doodle by me.. its vaguely low quality ignore that i draw on a trackpad... these r all primarily themed around extremely 'obvious' types of gear like well-known symbols, masks, tails, etc. Okay so idk how to introduction this project but like,, I just felt like sharing a general informative post about something i see pretty frequently especially amongst the younger side of the community, and that is the interest in wearing gear out or doing quadrobics in public. Ofc there's nothing wrong with this! i used to do it, I just think there should be a few things stated before someone either chooses to do so or even after someone has! so: 1. Be safe. This is probably the most important one, and for good reason. A lot of people aren't very friendly or receptive especially now that therianthropy (or alterhumanity, but more people are likely to know therians) is more mainstream than it used to be, especially quadrobics and gear related activities, and it's important to make sure that you're safe. So how can you do that? Make sure you always have a means to contact someone, if needed, you tell a trusted friend/parent/someone who could safely take you out of an unsafe situation where you're going, or bring someone with you. (especially if you are a minor!!!) Keep important items nearby/in your immediate view, concealed, with your trusted person, or on your person! Things like your phone, a water bottle, wallet/keys, gear if you bring any, etc. I've seen a lot of people get their property/items damaged solely because they wanted to have fun and express themself in public. I also always choose quieter hours of somewhere I've been before (like a park) so that i'm not as overwhelmed by people, and feel more comfortable. I try to avoid the mid afternoon on the weekends or week days, and instead like going in the early evening (5-6pm) And lastly if you know that the place you're planning on doing quadrobics/wearing gear at is NOT safe and could put you or someone else you know in an unsafe situation at that point in time or at some other point (like if you wearing gear at school could subject you to bullying), Do NOT!! go! Yours and others' safety is 100x more important than doing something to express yourself in public. Wear appropriate clothing!!! Shorts or pants that will comfortably stay in place, shirts or hoodies that you can tuck into your shorts/pants, and dress for the weather. Also make sure your clothing doesn't have loose ends you may trip or slip on! 2. Be respectful. I see a lot of advice about people making snarky/generally rude comments when someone comes up to you and asks questions, or is rude to you, but honestly I wouldn't recommend you do this. Always be the bigger person, be respectful and disengage if you feel uncomfortable. if someone is openly harassing you, i recommend you leave the situation, tell someone you trust nearby or someone who can help you. - Another thing I would like to mention that I have genuinely never seen stated anywhere else is like, be respectful to the people around you when you are doing this stuff, especially if you're doing vocals. (2x much if you do loud ones like howling.) If you're in an indoor environment, around a lot of people, it's late, or you could disturb other people, you probably shouldn't engage in vocals. If you're doing quadrobics probably don't do it somewhere in a mall, a bank, a store, etc. because it could be disruptive. If you're in the grocery store and you're just trying to get your canned tuna you may not be looking for the person on all fours on the floor while moving your cart, and they may get in your way. I know some places do not permit face coverings that are non-religious, including surgical style face masks (think covid) for safety reasons. - something else i would like to mention under this category is that like. If you're prone to mental shifting, shifting intensely, or have a history of unintentionally injuring other people (biting, scratching, etc.) or just otherwise losing control over yourself probably don't do this kind of stuff in public unless you have someone who can either snap you out of it or help prevent mishaps. 3. Make sure the situation is appropriate. similar to respecting people one, make sure where you're going to do this stuff is appropriate. I'm gonna be serious here and probably a little controversial and say that I don't really think it's a good idea to be doing quadrobics and vocals at a school or work environment. Something like wearing a tail, necklace, ears, or just something minimal in those environments imo is alright, masks and muzzle-style masks imo become iffier. very quickly running out of words, I had more to say but cannot condense them into anything else informative, so I hope this may have given a few pointers. This is all a personal opinion and you don't have to follow it, I just know that these are things I do.
