** Revised Forum Rules - Public Review **

[Haru'Shimo]

Alright everyone!
Here is the final draft of the Revised Forum Rules. We'll give them a couple weeks to be discussed before any changes are implemented permanently.
Please read through them, and if you have any additions/adjustments/arguments, please post your comments in this thread as outlined below.

However, THINK before you argue against a rule. You'll notice that each option to amend the rules requires Reasoning and How it would benefit the forum.
As stated by Re upon TW's founding and reworded in this draft, this place was meant to be a mature forum for meaningful discussion of Otherkin and Therianthropy, building a community in the process.
Hanging out with other Therians/Otherkin is secondary.
Don't bother arguing against a rule because it stops you from "Having fun". Everyone enjoys some relaxation, a good laugh now and then, and most silliness is usually overlooked and permitted for that reason. The rules here have all been formed, every one, because someone, at some point, has done them to the extreme and misused the forum. As with all rules in every place, it only takes one person being immature for everyone to have to deal with a new rule to prevent it.

That said, if you have a valid argument and present your case/reasoning clearly, we'll take it into consideration and the Admin will have the final say.
If you start ranting and throw a fit because there's a rule that stops you from doing something, your argument will be ignored and depending on the severity of your tantrum, you may be warned.

Additions:

• Section of Rules
• Rule you'd like added
• Reasoning/How it would benefit the forum

Modifications:

• Quote Original Rule
• How you think it should be modified
• Reasoning/How it would benefit the forum

Removal:

• Quote Original Rule
• Why you think it should be removed
• How it would benefit the forum

[Haru'Shimo]

About This Forum
(This section should be on the Front/Home page of the forums at the top of the body, with a shorter version in the header or footer on every page.)
“Therian Wilderness is a community dedicated to separating the real views of Otherkin and Therianthropy, spiritual and otherwise, from the unrealistic ideas that have accumulated around the sub-culture.
'Spiritual' does not mean 'Religious' and we are not a religion, although many of our members do have separate religious beliefs.
The forum has been established for constructive discussion of relevant topics, to share theories and experiences, to assist newly awakened Otherkin/Therians, and to help make available beneficial teachings and practices.”

Basic Terms & Definitions
(For further assistance, check the "Common Misconceptions, and FAQ")

• Otherkin: An individual who feels/believes that they are something non-human on an internal level, usually spiritually or psychologically. Considered an 'umbrella term' to include Therianthropy, but generally used to refer to those who identify as non-Earthly/mythical creatures or beings.
  
• Therian: Otherkin who identify exclusively as a single known Earthly or extinct animal. Some may claim to have been multiple, but only identify as one.
• Furry: A person who role-plays as a made up animal/anthropomorphic character, but does not feel that they are that being all the time. Furry sub-culture is most often confused with Otherkin/Therianthropy, but lacks the fundamental belief of unconditional identification as the creature.
• Kintype/Theriotype: The animal(s)/creature(s)/being(s) an Otherkin or Therian identifies as.
• Shift: One of several types of 'transitions' or changes in intensity regarding how much an Otherkin/Therian feels their kintype(s) and/or which one if there are multiple. Not to be confused with physical transformation, which is generally agreed upon as impossible or taboo to discuss in the community. "Shifts" in this sense are strictly mental, spiritual, or energetic/auric.

What Therian Wilderness Is Not
• A Furry Role-Play forum
• A Role-Play forum for Otherkin/Therians
• A Professional Mental/Legal Help forum
• An Adult/XXX/Yiff site

The First Thing to Do

(Likewise, this should be the main display on the Home page, below “About This Form” and above the board listings)

1) Read The Rules.
• Every place has them, and here they distinguish us as a community to further Otherkin/Therianthropy understanding. Their importance cannot be stressed enough.
(Ignorance of the rules for having not read them is not an excuse to get away with breaking them. To the contrary, not having read them is breaking this one.)

2) Write an Introduction.
Per the "Member Rules", please write an introduction within 7 days of registering in the "Member Introductions" board.
Things to include below are highly recommended, but not required:
• A bit about yourself,
• Likes and dislikes,
• Hobbies,
• How you found us.
• What animal(s) or being(s) you associate with, if any,
• How you determined the above,
• What you hope to gain by being here,

The more others know about you, the more they will be able to connect. Short three line introductions are not adequate enough to get to know an individual, so if you want to stand out, don't be afraid to make your mark.

Bare in mind, this is a text based forum so your literacy levels must be adequate for us to understand you and take you seriously. If your intro is heavily illiterate, lacks most grammar, or is a multiple size text rainbow, other members will not be able to respond correctly, or may not wish to at all. Info on this is in the "Posting Messages" area of the "Member Rules" page.

