[Jafira]

Should I tell my friends and family that I am a dragon or otherkin?

I would strongly advise against it, your spirituality and personal perceived beliefs are of your own business. Draconity and otherkinsim are extremely controversial and out of the mainstream and not too many people in the public or within our day to day lives are truly as open minded as they may seem, or we may think.

In sharing such controversial and radical beliefs with others you risk alienating yourself from friends or family as well as possibly damaging personal relationships and others perceptions of your mental or emotional stability, it does not mean that you are nuts, it just means that you are unique, different, an individual with your own ideas of your own spirit.

Humanity has a pack mentality, if you go outside the pack, you are a threat to its survival, be it social, emotional, spiritual, political, economical, or whatever, if you do not think the same as the pack, you are a threat. Look at political and religious disputes, they destroy alliances, that does not imply instability, but rather the obvious fact that differences create aversions, it is not your fault.

The prospect of struggling with the spiritual aspects of draconity or otherkin beliefs is difficult enough without the possibility of imminent alienation and suspicion from friends or family. Your spiritual paths and beliefs are something personal to you, they are your business and of your needs, no one else's.

Now in such a statement I do not mean that you should never tell anybody. If you truly trust your friends or a particular family member, test the waters and see how they react, "I found a site were some people believe such and such, what do you think about them?" or something like that. But in all honestly a lot of people will not, can not, or choose not to understand or seek to learn more of such ideas.

Likewise, with others feeling at social risk, or feeling fearful of your spiritual or emotional health, you will likely be victimized or experience negative results. Come on, think first, in todays society not that many people will be accepting of such ideas, it is common sense to put your own needs first, keep quiet about this stuff, at least until you can explain it rationally and feel secure in the possible results.

Just, from my own personal experience and that of many others, seriously, be careful of who you tell, and remember, on the Internet, anonymity is a great tool, don't ruin it. Overall, just be careful about who should know and who should not. We don't need an employer or overly religious parent finding out you think you identify with something other then human, tell only those you can trust, and use discretion, we just don't live in a perfect world, the idea is still too new and too obscure, its just not socially acceptable, use common sense.
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Jafira ~ The Tycosian Dragon Visit The Forum