLY (sorry this has been so long) i’m good at being openly myself now because of how i worked on my self esteem. i used to have super low self esteem, i didn’t think highly of myself at all. but i read something online once, a few years ago, that said instead of making self-deprecating jokes/comments, to start making self-aggrandizing jokes. instead of saying “i can’t believe i got a good grade with how dumb and bad at math i am”, start saying “of course i got a good grade, im just that amazing and smart and incredible”. so i started doing that. personally, i think these kinds of jokes are WAY funnier, and also they help your self esteem. even if you don’t believe what you’re saying, it still subconsciously builds up an idea of yourself in your head. i will quite often make jokes like this, and i find this helps TREMENDOUSLY with not caring about how people think of me. who cares if they think i’m weird? i’m so pretty and smart and funny and talented 😌 i don’t need them to like me

anyway. that’s a lot of words to say sticks and stones can break your bones but words can never hurt you. but it’s true!

the fear of being judged is a (super valid to have, but) irrational fear, imo; judgement will not hurt you. so my big three tips, if you’re trying to start not caring about what people think: practice, find friends/a group who like you for who you are, and don’t think too poorly of yourself

[paleodeer]

just exist. if your happiness and peace with yourself pisses others off, thats their problem.

[paleodeer]

Before I forget about these, I wrote a list of some stuff I want to talk about on my blog, relating to myself and my experiences:

- Questioning transspecies as an identity label

- Fawns, family and reproduction in general

- Nonhuman gender terms

- Eating venison as deerkin

- The "ugly" sides of being a deer

- My dream of owning a reindeer farm

- My experience with unreality and zoanthropy

- Kin memories

I had been working on a post about my relationship with some labels, but I realized it's far too complex for me to write in one sitting.

I don't have too many followers yet, but my asks are also always open! And if any of these topics specifically interest you, let me know so that I can prioritize.

[paleodeer]

This got me thinking.

If therians can experience species dysphoria, and being turned fully into your kintype would be euphoric and affirming, then can't the opposite be said about non-therians? Most humans enjoy being human and identify as humans - being turned into another animal would then logically cause dysphoria, right?

Anyway, that being said, all my problems would be solved if I were to be transformed into a massive deer right now...

Therian culture is seeing media where a character is turned into an animal, finding out their entire motivation is becoming human again, and going what!!!! Why?????

[paleodeer]

Trail cam catching a deer fawn with the zoomies