If you have issues with writing due to dyslexia or English not being your primary language, this is understandable. Just let us know, take time to post your info, and use a spell checker where you feel you may need it.

Member Rules

Usernames
• Usernames must be unique and non-offensive.
(This is not your sign in name and can be changed to anything you'd prefer, although names like 'Therian' 'Vamp Princess' and 'Otherkin Dragon' will likely be confusing and/or hurt your credibility.)
• You may not continuously change your Username
(It confuses people who know you by a previous name, and anyone changing a username must add their old username in their signature for a small amount of time)

Expired and Abandoned Accounts.
• New Members have 7 Days to post an Introduction in the "Member Introductions" board.
(Accounts without one will be removed for inactivity 7 days after registration.)
• Accounts that meet the above will be re-evaluated Once, 1 month after registration.
(If only a single introduction post has been made or no questions in said thread have been answered, the account will be assumed abandoned and removed.)

Age Limit Reminder.
• ProBoards "Terms of Service" restricts us to a minimum age limit of 13.
(Any member caught not being 13 years old will be banned until either a year later or until their 13th birthday. No exceptions. Forum staff must abide by this rule. No offense to anyone here or wanting to join. For Reference, see below.)

“ELIGIBILITY

BY USING THE WEBSITE OR SERVICES, YOU REPRESENT AND WARRANT THAT YOU ARE AT LEAST 13 YEARS OLD AND ARE OTHERWISE LEGALLY QUALIFIED TO ENTER INTO AND FORM CONTRACTS UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. Any individual using the Website or Services on behalf of a company further represents and warrants that they are authorized to act and enter into contracts on behalf of that company. This Agreement is void where prohibited.”

Posting Messages
• Keep your messages clean, and appropriate.
(Leave the vulgar language off the forums, stick to the topic as much as possible.)
• Keep your messages civil.
(Aggressiveness and belligerent language will not be tolerated, offensively or defensively)
• Debates are fine, Arguments are not.
(Discussing ideas and questioning each other is encouraged. Becoming spiteful is a waste of everyone's time, and will be dealt with as Trolling.)
• Keep "Pet-Peeves" to yourself,
(If it's not obstructing the topic or against another rule, other members can't be expected to conform/stop doing something because it bugs you.)
• Membership/Spiritual Age are irrelevant,
(The first doesn't matter in the least, the latter can't be proven, and using either to assert yourself as better than another is not acceptable.)

Replying to Members, and NOT the Original Thread Post.
• Don't just add a new post and say; "Same here-, "Me too-" or "Can you tell me about -- and --"?
(You cannot expect people to know who you are talking to if you don't add a Name or part of their Message. Not everyone opens the whole board to read the new comments, some choose to use the Latest Posts Button, which will Not show the previous conversation.)
• If you are replying to someone specific in a large thread, and NOT the actual Message that the Thread is about, You must Quote, or Shout as demonstrated below:

Shout:

@member -
Then your reply.

for example;

[ quote ]@wolfenkin,
Thanks for the advice![ /quote ]

Or, you can simply use their name in your post, so everyone is aware
who you are talking to, such as:

Wolfenkin, thanks for the advice!

--------------------------------

Quote:
To Quote, use this example.

The message you're replying to goes here.

Your reply follows below, here.

This will look like;

The message you're replying to goes here.

Your reply follows below, here.

If you don't know when to Quote, or Shout, It's probably best to do them anyway.
Additionally, when you use the quote button on someone's post, it sends them a notification.

Language
• Do Not use letters instead of words.
('u r 2 cool' or 'c u l8r', A.K.A Text Talking.)
• Abbreviations are fine, like 'lol' or 'brb' 'ttfn'.

Forum Abuse

Info About The Warning System
The Warning System is used by the staff to warn other members of any minor infractions within the forum. It consists of a progress bar that scales from 0% (no warning) to 100% (resulting in a forum ban). The standard practice is that any infractions will add 25% to the warning bar. If no other infractions occur within 2 weeks, the warning will be removed.
If subsequent rule breaking occurs, additional 25% per occurrence will be added, and the 2 week time frame reset to the last occurrence.
(Meaning if you get 25% warning, wait 13 days, then get bumped up to 50% for another infraction, it doesn't go back down to 25% on day 14. Every 2 weeks of no infractions, 25% will be removed until you're back at 0%.)
However, severe violations may deem a higher percentage added, or bypass the warning bar altogether and result in immediate action.

