A positivity, essay, confession, and art blog by and for fact-folks, including but not limited to: factives, factual introjects, fait-/fucktives, fogtives, factlinks, factkin/factualkin, fogkin, faitkin, facthearted/kith, fact-beings, fact-alterhumans, diaunthros, isofact, and other fact-types.
Asks and Submissions are Open! | This blog runs on a queue of 1 post per day, so please be patient re: asks being answered.
No one here is too "cringe" or too "problematic". We support ALL systems, including non-traumagenic and non-disordered systems. We are pro-queer, LGBTQIAP+, and MOGAI.
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Fact-Anonymous is a positivity, essay, confession, and art blog by and for fact-folks, including but not limited to: factives, factual introjects, fait-/fucktives, fogtives, factlinks, factkin/factualkin, fogkin, faitkin, facthearted/kith, fact-beings, fact-alterhumans, diaunthros, isofact, and other fact-types.
We accept asks and submissions!
No one here is too "cringe" or too "problematic". We support ALL systems, including but not limited to: non-traumagenic, non-disordered, self-diagnosed, and non-diagnosed systems. We are pro-queer, pro-LGBTQIAP+, and pro-MOGAI.
[Plain text: Fact-Anonymous is a positivity, essay, confession, and art blog by and for fact-folks, including but not limited to: factives, factual introjects, fait-/fucktives, fogtives, factlinks, factkin/factualkin, fogkin, faitkin, facthearted/kith, fact-beings, fact-alterhumans, diaunthros, isofact, and other fact-types.
We accept asks and submissions!
No one here is too "cringe" or too "problematic". We support ALL systems, including but not limited to: non-traumagenic, non-disordered, self-diagnosed, and non-diagnosed systems. We are pro-queer, pro-LGBTQIAP+, and pro-MOGAI. End plain text.]
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Disclaimer:
[Plain text: Disclaimer:. End plain text.]
We are not medical professionals or any sort of authority. We can only speak from our own experience. No experience is the same. What works for us may not work for you, so please take what we say with a grain of salt.
While we try to learn as many points of view as possible, our knowledge still has gaps in it. We may make mistakes, or hurt a person, system, or a marginalized group. When this happens, feel free to politely correct us (no swearing, name-calling, or fake-claiming).
Reblogs are not endorsement.
As of 14 January 2026, we are no longer looking for new moderators.
yo, we just found this blog while looking for factive positivity, and we wanted to send a vent/maybe ask for advice? we just don't have anyone to talk to about this and we need to get this off our chest.
warning for factfolk hate, mentions of plural discourse/infighting, mentions of sanism, and mentions of headmate dormancy/suicidal thoughts.
we are a system of almost entirely factives and we feel like shit for it every single day. before we even knew we were a system, we were surrounded by people shitting on factfolk and calling them "disgusting" and "crazy" and making fun of them for being "parasocial weirdos" and stuff, and it has been horrible for our mental health. it has been extremely difficult to unlearn these internalized ideas, especially because we have moral ocd and an obsession with being "morally perfect" in the eyes of others. we are terrified of being open about who we are because we don't want to be harassed for just existing, especially because some of our members are unstable and wouldn't be able to handle something like that. i don't know how to explain to people that we didn't fucking choose to be like this, our brain just did the only thing it knows how to do to protect itself--it shaped itself in the image of something that makes us happy. we have never met a singlet that is accepting of plurality and at this point we are starting to think they don't even exist. it doesn't help the the entire plural community is a hate-filled trauma-olympics hellhole full of people being horrible to each other for no reason. i don't want to fight to exist, i don't want to be called insane, i don't want to be made fun of for being a "crazy parasocial stan", i just want me and my friends to have a space to be ourselves. it has gotten so bad that multiple of our factive headmates have already gone dormant out of shame/fear/self-hatred. we just want to be alive without feeling like we shouldn't exist. we just want people who will understand.
and to top it all off, we have never met another plural who knows who our sources are, which fucking sucks because we're massively hyperfixated on it right now and it's the only thing we think about. just another thing to make us feel lonely and isolated because fuck our stupid life i guess.
so yeah, thanks for reading this if you did. sorry for being so negative, i'm the anger holder for the system if it wasn't obvious. if anyone has any tips on how to stop feeling like this, feel free to share, but there's no pressure.
