Therians in Spain: Youth identifying with animals divides public opinion

The therian phenomenon is becoming increasingly visible in the public space of Western Europe and Latin America. These individuals, mainly adolescents, not only use masks or tails but also imitate animal movements, such as jumps or galloping on all fours. Unlike furries, therians emphasize that their connection with the animal is a matter of internal identity experience, not merely a form of artistic expression. This phenomenon is gaining momentum thanks to social platforms, where teenagers publish tutorials on improving movement techniques and share their experiences. Experts point out that for many, this is a form of searching for their own identity in a dynamically changing world, although for outside observers, these behaviors can seem irrational. The term therianthropy originates from the terminology of internet subcultures of the 1990s, but its roots reach much older beliefs in therianthropy – the mythical ability of humans to transform into animals, present in the folklore of many cultures since antiquity. The debate around this group has moved to legal and professional grounds. In the Mexican state of Nuevo León, a bill has been submitted aimed at protecting therians from bullying and exclusion. Simultaneously, in Spain, the media is discussing the permissibility of animal attire in workplaces, raising questions about the limits of personal freedom and companies' internal regulations. Some commentators assess the situation as a manifestation of a crisis in traditional social structures, while human rights defenders appeal for empathy and understanding for young people. 28 lat — Age of the man in a horse mask who supported the submission of a petition for the protection of therians in Mexico Psychologists emphasize that most therians are fully aware of physically being human, and their identification is a spiritual or psychological sphere. The growing number of meetings in cities such as Barcelona testifies to the need for building community by people with unusual identity feelings. In the near future, a further increase in the number of public events gathering this community across Spain is expected, which will certainly sustain the nationwide discussion about the boundaries of species identity.