Info About Content Ownership.

At Therian Wilderness, your posts are your own and you are free to reuse your own words outside the forum. However, posting other member's quotes and text outside the forum without their permission is not acceptable. This is to protect the members’ privacy and respecting their decision to share their posts and thoughts within this community and this community only.

Delicate and Banned Topics.
• Cutting/self harm/suicide or thoughts thereof,
(these can be anxiety/panic triggers for some, and are beyond the forum's ability to help with)
• Drugs/Drug use,
(Any Illegal and/or 'recreational' use substances, herbal/alternative medicines are fine.)
• Any Sexual Material,
(innuendo not included)
• Violence/Racist Aggression,
• Banned Members
(unless asked, or approved, by Staff.)

Insults.
• We don't mind a few minor words, but the major ones aren't allowed, and I'm sure you know what they are.
(If you don't, best not to swear at all. There is no need for it.)

Preaching.
• No offering prayers or blessings to other members, no religious slander, or biased claims based in favor of your own.
(We can't be bothered to listen to religious rants, no matter the religion. You're free to explain, but not claim you're right and others are wrong.)

Pity-Talk/Problem Assistance.
• Although we will try to help where we can, we cannot provide substantial help to disturbed or depressed people.
(If you signed up to get 'help' from other Therians/Otherkin, that's fine, but bear in mind that this is a forum about the ideas of Therianthropy and Otherkin, and we can only help you with issues that pertain to them.)
• The forums are not licensed or otherwise legally qualified to provide care or assistance beyond the extent of offering advice and discussing possible solutions, spiritually, psychologically, or otherwise.
(Serious issues, such as manic depression, self-harm, or suicidal tendencies, are beyond our ability to help with, are delicate/banned topics, and bringing them to the forum will result in moderation, warnings, and possibly removal from the site. This is for your safety as well as that of the forum, as by attempting to assist you with these problems here, we can be held liable for delaying treatment.)
• If a member of the site is legally qualified, they can only offer official consultation of their own volition and it must take place off the forums. Should they choose to, they do not represent the forums as a whole, nor are the forums held accountable as their “Place of Practice”.
• You must treat the forum respectfully and not beg people for help, use the forums to get attention, ignore the rules, or staff.
(If your problems are that serious, you shouldn’t be online talking about it, you should be seeking real help in your immediate area.)
• As this forum’s main intent is the discussion of Therianthropy and Otherkin relevant topics, regularly complaining about unrelated problems is obstructive to that goal and deters both your own progress and others' desire to participate in the forums.
(Offenders of this rule will be warned according to the Warning System above. Repeated occurrences may result in removal from the forums)

RESPECT People and Their Opinions/Beliefs.
• There is a difference between discussing opinions, and delegating that yours is right, and theirs is wrong. Do not do the later.
• To question someone’s beliefs/views is not criticizing them. If you declare that you believe something, be prepared to explain why, not necessarily prove it. We’re all aware that the majority of Therianthropy/Otherkin ideas can’t be proven.
• Members' claims of being "attacked" for their beliefs will be reviewed fairly, but if the questioning is civil and merely asks for reasoning, the defensive member will be at fault for making insubstantial claims they refuse to justify.
( A.K.A. a “Fluff”)
• Do not criticize this site or our affiliates. If you have a problem or suggestion, PM a moderator or post the issue in the “Comments and Suggestions” board.

Grand Claims, E.g. "I am really a God/Goddess..." or "I have _____ ability..."
• Therian Wilderness is open to many different aspects of Otherkin and Therianthropy beliefs, but please note that most grand claims will attract questioning and debate from the community. It is a normal part of a healthy community to compare each others' views and to give and take feedback on what they believe. If having people question the validity of your claims bothers you, it's best to keep them to yourself until you're ready to support them with the reasons you believe them.

I Want to Meet Another Member.
• The Forum does not endorse any meetings. All personal meetings must be arranged outside the forum, and you will do so at entirely your own risk. They have nothing to do with us.

Meetings in any way representing Therian Wilderness are NOT PERMITTED without accompaniment of Staff.
If you attempt to arrange such a meeting through the forum or chat, you will be banned from this community.
Anyone who receives a PM asking for meetings must contact a staff member immediately and link to a screenshot of the message.
This is as much for your safety against predators as it is for the forum's well being.

I know the rules are long, and many, but they are set in place so that
people can feel they are safe, posting and surfing, on T.W.

Chat Box Notice

(This should be in place either above or below the CBox itself everywhere it’s visible)

*link to "Chat Box Rules" page after update.

