Putting feelings into spoken or written language can be an incredible burden. It’s not easy to express oneself when you just can’t seem to find the right words to say what you truly mean. It’s even harder when the right words simply don’t exist. Some things are indescribable, and therianthropy is full of such nameless feelings and experiences. How could it not be difficult to verbally express the mental, emotional and instinctual goings-on of an animal — something that has no natural use for human linguistics? In these circumstances, we tend to settle. We settle for preexisting terms and definitions that we feel most accurately describe whatever is going on in our heads/hearts/souls, or we are bold enough to create new ones that do a better job. Still, animal thoughts, feelings, instincts, understanding, etc. do not translate well into human words and concepts. To translate and conceptualize what makes one a non-human animal at one’s core into terms and definitions comprehensible to human understanding, is to lose what makes it “animal” instead of “human” in the first place.

That is not to say that there is no place for spoken/written language in a community of animal-minded people. How else can we be expected to share our experiences, especially through a medium like the internet? Also, I might add, that the decriptions and labels that have been created and accepted directly within the therian community are exceptionally well thought-out and currently the most adequate and accurate you can find. By no means do I dismiss the extensive effort put forth to nail down and translate our therianthropic experiences into a form of communication that is essentially foreign to anything but the human mind. Fortunately, we each have access to our individual human brains and most of us manage to get a handle on using words to communicate with one another. This does not, however, change my original point: Some things cannot be described and labeled. We can do our best to work with the tools which are available, but I feel that as long as we continue to use a human form of communication and method of comprehension, we will be struggling to thread a needle with a jackhammer.

This leads me to ask, what can we do? What can be done to achieve better understanding? I think the answer is simple. Nothing. We’re doing the best we can with what we have and are already stretching the boundaries to the point of redundancy. I think, more importantly, we should focus on how we cope with using this limited method of communication. Too often I see therians getting upset and argumentative over a miscommunication due to the limitations of liguistics, or because of someone’s personal limitations as in the case of poor language skills or the misuse of a term, for example. If everyone remembered to take labels with a grain of salt, I think we would see a lot more progress in terms of self-knowledge on an individual basis and, therefore, a more honest and diverse community.

My final message of encouragement is as follows: It’s okay to make a mistake. It’s okay to use the wrong words. Perhaps these words don’t properly describe you. Perhaps you don’t understand them. Maybe you just don’t know what you are and what you’re going through, yourself. All of this is fine. If you are compelled to participate in the therian community and choose to share your personal experiences, it’s alright to be misunderstood. In fact, expect to be, because it happens all the time. You can try again. You can step back, re-think and re-word. Don’t be upset with yourself if you fail at expressing your thoughts and feelings, and don’t let anyone with an immature attitude discourage you from trying again. Words are just words. You don’t have to settle for what doesn’t fit. You don’t have to define yourself or wear a label. If you choose to do so, you can expect others to acknowledge you in the way in which you present yourself, labels included; but if this leads to a misunderstanding, step back, re-think, re-word. Allow others to do the same. We’re all learning, we’re all struggling to share our personal experiences, and we all want understanding and acceptance. We simply mustn’t compromise our own understanding of who/what we are in the process of trying to express ourselves to others. Words are meant to describe you. You are not defined by words. Never let terminology stifle your personal growth.

By Spectre, July 2009