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On 10/3/2022 at 11:11 AM, Darkmoor said:
So what could define a zoo community?
One possibility would be a majority collection of like-minded individuals willing to self police bad actors that effectively exert peer pressures following an agreed upon code of conduct while maintaining an internal support system.
And from what I've seen, while the ideal is nice and pretty and something that many want, the reality is that most zoos don't trust the most of the rest of us. Why do you think they use nicks, multiple accounts, anonymizers, VPN's and so forth?
So, on paper, it works. But to me, there are 2 realities that get in the way.
1) The "old" if it ain't broke, don't fix it / stay beneath radar, don't be seen attitude.
Some, have nothing more in common than just the self applied word "zoo". We can't even agree on definitions of term and their implications. There are some with a the sense of need for some intangible right that seems too hard to define. There are some with a need to be public about it. These all tend to make such a "community" even less coherent.
There are also issues about representation. There have been a slew of those that felt that they were the figurehead to be the next spokesperson for the zoo community. There have been "pioneering" zoos from over the years that have acted to propel zoos into the public eye in various ways. They might write a book, go on a nationally syndicated program, might call a radio talk show host, might try to make a short film that isn't porn. All for what? So far, the results show the only significant outcome has been more anti-zoo laws.
2) Our animals are innocent victims of tragedy.
One thing that separates us from the LBGTQ+ community is our partners. The animals have no skin in human dreams and endeavors. They are individually non-social with the rest of society, being under human care and protection. And to endanger that protection, with publicity, or lack of caution, or simple carelessness, they can become the silent victim, the one that looses their life as "not home-able" in some act of idealism saving them from "cruel zoophilic sex acts". We know the truth of that matter, but what about the general public? Again, we've been shown time and again the reality of the situation. Society will strip the animals from their homes, mutilate them, and even kill them because they were interacted with by a zoo.
So how can a zoo selfishly endorse that danger? What kind of zoo accepts that risk to their animals? And what is the reward back? A "community"?
In general: zoos do not verify; do not endorse; do not recruit; are the butt of jokes; are often local law breakers(considering most states have laws against human/animal sex); and do not generally trust each other.
Zoos are not even all present. Many are not online. Many don't participate in the same forums. There is even fighting among forums, and even within them.
For decades, have I watched this shallow breathing of "the community". It is a convenient phrase or term or moniker of convenience to use to talk about the general collection of zoos. But I personally don't feel it is enough for a defined tangible segment of society. In general, society classifies all who engage with animals sexually as abusers. So there is a disparity even between the internal and external classifications and use of terms.
And trying to enforce an individual's participation as a member of a community beyond what they choose to submit has resulted in many just walking away, evaporating into the mist.
Many more think the way I do, but most of them are no longer online. They have shaken their heads and walked away, happy to distance themselves beyond the few close friends they have.
There is no real "community" here or over there. Perhaps just a mirage of one appears on the horizon.
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Whether or not you feel comfortable with it, whether or not you like or dislike it, zoo communities do currently exist. The issue here is what sort of values, norms and culture do zoos want it to have. How do we define "zoos," what is expected out of people who share this sexuality.
*For Reference*
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In sociology, we define community as a
group who follow a social structure within a society (culture, norms, values, status). They may work together to organise social life within a particular place, or they may be bound by a sense of belonging sustained across time and space.
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Sociology of Community – The Other Sociologist
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*Also for Reference*
com·mu·ni·ty: NOUN
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a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common:
<span>synonyms:</span>
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group<span> ·
section ·
body ·
company ·
set ·
circle ·
clique ·
coterie ·
ring ·
band ·
faction</span>
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a group of people living together in one place, especially one practicing common ownership:
"a community of nuns"
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<span>synonyms:</span>
brotherhood<span> ·
sisterhood ·
fraternity ·
confraternity ·
sorority ·
colony ·
institution ·
order ·
body ·
circle ·
association ·
society ·
league ·
sodality</span>
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a particular area or place considered together with its inhabitants:
"a rural community"
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<span>synonyms:</span>
district<span> ·
region ·
zone ·
area · local area ·
locality ·
locale ·
neighborhood</span>
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a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals:
"the sense of community that organized religion can provide"
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What kinds of zoo communities are there:
1. Online: Each forum can be said to have its own culture, values, goals; Each App (twitter as an example) could be considered a group sharing a common place (though shared culture value etc is not as enforced or recognized)
2. Local Groups: Cliques bound together though a common geographical location exist and share goals and values
3. Cross Pollination: There are zoos who exist within other communities such as the furry community, that may or may not have access or participation in either of the above.
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I'm not certain how you could argue these communities do not exist. Their existence is self-evident.
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How the communities define themselves is up for discussion. The shared sexuality alone, clearly, is not enough. "Having interest or participating in sex with animals" -as a trait, clearly is not enough to produce values or culture, not enough alone to be valuable to those within it. There must be some way to codify the values these communities should ethically hold.
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If it ain't broke, don't fix it (out of sight, out of mind)
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1. If an individual wishes to exist outside the community, nothing stops them from doing so. There are many that do. If this works for them, then so be it.
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2. There is value in belonging to a community of shared values:
Create a Sense of Belonging | Psychology Today
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A sense of belonging to a greater community improves one's motivation, health, and happiness.
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Feeling a sense of belonging is important in order to see value in life and cope with intensely painful emotions.
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One way to increase one's sense of belonging is to look for similarities to others rather than focus on differences.
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How can this basic psychological fact benefit zoos outside improving one's motivation, health and happiness (likely tied to stages 2-4 of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)? It can help psychologically in the inevitable event we outlive our partners. It can help physically when you have situations requiring help in the event of emergencies and unforeseen events.
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3. If some groups are able to find values and build a stronger culture, who cares of other communities do not. If there really is a benefit to that effort, then the value should be self-evident. The aim need not be to define values and culture for the entire group of people who identify as having interest in sexual relations with animals.
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Animals as Victims
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1. Society views everyone engaging in sexual acts with animals as criminal regardless of the act or motivation. There is no way around this. Scoiety is built on the bone and blood of animals and won't think twice about harming a zoo's animals when they are in the crosshairs. Furthermore, it's becoming increasingly difficult to remain out of sight and out of mind.
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2. Online communities do exist, regardless of this risk, for better or for worse. To me, it would seem constructive or even imperative for those communities to put their best foot forward and make an effort to create defensible values and a positive culture.
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3. Fighting or debate within these communities is a healthy process. You can't come to agreements without it.
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4. Community Enforcement: It's up to the community to define how to enforce its values. There are many possibilities aside from denial or resources. (Probably a topic for another thread)
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Whether or not you are ready, whether or not you like it, multiple zoophile or zoosexual communities exist. The question remains, what values, what culture do you want to see in the spaces you yourself occupy.
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*For Reference*
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Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
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1. Physiological: breathing, food, water, sex, sleep, homeostasis, excretion
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<font color="#111111">2. Safety: security of body, employment, resources, morality, family, property</font>
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3. Love/Belonging: friendship, family, sexual intimacy
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4. Esteem: self-worth, confidence, achievement, respect of others, respect by others
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5. Self-actualization: morality, creativity, spontaneity, problem solving, acceptance of facts, lack of prejudice
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