“As some people have been abusing the Chat Box (a.k.a. Cbox), there are now “Guidelines and Rules”* set in place for its use.
The CBox is not a ProBoards feature and is provided out-of-pocket by the staff so that official members can discuss topics in real-time, get to know each other a little better in the process, and so guests can ask questions pertaining to the forum.
As it is visible to guests, it is not intended to be a general hangout. The quality of conversations in it is a direct reflection of the quality of our members and the forum itself.”

Chat Box Rules

Cbox Reserved Names.
• One Cbox account per person.
(Multiple System kin should denote who the speaker is when posting, not use guest names for each head-mate/personality. See next rule.)
• If you have a Cbox login, you may not pretend to be or appear as a guest unless you are experiencing difficulties with your login name, or you are using a mobile device that prevents you from using it, in which case you must inform other members, or staff so the issue can be resolved.
• You may not impersonate another member. If you are caught doing so, you will be banned.

Things Not to Do In the Chat.
• RolePlay,
(Small gestures accepted to accent statements, full-on RP will result in moderator action)
• Dating,
(No advertising that you’re looking or intense show of affection toward a partner or intended.)
• Yiff,
('Furry' related sexual material)
• Arranging Meetings,
(As stated in the Member Rules, arranging meetings must be done off the forum)
• Passing out personal/contact information,
(For your own security, as the Cbox is viewable by anyone on the site, member or not.)
• Guests and Members asking to be Moderators.
• Talk in a disrespectful way about another member.
• Back-chatting the staff.
• Over-Using:
     - Allowed swear words.
     - Icons.
     - Abbreviations.
    - Font Formatting.
• Spamming the chat.
• Use animated avatars.

Topics That You May Not Discuss.
• Cutting/self harm/suicide or thoughts thereof,
(these can be anxiety/panic triggers for some, and are beyond the forum's ability to help with)
• Drugs/Drug use,
(Any Illegal and/or 'recreational' use substances, herbal/alternative medicines are fine.)
• Any Sexual Material,
(innuendo not included)
• Violence/Racist Aggression,
• Banned Members
(unless asked, or approved, by Staff.)

Staff - Things NOT to do in chat.
• Staff may not 'throw their weight around'
(Example:'I can ban you if I want, so don't forget it, because I will.')
• Only restrict what is necessary.
• If other moderators see a staff member disobeying rules, the offender is to be banned from the chat, and reported.
• PM Admin upon banning of member.
• If a member is banned from the Cbox, do not ban from the forum unless instructed to by the Admin, or necessary.
• If a member is banned from the forums, that includes the Cbox.
• If action is taken, keep a log of all evidence of disruption.

Remember,
In this chat, you are representing Therian Wilderness as a whole.

If they see you acting stupid, they will assess that the forum is a waste of time.
Think, before you launch into a mega episode of silly.
It is nice to have a laugh every so often, but not at the cost of discouraging new members. So don't go overboard.

If you become too much, and the staff has to ask you to stop, do it.

If a guest comes in, please assist them as a respectable member, but do not offer them any spiritual advice unless you state that it is your opinion, and that it does not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the community as a whole or the forum.

[Seraphyna]

Info About Content Ownership.
At Therian Wilderness, your posts are your own and you are free to reuse your own words outside the forum. However, posting other member's quotes and text outside the forum without their permission is not acceptable. This is to protect the members’ privacy and respecting their decision to share their posts and thoughts within this community and this community only.

We have a similar policy on OKC. That being said, I think that sharing other members' posts should not be punishable if the forum's name and member(s)' name(s) are left off of it. If you ask me, there's a difference between quoting something maintaining anonymity to discuss it, etc. and posting with full disclosure, effectively 'shaming' the person or similar. I think this rule, as written, is a little bit of trying to control people's behaviors off forum, which, in my opinion, isn't okay either. I'd suggest to amend the above to only include posts that contain the forum and/or member(s) name(s). It's always rubbed me the wrong way when forums have tried to police members off site.

Delicate and Banned Topics.
• Cutting/self harm/suicide or thoughts thereof,
(these can be anxiety/panic triggers for some, and are beyond the forum's ability to help with)
• Drugs/Drug use,
(Any Illegal and/or 'recreational' use substances, herbal/alternative medicines are fine.)
• Any Sexual Material,
(innuendo not included)
• Violence/Racist Aggression,
• Banned Members
(unless asked, or approved, by Staff.)

