… “trans wolf” … I want to vomit at that description of myself, even after using it ironically. On a YouTube short regarding his terrible slanted and inaccurate documentary, anti-transgender bigot Matt Walsh refers to me as a “Trans Wolf” in the title. It’s quite clear that he is trying to equate alterhuman identities, specifically in this case, my identity as a wolf therianthrope, to transgender identities. For years, I have rejected the causal association and the paralleling of therianthropy/otherkin communities with LGBTQ+ identities. I think it’s clear at this point why I’ve so adamantly rejected such associations, even at the annoyance of some within the alterhuman community.
I’d like to take this moment to reflect on my identity as a therianthrope, and how it does not intersect with my identity as a transgender woman. It’s important to note that for the purposes of this blog post, I am speaking for myself as an individual. I am elaborating on my experiences and feelings with my own identity, and I don’t intend to speak for an entire community or group within said community. Simply put, my views are my own. With that said, let’s begin with an easy bulleted list.
- I experience severe gender dysphoria, to the point where I have weighed both the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy, and opted to start HRT. Additionally, I am exploring the possibility of bottom surgery in the future.
- I do *NOT* have a similar experience as a wolf therianthrope. I do not desire to undergo any medical procedures to become more “wolf-like”.
- I have a diagnosed medical condition, gender dysphoria, for which an appropriate treatment is transitioning both socially and medically. The incongruence some (including I) experience between assigned-sex-at-birth and gender identity and expression is an extensively documented medical phenomena.
- Conversely, identification as alterhuman can typically be chalked up to either spiritual belief, abnormal psychology, or a combination of the two. Identification as an alterhuman (generally) is not a medical issue, nor does it require any sort of intervention.
- Transgender people are systematically oppressed and discriminated against across the world. People have been denied rights, assaulted, and even murdered for being transgender.
- There is no evidence people who identify as alterhuman have faced any widespread systemic discrimination.
- I cannot comfortably hide my gender identity or expression. I am a woman, and I feel intensely uncomfortable presenting or existing otherwise.
- I do not have to express my alterhuman identity 24/7 – it is primarily spiritual for me with some psychological components. I don’t have to be “the wolf girl” in a professional setting… but I *AM* a girl in all settings.
Identification as alterhuman, therian, otherkin, furry, etc is NOT an LGBTQ+ identity and has nothing to do with gender identity or expression, nor with sexuality. People within the LGBTQ+ community do not generally consider alterhuman identities to be included within the umbrella, alterhumans do not generally consider themselves to be part of this umbrella, and people in both communities can see a clear line between them. Adult alterhumans do not generally care how the public sees them, or if the public accepts their alterhuman identity — it’s a personal identity and identification that doesn’t change our interaction with the outside world much at all. I know I am human, and I do not consider myself a transgender wolf. It would be appreciated if people would stop twisting my words otherwise.