Moral OCD (Scrupulosity) and Fact-Source Guilt
[Plain text: Moral OCD (Scrupulosity) and Fact-Source Guilt]
by Mod Reaper, Mod Silhouette, and Mod Espresso [Plain text: by Mod Reaper, Mod Silhouette, and Mod Espresso]
Warning: Discussion of obsessions and compulsions, suicidal thoughts, system dormancy, bigotry, and online harassment/abuse. Linked posts also talk about therapy for moral OCD/ religious OCD/ scrupulosity.
Disclaimer: This post is not meant as a replacement for psychatric or medical treatment. We are not medical professionals or plurality experts. Links are not endorsement (except the link to our own blog).
This advice may or may not work, because everyone's experiences and needs are different. Please read at your own discretion. Use what helps, discard the rest.
Also, if you have advice for the asker, please let us know in the replies/ask box/reblogs!
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TL;DR
[Plain text: TL;DR]
You are not alone in this moral OCD, selves-hate, suicidal feelings, fear, shame, and dormancy.
You deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.
Being a system of almost entirely factives does not make you disgusting, fake, cringe, appropriating a disorder, or a reason for plurals to be taken less seriously.
Your factivity is an important part of not just your lives, but also an important voice in the alterhuman community.
Factives aren't automatically parasocial just for existing.
Existing (even as fact-folks) is morally neutral.
Anyone can behave respectfully or disrespectfully, regardless of their identity. Fact-folks aren't doomed to do harm to their source.
Source connection doesn't mean rejecting growth or a full life.
Source separation is not mandatory.
It's okay to feel negative when you've been mistreated.
As the anger holder, you're important to the system - you know when you're being treated unfairly, and you can be proud of yourself for defending your system.
There's nothing wrong with being happier and coping with trauma by having/being factives in your system.
Moral OCD is when someone experiences so much doubt about their morality (obsession), they keep trying to do things to soothe those doubts (compulsion), that it's distressing to them, and disrupts them in aspects of their lives (disorder).
In this post, we share common obsessions and compulsions we've seen in fact-folks (including ourselves).
Moral OCD is managed by exposing yourself to things that trigger your obsession bit by bit, without using compulsions to soothe the triggers.
This post lists a few methods we personally use to manage moral OCD.
Methods we use include: Using that factive's favored form in-system and out-system, stopping the obsessions by asking "so what?" and stopping there, saying the obsessions out loud to point out their irrationality and how we wouldn't say that to other people.
This advice may not be easy to follow. You may fail. But, failing doesn't make you a failure.
We are rooting for you, Anon, and everyone else in a similar situation.
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Preface
[Plain text: Preface]
Mod Reaper, Mod Silhouette, and Mod Espresso [Plain text: by Mod Reaper, Mod Silhouette, and Mod Espresso]: Hi, thank you for sending this ask, and thank you so much for your patience in waiting for our reply. We hope you have been able to get some support and peace of mind since sending this.
First off, we can relate to your message, so, so much. From the fear, shame, harassment, to suicidal thoughts. We're strangers, sure, but we send solidarity from our polyplex here.
We're so sorry that so many of you have been driven into dormancy out of shame, fear, and self-hatred. It's unfair that many people have made you feel like you shouldn't exist. You all deserve to be treated better. Please know that there is nothing wrong with being so negative in the face of struggles like this. You've gone through a lot of hate. And as the anger holder, you're important to the system - you know when you're being treated unfairly, and you can be proud of yourself for defending your system đ
We have a post about grieving lost system members, if you are interested: https://fact-anonymous.tumblr.com/post/798179131870347264/more-posts-on-mourning-the-loss-of
And also about system death experiences, which is written by @sunsoaked-sprites : https://www.tumblr.com/sunsoaked-sprites/810182151223017472/system-death-experiences-results
(Not saying that dormancy and death must be the same - it's just that the resources might help.)