I entirely agree with banning the topics of drugs, violence/racism, banned members, but I would say that the topic of self harm/suicide should not be *banned*, but certainly granted the 'delicate topic' label and people posting things involving those topics should have to include a label like *potential trigger talk of self harm* in the title so that people can avoid triggering topics, but so that people who want support, advice, information, etc. can post it like Kharu did asking about their friend. We obviously aren't qualified to give medical or professional psychological advice, but support we can certain offer.

[Haru'Shimo]

Jun 10, 2014 18:48:33 GMT Seraphyna said:

... I think that sharing other members' posts should not be punishable if the forum's name and member(s)' name(s) are left off of it. If you ask me, there's a difference between quoting something maintaining anonymity to discuss it, etc. and posting with full disclosure, effectively 'shaming' the person or similar. I think this rule, as written, is a little bit of trying to control people's behaviors off forum, which, in my opinion, isn't okay either. I'd suggest to amend the above to only include posts that contain the forum and/or member(s) name(s). It's always rubbed me the wrong way when forums have tried to police members off site...

...I entirely agree with banning the topics of drugs, violence/racism, banned members, but I would say that the topic of self harm/suicide should not be *banned*, but certainly granted the 'delicate topic' label and people posting things involving those topics should have to include a label like *potential trigger talk of self harm* in the title so that people can avoid triggering topics, but so that people who want support, advice, information, etc. can post it like Kharu did asking about their friend. We obviously aren't qualified to give medical or professional psychological advice, but support we can certain offer...

Agreed on both counts. The Content Ownership section was largely left as it was originally, but it can be revised. Either anonymity or Quote and Credit to the original statement are a must regardless.

As for the issue of help with delicate topics, the major stumbling block we've come to is where to draw the line.
At what point does offering someone help because they're depressed or claiming intent to harm themselves become delaying treatment or feeding their need for attention and merely prolonging the problem?
I'm all for helping people, but we need a clear line of when it's gone to far, and the individual is merely using the forum as a source of pity. Defining that line is the hard part. :\

[Seraphyna]

@haru: That's something that would have to be case by case where staff would have to lock or remove threads that get to that point where people need 'real world' help.

[Werecat]

I would suggest eliminating or heavily revising the Basic Terms & Definitions (For further assistance, check the "Common Misconceptions, and FAQ") section, as some of that information is either incorrect, or is run through someone's personal bias filter that might not reflect the community’s view as a whole; or the factual definitions of the terms themselves.

For example: Therianthopy. Here's what this site says:

”1 - What is Therianthropy? ‘Therianthropy’ is the term used by people who believe they have the soul or mentality of an animal. More commonly, an animal that exists (or is now extinct) on Earth. Therianthropes are a type of Otherkin, but because we can study Earthly animals it is treated as separate from Otherkin.”

Here's what credible and published sites say:

Oxford Unabridged Dictonary: “adjective (Especially of a deity) combining the form of an animal with that of a man.”

Wikipedia: “Therianthropy is the mythological ability of humans to metamorphose into animals through shapeshifting.”

Websters Dictionary: “A human who transforms into an animal. (1885) ”


As we can see, the "official site" definition was clearly run through someone's filter which specifically eliminated all real-world terminology. Nowhere in the official descriptions does it say anything about “people who believe they have the soul or mentality of an animal”, because that’s not what Therianthropy is about. Therianthropy is exactly about a change. We can add on the mental or spiritual component, but only if there is a change from human into animal with that as well. Simply wanting an animal spirit guide or thinking you have an animal soul without any change is not Therianthropy, as that’s more along the lines of Animism or Reverse Anthropomorphism.

If we are all serious about revising the site and getting back in tip-top shape, it's critically important to actually have the correct terminology. Because if not, it can be confusing for newcomers who want to learn more, and it can look like we're don't know what we are talking about when we don't even have the dictionary definition of a term that graces the title of our board.

Just my two cents.

[Seraphyna]

Werecat: The 'real world' definition of therianthropy is *not* what is meant in the otherkin community. In an otherkin sense, therians are people who identify as earthly animals either living or extinct in some integral way. People *do not* mean the dictionary definition, which is anthropological in nature.

[Haru'Shimo]

Jun 10, 2014 21:38:43 GMT Werecat said:

I would suggest eliminating or heavily revising the Basic Terms & Definitions (For further assistance, check the "Common Misconceptions, and FAQ") section, as some of that information is either incorrect, or is run through someone's personal bias filter that might not reflect the community’s view as a whole; or the factual definitions of the terms themselves.

For example: Therianthopy. Here's what this site says:

”1 - What is Therianthropy? ‘Therianthropy’ is the term used by people who believe they have the soul or mentality of an animal. More commonly, an animal that exists (or is now extinct) on Earth. Therianthropes are a type of Otherkin, but because we can study Earthly animals it is treated as separate from Otherkin.”

