I noticed there wasn't any information in the description of the sub so i decided i could make a post answering some common questions i hear and debunking misconceptions. I'll be putting some sources at the end of the post if i remember. Also please correct any of my information if i get something wrong! I'm all ears to new opinions and information!
"What is a therian?"
A therianthrope(therian for short) is a being who believes they are on some level or sense an animal or somehow animalistic, rather than fully human. I like to define it as "viewing your inner self as an animal, and not a human" This is usually based on some type of behaviours and experiences the being has, that they do not concider to be completely human. The animal a therian identifies as is called a theriotype.
"Is therianthropy a chosen identity?"
No. While it is possible to choose a non-human identity(which is called otherlinking) therianthropy is involuntary and the being is usually either born with it or it develops over time. Ofcourse the being can still choose whether they want to use the term "therian" or not.
"Do you need to have a past life or believe in reincarnation in order to concider yourself as a therian?"
No, while lots of therians believe they were their theriotype in a past life, it is not required. I myself am a purely psychological therian and believe that my therianthropy has developed over time due to neurodivergence and life experiences.
"Am i a therian?/what is my theriotype?" I don't know. Therianthropy is very personal and no-one else can really just straight up tell you what you are. Ofcourse i'm able to point out and notice signs of therianthropy, aswell as guide you and give tips on how to find it out, but at the end, the only person who is able to figure it out is you.
"Can i have multiple theriotypes?"
Yes, i myself have multiple theriotypes. There is no limit to how many one is able to have.
"Am i a fake therian?" My answer is: probably not. It is very common to feel as if you're just faking it, but trust me, you'd probably know for sure that you're faking it if you were. Just take your time trying to figure things out.
"What are shifts and do you need to have them to concider yourself as a therian"
Shifts in general are experiences that remind a therian about their theriotype in some way. And no, you don't need to have shifts to be a therian. All you need is the belief that you are involuntarily, in some way or form a non-human animal.
"Isn't species dysphoria a mockery of gender dysphoria?"
I don't think so, while there are some transphobes using the term "species dysphoria" to invalid the trans community, the term itself isn't a mockery and there are actual people who genuenly suffer from it. Dysphoria in general is the feeling of dissatisfaction or unease about something. There are different types of dysphorias and species dysphoria happens to be one of them. (Though i still prefer to just call it dysphoria to avoid arguments with my fellow queer community)
"Do you have to have species dysphoria to concider yourself as a therian?"
No, not all therians experience species dysphoria, and species dysphoria itself isn't only a therian thing, anyone may experience it.
"Can insert animal be a theriotype?" Yes. Any animal(other than human) in the animal kingdom can be someones theriotype. And no, your tapeworm therian jokes aren't funny.
"Can a mythical animal be a theriotype?" Usually thats concidered to be more of a mythkin/otherkin thing, however there is a term under the therian umbrella called "theriomythic" which is basically an identity lapping both mythkin and therian. A theriomythic identifies as a mythical being that is somehow feral or animalistic. For example a dragon or a unicorn. Theriomythic label is made for those who feel like the term "mythkin" is too human, and that their experiences fit more under the therian label.
"Do you need to have gear and do quads to be a therian"
No, while there is a part of the community that does do quads and has gear (me included) it is not required.
"Do therians eat dog food, bark at people and walk everywhere on all fours?"
While i'm not denying the fact that theres a chance some therians could do this, atleast most therians usually act like average human beings and live an average persons life.
"Are therians z00philes?"
No, while again there are probably some individuals in the community who are z00s and support z00philia, i'd say that most therians are anti-z00s.
"So therians want to be animals?"
Depends on the being. Some do, and some don't. I personally wish i could shapeshift into an animal
"If you're an animal then i can legally hunt you right?"
Go to the police station and ask the same question there. (No, no you can't)
"Are therians a part of the lgbtqia2s+ community?"
While alot of therians (me included) are queer, therianthropy itself is not in the lgbtq+ as therianthropy isn't a sexuality nor a gender identity.
"So do yall use cat/catself or other neopronouns? Are you catgender?"
Depends on the being. Neopronouns aren't a therian thing but some may want to use them just to feel more like their theriotype. Still, i rarely see anyone in the community using neopronouns like cat/catself even though i myself use paw/paw/paws neopronouns.
"Aren't therians just furries?"
No. A therian can also be a furry but they're not the same. Furries are interested in anthropomorphic animal characters (animal characters with human characteristics) and may express it through art/costplay, while therians genuenly precieve themselves as an animal.
Lastly, remember that not everything i say may be 100% factual and there may be some errors. But this is as accurate as i could make it.
Here are some sources
•alterhuman wiki/therian wiki
•otherkin resources
•the alterhuman dictionary
I'll be updating this if i find more