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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that children in your child's class don't identify as animals?

280 replies

wotnofurries · 08/11/2024 14:39

inspired by the wearing a tail to school thread, I thought I'd see just how common or otherwise the whole furry/litter tray/identify as an animal thing really is.

Unreasonable = Yes, a child in my child's class does this.
Not Unreasonable = Don't be silly, never come across one in my life.

OP posts:
Fluufer · 10/11/2024 16:18

Cornishmama1990 · 10/11/2024 16:14

She definitely doesn't truly believe she's a cat - it's 100% a game that her and all her friends play, and it's not all the time, she does plenty of other activities and plays other imaginary games that don't involve this.

BUT, in her world, the word therian is used for this game and they do say they were animals in past lives and go through shifts when they become their animal. If I challenge it, she does say no mummy I AM a cat now as I have gone through a shift, but this only lasts for the remainder of the game and then is forgotten. I know her friends play it at school and sometimes like dressing up and making masks outside of school, amongst many other other, normal activities.

I guess what I'm trying to say is although they have heard and apply certain language to this, and yes I have had a chat about what identifying as something means, I don't hold too much weight to it. This is the world now and the language they are growing up around. In the vast majority of cases it's just kids exploring and playing and it's completely harmless. I do appreciate there are certain cases where it has gone too far, especially in older kids, what what I'm talking about is the current trend of primary aged children pretending to be animals and calling themselves therians. I agree this has likely trickled down through tiktok and YouTube (although in my daughter's case she has no access to these) but this is just what happens in schools.

I know there is some connotations to fetishism but I am no more concerned than any other risks of abuse on the Internet for example. I don't think someone with a furry fetish or whatever will be any more likely to be a pedophile, any more than any other kind of fetish. She's not allowed on the Internet or social media anyway so I think she's pretty protected.

I appreciate some people may not take the same approach with their kids but I feel strongly that I don't want to shame her at 7 years old for something completely harmless. As I said before, if the phase doesn't pass and she goes to secondary school still playing this game or calling herself a therian, it might be time to have a more serious chat. But for now I have absolutely zero concerns and neither do the parents of her friends.

Show quote history

If you are aware of the links with fetishism, and you are confident that she doesn't really believe she is a cat/therian, why can't you correct her language? What's wrong with teaching her to use more appropriate terminology with no links to fetishism? Why can't she play cats without calling herself a therian and identifying as anything?

Cornishmama1990 · 10/11/2024 16:38

Fluufer · 10/11/2024 16:18

If you are aware of the links with fetishism, and you are confident that she doesn't really believe she is a cat/therian, why can't you correct her language? What's wrong with teaching her to use more appropriate terminology with no links to fetishism? Why can't she play cats without calling herself a therian and identifying as anything?

Show quote history

I think I've explained myself enough and we will just have to agree to disagree! I'm sorry if my stance in any way hurts or offends you

Fluufer · 10/11/2024 16:42

Cornishmama1990 · 10/11/2024 16:38

I think I've explained myself enough and we will just have to agree to disagree! I'm sorry if my stance in any way hurts or offends you

Show quote history

Your stance is basically that you'd rather your child associate with internet fetishism than assert some boundaries. But ok. It's your kid. Don't be surprised when those boundaries get pushed further and further.

Scirocco · 10/11/2024 16:55

Thank you @Arran2024 and @Cornishmama1990 for explaining a bit about your experiences.

JMSA · 10/11/2024 17:42

If my child came out with this nonsense at that age, I'd be quick to set them straight.
It's fine to pretend to be an animal in the context of imaginary play, but not to identify as one.

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