Here's what credible and published sites say:

Oxford Unabridged Dictonary: “adjective (Especially of a deity) combining the form of an animal with that of a man.”

Wikipedia: “Therianthropy is the mythological ability of humans to metamorphose into animals through shapeshifting.”

Websters Dictionary: “A human who transforms into an animal. (1885) ”


As we can see, the "official site" definition was clearly run through someone's filter which specifically eliminated all real-world terminology. Nowhere in the official descriptions does it say anything about “people who believe they have the soul or mentality of an animal”, because that’s not what Therianthropy is about. Therianthropy is exactly about a change. We can add on the mental or spiritual component, but only if there is a change from human into animal with that as well. Simply wanting an animal spirit guide or thinking you have an animal soul without any change is not Therianthropy, as that’s more along the lines of Animism or Reverse Anthropomorphism.

If we are all serious about revising the site and getting back in tip-top shape, it's critically important to actually have the correct terminology. Because if not, it can be confusing for newcomers who want to learn more, and it can look like we're don't know what we are talking about when we don't even have the dictionary definition of a term that graces the title of our board.

Just my two cents.

The main resource I used for a more 'credible' reference was Reference.com, one of Dictionary.com's sub-sites.
It's definitions of Therianthropy are here, and yes, there are many.

As you may be aware, as society and language use evolve side-by-side, the meanings of words change to fit the ideologies of their time. Etymology is just that, "the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history." As it is used here and in nearly every other site regarding Otherkin and animal-identity concepts, that's how we're using it.

Technically "Therian" refers to animal-headed, part man part beast, and a group of mammals. The Theta-Delta symbol in no way symbolizes spiritual identity with animals or creatures, and at one point was even used to brand criminals. Just like the swastika was once a holy symbol. These things change with the times, as change is nature. We either adapt and change with it, or we're left behind.

[Haru'Shimo]

Below are a few topics brought up in the Chat regarding the new rules draft.
I'm posing them here for record and for anyone else' input on them.

Kimburr: What's "Back chatting the staff" ?
Haru'shimo: Honestly, that's how Re wrote it, so I'm not certain what she may have meant. My understanding is like a little kid mouthing off to their parents. Just blatantly being verbally rude. *googles Back Chatting* "backchat - To respond to an order in an argumentive fashion."
Kimburr: Ahh ok. That makes sense
Haru'shimo: May need to add the definition, or just reword it. Seems to be a lesser known term.

DiracDrynx: My first concern regards registered members not being allowed to speak as a guest. I understand the need to eliminate impersonation, but it appears that using guest names has been a common ways for... multiple systems to express themselves, as only one cBox is allowed per account. And I suppose I qualify as a 'multiple system' myself, so how should we proceed?
Haru'shimo: The usual method has been this: Say I were to have one of my past lives speak, E.g. Ravir, I'd do this-

Haru'shimo: R: Ravir's words here,

or

Haru'shimo: Ravir: Ravir's words here.

DiracDrynx: I understand and respect that. Because that situation occurs fairly frequently here, may I suggest demonstrating proper protocol for that in the rules as you just did, Haru?
Haru'shimo: I thought I did, but it may have been a suggestion I missed. I'll make a note of that and correct it. We'd do multiple c-box names for multi-systems, but a lot of people have them come and go seemingly at random, and the names change a lot, so it ends up being more work.

Kimburr: I have a question about a rule. Sometimes when I'm chatting and I feel the need to add a maybe not ok word I kind of use little stars like s***. Is that ok? Or should I refrain?
Haru'shimo: That's fine. It says the small ones are allowed. Honestly there's little else to express frustration. We just have to step in when someone's using more swear words than anything else, racial slurs, or just being obnoxious with them. You can't really take a cussing rapper seriously in a discussion. Per Teleg's last words on it, the Cbox and Member Lounge Board are more 'laid back' areas anyway. The only reason we've been stressing anything in regulations for the Cbox is because it ends up the face of the Forum for most new members.

