By Trinity Cole
A youth subculture known as “therians” is trending in Argentina, with teenagers gathering in Buenos Aires parks wearing animal masks, mimicking animal movements, and filming clips that spread on TikTok and other platforms.
What’s driving the trend
In a recent report, the Associated Press described teens meeting up in public spaces to socialize and perform animal-like movement—often with tails, paws, or masks—while recording content for social media. Participants told AP the community aspect and self-expression are major reasons they’re involved.
What is a “therian?”
“Therians” (sometimes called therianthropes) are typically described as people who identify, in some personal way, as nonhuman animals—often as an internal identity rather than a literal physical transformation.
Online coverage also notes that therians are often confused with other subcultures, and that participants may describe the connection as psychological or spiritual rather than physical.
Why it’s trending now
TikTok’s format makes it easy for niche communities to go mainstream quickly: short videos turn meetups into shareable moments, and curiosity (plus debate) fuels additional visibility. TikTok’s own trend material describes how communities and “unfiltered stories” can accelerate attention on the platform.
What to watch next
- Whether this stays a local scene or spreads to other cities as more creators copy the format.
- Whether participants face harassment online—something that often happens when niche identity trends go viral.
