kemonomimi/hybrids
what i mean, a good example are catgirls. however, there's far more than just those. these below are some examples of kemonomimi:
there's various different types, i think the best sources are Touhou, Kemono Friends, and various VTubers for most types. though there are more and more people now who are literal kemonomimi too. the last image is of me, my VRoid avatar.
more recently (around a year or two since), i've noticed a fair few genuine kemonomimi people online.
most of my friends are kemonomimi - one of them's a catgirl. and i myself am a foxgirl.
however, i've only more recently realised this isn't a joke; it wasn't much of a joke to begin with either.
background
origins
'kemonomimi' is a Japanese loan-word term for girls (usually girls, but can be of any gender rlly) whom have animal parts - not furries, they're seperate. i meant for example, a catgirl is a girl with cat ears on her head, and a cat tail at her rear.these were usually made since creeps loved anything that was different. unfortunately this was the same kinda pattern with... pretty much anything that wasn't within the conservative, outdated views of 'normalcy' of the time.
for the lack of a better term at the moment (i'm typing this at night), it was pretty gross. it wasn't made in a good way, but that was a loooong while ago now.
today
kemonomimi was first made a looong while ago now (not literally a long while ago, but definitely over a generation ago now) and so a whole new generation of people never really knew about that, at least how it was originally.the last time i think i remember them being remotely popular was back when Vocaloid/UTAU was popping off 0- songs like Cat Food and Nekomimi Switch were very clearly kemonomimi0-based, but even then those tracks are over 15 years old by now.
though, i think what's happening right now is honestly amazingggg
what i mean is, it's like a reclamation of sorts.
i mean, i myself just kinda always felt like not being strictly human was something i'd find fun, especially with all those questions like "what if you were [insert species]?". like if i was an android, or a zombie, etc - like ofc i'd like it.
being a kemonomimi
should you be a kemonomimi?
i wouldn't say yes, BUT i also wouldn't say no.if you like it, feel better as it, or anything else really that's positive - then i don't see why not. but at the end of the day, you're the one to decide that.
and, well, reclaiming is pretty much the only thing you can do. and a lot of people probably don't even know it's origins, so i think it's definitely something you can do now!
is petting okay?
well, traditionally, humans don't think other humans being given headpats (or really any form of affection other than cuddling/hugging i guess) was necessarily 'sane', but at the end of the day, it's because humans ended up thinking we're 'above the animal kingdom', and in other words, it was basically just a complex social thing.humans are social animals after all, and we are technically animals.
though, why do so many people automatically think that someone being petted on their head is a bad thing?
there's quite a bit of proof that people like it, especially online. people are more personal when in certain online spaces (like some forums, private messages, emails, etc) and i've even seen people in there genuinely be that.
as well, i personally need all that too. and so do many of my friends.
at the end of the day, petting comes down to consent. if the person is okay with it, then they may allow it.
extras
the thing here is that, like many of the things that wouldn't have been accepted as widely as they are today, there's no scientific evidence, government censuses, and all that.you remember how women had to fight for their rights? you remember the riots and protests to have the queer community gain much more visibility, and then still had some prejudice and stuff? you remember how neurodivergence was seen as something weird, 'to be cured,' and even when it was studied, people didn't fully realise it until much more recently? etc.
while most of those still have their stuff, the more recent it is the more there still is, because it's leftovers that still linger.
and this hybrid stuff, isn't really something to be dismissed as 'just a phase' let alone anything other.
lolita fashion is still popular in East and Southeast Asia to this day, despite it's origins from a misinterperetation of a downright disgusting word. but lolita fashion is a whole subculture, and most that participate in it either don't know it's origins, or simply choose to ignore it.
focusing on what gives you joy is far better than focusing on the negatives in life, in general.