DiracDrynx: The rules state that the cbox is not to be used for "Dating (No intense show of affection toward a partner or intended.)" I completely agree that this isn't a place for intense shows of affection, but I'm not sure what else constitutes 'dating' for purposes of the rules. I mean, I don't come here to date, but sometimes connections between people simply... happen?
Haru'shimo: Meeting people and becoming a couple is great. But if you've ever been to an actual chat like that, it's all "Single Male (insert description) seeking single female (insert description)", or "Age/Sex/Location". That's what we're talking about for the "No dating/advertising." We're not E-Harmony, Otherkin edition. lol
DiracDrynx: Haha, no, I didn't think so Haru. Maybe, "Not to be treated as a dating service" would be more clear?
Haru'shimo: Probably. Again, that's why we put it up for public review. ^_^ Course now I'm gonna have to save this chat log so I can reference the changes. XD

Kimburr: Am I allowed to discuss things like big foot? I'm watching the history channel and they're talking about hobbits being real. Didn't know if it was ok to discuss that kind of stuff haha
Haru'shimo: lol. Of course. O.o what made you think otherwise? Mythical/Paranormal is kind of part of the Otherkin idea.
Kimburr: Well it didn't entirely pertain to it as far as I knew? So I just wasn't sure if it was ok to talk about other paranormal stuffs
E.R Foxlet: So, should we try to keep it a little more serious and on point for otherkin/therian things in the chat, and just talk about whatever in the Member lounge? @_@
Kimburr: That's what I thought so I didn't know if other topics were ok xP
Haru'shimo: As far as what's OK to talk about in the chat, everything is OK if it isn't on that list. We tried to be specific in that section.

DiracDrynx: Saying that the cbox is not to be used as "A furry hangout" concerns me. There certainly is quite a bit of crossover between the furry community and the therian/otherkin community. I am unclear about what you are trying to prevent with this rule, and I am concerned that a rule like that may deter furries who may be exploring themselves and wondering if they are also therian/otherkin.
Haru'shimo: As for Furry Hangout, per the most accepted Definitions, a "Furry" is an individual who Role Plays as a character with animal traits of varying degrees, but does so knowing it's Role Play, and nothing more. Otherkin and Therians feel that they are not human in some way, and while many may Role Play as what they feel, they aren't Furries because of that defining identity as the creature. For them, it's not just a character. If an Otherkin or Therian roles plays as another character that isn't their theriotype, then they're considered a Furry in that instance. The rule is just there so that the Forum doesn't become a place of imagined character role play.
Haru'shimo: The reason for that is, while there are litterally hundreds of places and ways for people to Role Play, there aren't many places like this where people can get real, honest information about Otherkin and Therianthropy, so we're trying to make sure it remains useful and doesn't become just another place to pretend.
Kimburr: Makes sense
DiracDrynx: Ahh. Thank you for the clarification, Haru. That makes perfect sense.

Haru'shimo: Honestly though, the only reason we saw a need to rework them in the first place was because we were getting a flood of rather immature members who were preventing any useful discussions from happening and making more mature members either leave or ask for a mature section for the forum. Clarifying them makes it easier for us as moderators to deal with it when that happens, as more often than not we were looking at the rules and saying to each other "Well, 'technically' they haven't broken a rule, they're just making life miserable for others."
Kimburr: I tend to lurk a lot in chat until I feel I have something useful to say
E.R Foxlet: Mm, actually I do too, though on occasion I'll peep up if people are around in general.
Haru'shimo: "Wise men speak when they have something to say, fools speak because they have to say something." -plato.
Kasumi: yeah I kind of know the feeling. lol That's one of the biggest things I've been doing. Just lurking. Sometimes I'm lurking and not even logged into cbox, so no one knows if I'm really around or not.
Haru'shimo: Popping in and temprarily derailing a conversation is fine. Lurking until you've got something to say, equally so. Repeatedly stating something ambiguous and fishing for pity or for someone to stop their conversation and ask you "What?", mmmmmmm not so much.
E.R Foxlet: Haha, I definitely don't do that.

DiracDrynx: My next question had to do with the rules saying that the chatbox shouldn't be used for arranging meetings, passing out email addresses, IM addresses and the like. I understand and appreciate that this is a community, and it would be wrong to use this chatbox purely as a means to exchange contact information, but other than that, I feel that there are plenty of valid reasons to want to speak with another member privately and in realtime, and I'm not sure what these rules are designed to prevent?
E.R Foxlet: Well, I'd imagine pms are still a way to give your contact information. It's not a prevention of doing that entirely, just a prevention from doing it in the chats, which other people can steal your contact information whether or not you want it to be taken.
Haru'shimo: What E.R. said. The only reason it's a no-no in the Cbox is because it's visible to everyone. Any passerby who chances on the forum can see anything you put in here.
DiracDrynx: Hmm. Alright then. Thank you for clarifying.

