You Know

Like, regardless of what I think of the factual possibility of otherkin, I don’t really think it’s all that burdensome to just be nice to them.  I mean sure, fine, you’re a dragon, and yes it is shitty how they appropriate trans experiences for themselves, and how people try to use them to discredit trans people.  

But, the second one isn’t their fault and the first one isn’t universal and they don’t have to be harmful

If I meet someone and they don’t like their name and have a nickname they prefer, I don’t call them by their name and use the nickname they prefer instead even if it’s not a gender thing, it’s just a being nice thing.

I don’t think I have to believe the whole “was a dragon, reincarnated as a human” bit either, it’s just like “meh, okay you’re a dragon.” and maybe it’s a little goofy or weird, but I just can’t see a good reason not to just be nice about it.

Like, it reminds me of a video of me playing pretend as a kid with another, very literal minded, kid.  I was twirling around saying “I’m a princess” and he was going “No, you’re a girl” and this continued for like 5 minutes, and ended in me crying, and you know what?  It would have cost him literally nothing to just go “yeah, sure, you’re a princess,”

Even if you think it’s silly and they’ll grow out of it, or whatever you think, just be a little bit indulgent.  It doesn’t cost you anything.  Like, it feels like yelling at a kid for pretending to be a wizard, you don’t yell at the kid, you just let em’ have their fun and pretend to be a wizard and whatever, it’s fine, they’re pretending to be a wizard, don’t be a killjoy, and I mean yes, some of them use it in really toxic, messed up, abusive or otherwise awful ways, but I don’t think that’s inherent to them.  A lot of the ones I’ve talked to have been very sweet.

Do I think it’s a little goofy and maybe kind of embarrassing, yeah, but I also think LARPers are really goofy and incredibly embarrassing and I happily leave them the fuck alone and am polite about it