Uncategorized – Page 5 – The Witch of the Web

dovewithscales:

There’s apparently some confusion about what it means to be otherkin, so let’s lay out the facts.

The Definition:

Otherkin are people who identify either partially or wholly as non-human entities, in either a spiritual or psychological sense.

This definition may be worded in many different ways, but it is the one and only definition.

Things Otherkin Isn’t:

A choice. Being otherkin is never a choice. Period. You can’t choose to be kin. You can’t choose a kintype. People who choose to identity as non-human are called copinglinkers. Some copinglinkers claim to be otherkin. These people are either confused about what otherkin means, or they are actively lying and co-opting our community, trying to change what it means to be kin. These people are categorically not members of our community. They do not get to speak for us.

A coping mechanism. Many kin have coping mechanisms which relate to being otherkin. I have a literal hoard of jewelry and precious minerals in my bedroom, and I find its presence relaxing. But being otherkin in and of itself is never a coping mechanism.

A mental illness. The DSM-V, the definitive resource on diagnosis of mental illness according to the American Psychiatric Association, hasn’t had a section labeled “Identity Disorders” since 1987, because no identity is considered inherently maladaptive or diagnostically relevant in terms of mental health. The majority of psychologists, therapists, and mental health experts acknowledge otherkin identities as completely healthy.

In any way related to gender. A scattering of trolls trying to make otherkin look bad have made fake accounts claiming to be otherkin and drawing false comparisons between gender and kintype, as well as demanding the use of made up pronouns based on kintype. These people aren’t otherkin, and have nothing to do with us.

Physical shapeshifting or physically non-human identities. The definition of otherkin is flatly limited to spiritual and psychological identities with absolutely no physical component. Anyone who claims in any way to be physically non-human is categorically not otherkin. There are people who wish they could physically become non-human creatures. There are people who believe this is possible. There are also people who use this desire to prey upon vulnerable people with promises that it’s possible. The otherkin community polices itself rigorously, and has zero tolerance for the latter. They are not welcomed in our community.

Explanations for Otherkin:

Spiritual. For some of us, our identity is a spiritual belief, connected with reincarnation and even deeply rooted in religion.

Psychological. Some of us choose not to explain our identity in spiritual terms, and instead suggest developmental or neurological explanations.

How we choose to explain our identities is irrelevant. The effect is the same. We are what we are. It’s not a choice or a coping mechanism or anything other than simply who and what we are.

Intersecting Groups and Subgroups:

Therians. Therians identify specifically as “real” animals found in this world. Some consider this a subcategory of otherkin. Therianthropy used to be a separate community, and still is to some people, defining otherkin as specifically identifying as “fantasy” creatures not found in this world, such as dragons.

Fictionkin. Fictionkin identify as fictional characters or creatures. This is a completely separate community which intersects with otherkin on some points. It is possible to be both, but being fictionkin does not automatically make one otherkin. Fictionkin who identify as a member of a non-human fiction species are also otherkin. Fictionkin who identify as a fictional human are not otherkin.

Copinglinkers. These are people who choose to identify themselves as non-human as a coping mechanism. Some copinglinkers falsely claim to be otherkin and insist that being otherkin is a choice. They’re wrong. We have no qualms with copinglinkers in general, but copinglinkers who pretend to be otherkin are categorically unwelcomed in the kin community. It is possible to be both a copinglinker and otherkin, separately.

Otherhearted. These are people who identify with (but not as) a non-human identity, in the sense of kinship, similarity, and empathy. It is possible to be both otherkin and otherhearted, separately.

Factkin. These don’t really exist. Factkin are supposedly people who identify as real living people. This concept was entirely invented by anti-kin trolls pretending to believe this. It is maintained entirely by trolls. They’re not real. They have nothing to do with the otherkin community. There are those who use this term to refer to people who identify as reincarnations of real people from the past, generally famous people. Most people just call that reincarnation, and I’m not sure why they’re suddenly calling that being “kin”. You can’t be otherkin with a human. At best it’s still a form of co-opting our terminology.