DiracDrynx: I think I know what's intended by making "cutting" a banned subject, but I wanted to hear clarification from an admin? I'm aware of what that is. But I think that the intention is to prevent people from threatening to harm themselves here? If so, I think it could be worded better.
Hindpaw: It's to avoid disturbing other members, is it not?
Haru'shimo: A bit of both. A) if someone is doing that, they're beyond our ability to help, and need to seek it in their immediate area. B) Some people have anxiety attacks when things of that nature are discussed. C) if someone's threatening to do something like that, they either refer to A, or are doing so for attention/pity, which helps no one.
DiracDrynx: Hmm. Fair enough., Haru. I'm not sure that I agree with reason B), as I think that constructive commentary can be made on that subject, and I think it is futile to attempt to avoid everyone's triggers? But that's my opinion and I will respect the rules you set out. As far as A) and C), I completely agree, but I think that the subject can both be expanded somewhat and made more clear, if I might make a suggestion?
Haru'shimo: Go for it. I agree that it's difficult to avoid 'triggers'. I have none, so I don't really understand them. I don't see how the mention of something causes such a severe reaction. I understand trauma, but also that not facing and overcoming the problem is only prolonging an unstable psyche.
DiracDrynx: As someone with several triggers myself, I don't expect everyone around me to tiptoe around them, nor do I think it would be fair of me to ask people to. But I digress...
I would suggest a rule worded approximately like this:
"Please do not express intentions of harming yourself in any way in the chatbox. This unduly upsets users, and Therian Wilderness is not equipped to handle such emergencies. If you are in crisis, please call [number]."
Haru'shimo: Not bad. I'll have to add that to the list of things discussed so far.
DiracDrynx: Thanks. Though I can't take full credit as I paraphrased from another forum.
DiracDrynx: Well, I can certainly understand the desire to avoid heated debates on sensitive topics here, but I find myself uncomfortable with the rule as it is written, Haru. Maybe that's because I've been on the receiving end of violence too many times and that's a topic I want to be able to explore as I... find myself and try to understand my spirituality.

[Kasumi Noxumbra]

I really don't know exactly where this should fit in, but something about the member journals and not replying to them if they are not your own journal(s). I've noticed and had to remove several member replies to others journal(s). I completely forgot about that when I was going over these rules with the other moderators. n_n;;

[Kasumi Noxumbra]

Also another thing that I think we need to address that has never been in the rules, but I know has been enforced before, is the rule about having multiple accounts using the same IP address and E-mail address. I've seen several times where a member has created an account and then created a second or more, and we've taken action against this by either having them choose which account they wish to use or deleting and banning the IP/E-mail address from the site if we receive no reply from the member creating the multiple accounts.

So really I'm wondering how we're going to deal with these and how the rule would be. I'm mostly drawing a blank this morning about how to word things. Me and mental shifting don't work so well together when I've not slept well. n_n;; Anyways, just thought I should through that out there since I remembered. lol

[Seraphyna]

On most forums, the rule is 'one account per physical body' which is enforced as 'one account per IP address/email'.

[Doppel]

@kasumi
Seraphyna

I would like to make the "one account per physical body" rule as well when it comes to multiple systems and multiple accounts. HOWEVER, I would also like to add some flexibility to this rule. I had a multiple system contact me in private explaining they want a headmate to have their own account. After a short discussion and deliberation, I approved it and attached a note to the second account explaining why as I deemed their explanation reasonable.

[Haru'Shimo]

On an unrelated note:
I'll have to add in there that all conduct/posting rules do apply to Private Messages as well.
While only the people involved can read them, should one party break rules in the PM, and any of the others bring it to a Moderator's attention, the PM will be treated as any other post and the member breaking rules in it will face the same consequences.

[Kasumi Noxumbra]

Doppel

I'm not asking for the member's name or anything like that, but I would like to understand what made it reasonable for a multiple system to be allowed multiple accounts. n_n So if it's not too personal or anything of the sort, would you mind explaining what made you make the exception? Like I said, I don't need to know the member's name so they can remain anonymous.

[Kasumi Noxumbra]

Just giving everyone a heads up so no one freaks out when they see that the rules have been changed. The revised forum rules have been up for a month now, and both Haru and I are considering putting these updated rules into effect sometime tomorrow when we have the time to update the rules of the forum. So if anyone else wants to say anything about any of the changes, please do so today since like I said, we'll probably be updating them tomorrow.

[Haru'Shimo]

Alrighty.
Discussion locked, and I'll start making the adjustments discussed here.
Soon as I'm done, the rules page will be updated, and we'll start working on the site format adjustments mentioned in the draft, though those will take some time.
Luckily I've got a mock-up of the forum for testing now rather than experimenting with this site directly.

Onward and upward!