one shared braincell

FAQ | Chameleons

Chameleons FAQ

Who are you?

Three dogs in a trenchcoat.

Chameleons is three people sharing a life and a body. This makes us plural. We are:

What do those emojis mean?

They're just a way to specify which one of us sent a message or made a post, if that information is relevant. We don't always specify because it isn't always necessary or relevant. If we don't specify, don't worry about it.

So what do I call you?

If you know who you're interacting with, you can use that name. If you don't, then just Chameleons is fine. That name is almost always a safe bet (and if it isn't, then you're already someone who knows when not to use it, so this guide is not for you).

They, he, or it pronouns work fine to pair with the name Chameleons. Zahi and Brick are more flexible with this array of pronouns. Arini is firmly an it/its pronoun user. If you know for sure that you're talking with/about Arini then use it/its.

We each relate to each other as selves, though we'll also accept "alters," "others," or "system members." Please do not call us fragments, personalities, facets, or parts.

You might hear us refer to ourself as "I" or "we" interchangeably. Please do not fuss about whether or not to use singular or plural pronouns with us. In most cases, singular is fine.

I'm with you IRL and I don't know which one of you I'm talking to!

Don't worry about it. If you need to know because of what you want to say/discuss, you can ask (politely).

Can I ask to talk to (insert one of our names)?

If there's something you want to say to one of us specifically, we'd prefer a, "can you let me know when (insert one of our names) is here?"

If someone talks to one of you, will the others be aware of the conversation?

Yup. "Don't tell so-and-so" is not possible.

Can I ask you a question about being plural?

We like questions. We also may not answer all questions. Some questions are quite personal or can come off as unkind.

Consider the time, place, and people around. Consider the current topic of conversation. How would you feel if you were asked a question of a similar nature in this setting? Pause and consider before asking. Metacommunication -- "hey, can I ask you about..." is also helpful.

I ran into you out in the wild and you're with someone I don't recognize. Hi! Can I mention that you're plural?

No! Wait for me to mention it first, if at all.

Why does Arini talk like that?

Languaging has many moving parts. Arini would rather do this in its own way.

Why does Arini use text to speech?

Because speech the normal way has much difficulty for it.

How come it can verbalize some things in some situations but not in others?

It uses echolalia as some speeching shortcuts, and also to connect with another by using the same words as another.

Why does Arini make weird noises?

For the same reasons as you: express some feeling.

Can Arini talk normal to make me feel more comfortable?

No.

Website FAQ

What do you mean by "plurality round 1," or, "when you were plural before"?

While discovering us as Chameleons has been relatively new and quite frankly life altering, the experience of systemhood in general is not new to us.

For a solid 5 years we Chameleons were the host of a gateway system. Lotsa day trippers, but also lotsa people who stuck around. Mostly fictives, though some factives, and some brainmade concepts too. In 2015, we had a significant traumatic event that happened. That system went away. Those system members were not Chameleons, were not us, but were our system members all the same. And we thought we were one, so they treated us as one.

In 2023 and 2024, a series of life events got us to awaken to the reality that we are in fact Chameleons, and that "singular" host was actually multiple entities. Hence, "plurality round 1" being drastically different from our experiences as Chameleons now. Some of the members of that previous system have returned as a side system that we don't interact with very much. We are happy to have them, and we need you to understand that they are not Chameleons, but a different system. We don't even know if they're around 99% of the time to be honest.

Disclaimers

We're not a licensed clinician or expert. This site is about our own personal experiences and opinions.

Sometimes you'll see me use "I" and "we" interchangeably. The separations between us aren't always clear. Sometimes one pronoun makes more sense; other times, the other will make more sense.

It is not possible for me to incorporate language that includes the experiences of every being. Folks interpret words a little differently, depending on their own experiences. You'll notice that we'll use certain words interchangeably to try and compensate for this. Examples of words we might use interchangeably:

Regarding "body," we use "our body" exclusively. We know many others say "the body." Since we're not about assuming other folks identify as their bodies, we're not going to say things like "your body." You'll probably see us say something like:

Regarding "person," we use this to mean, "a being with sapience and therefore personhood." It is not synonymous with "human." I know there are folks out there who do not want to be called a person. You may see us switch up this word with something like "being" or "entity."

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