Being a system of almost entirely factives does not make you fake, cringe, appropriating a disorder, or a reason for plurals to be taken less seriously. Your factivity is an important part of not just your lives, but also an important voice that deserves to be heard and respected by other people (specifically other plurals).
You are the experts of your own lived experiences, and no one else can take it away from you. If others think you're parasocial, crazy, or the "weak link" of the plural community, it doesn't say anything about your morality. It says more about theirs. People avoiding you won't change the fact that being factives is morally neutral. People harassing you won't undo the fact that being factives have been a positive thing for your system. People who are triggered by your existence should avoid you, not abuse you. You have a right to exist as yourselves without censoring or forcing yourselves to be sourceless/source separated đ
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Fact-Folks and Parasocial Relationships
[Plain text: Fact-Folks and Parasocial Relationships]
before we even knew we were a system, we were surrounded by people shitting on factfolk and calling them "disgusting" and "crazy" and making fun of them for being "parasocial weirdos" and stuff, and it has been horrible for our mental health
You (and fact-folks in general) don't deserve this at all. People sadly use their disgust/discomfort as a measure of morality... it's a really slippery slope to not try to think deeply why you have so-and-so as a moral compass (as in, other reasons besides disgust/discomfort), because it often goes into bigotry (e.g. "Trans people make me uncomfortable, so I want them gone/detransitioned/etc."). It's not your fault that they do that. It's their own fault for mistreating you and other fact-folks, and they're in the wrong for not being critical of their own moral compass.
Fact-folks aren't parasocial just for existing, or even if they/their systemmates enjoy their source's work. Parasocial relationships is when you treat strangers, especially public figures, as a friend - caring about them more than you care about yourselves. Such as spending all your savings for merch. Or trying to invade their privacy by asking about their marriage and giving relationship advice. Or engaging with their source media/work all day and all night until your health, friendships, work, school, family, etc. are disrupted.
This link leads to a recent post that Mod Reaper answered - some positivity for when you're scared you're too "parasocial" and "crazy", and some advice on accepting yourselves/your system's factives
Of course fact-folks can be parasocial, but so can other people. After all, anyone can behave respectfully or disrespectfully, regardless of their identity.
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Fact-Folks and Moral OCD (Scrupulosity)
[Plain text: Fact-Folks and Moral OCD (Scrupulosity)]
we have moral ocd and an obsession with being "morally perfect" in the eyes of others.
What is moral OCD? It's when someone experiences so much doubt about their morality (obsession), they keep trying to do things to soothe those doubts (compulsion), that it's distressing to them, and disrupts them in aspects of their lives (disorder).
Quoting this site (DeconstructingStigma dot org)
Obsessions are frequent and intrusive thoughts related to a particular subject. (In this case, your morality.)
Compulsions are actions one takes to soothe or quiet obsessive thoughts. (As in, to assure or reassure yourselves that you're not morally wrong.)
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Moral OCD/scrupulosity is something we can greatly relate to. The current internet climate worsens it because people love to harass anyone they don't understand... harass anyone they find disgusting/uncomfortable, because they think it's their moral responsibility to rid people of the disgusting/uncomfortable things/people. And this happens so much to fact-folks, even from other alterhumans, so I'm not surprised that many struggle with this. Please know that you're not alone đ
And this site, TreatMyOCD dot com, talks about Atheism scrupulosity, "Common thoughts may include that they were somehow wrong in their belief that there is no higher power and they may worry that their decisions throughout life could have somehow offended a higher power in a way that could negatively impact them. (...) The fear of offending a higher power may also come with feared consequences in life: âWhat if I offended God and he punishes me now?â"
It's similar to our own experiences, in that we feel like, "what if us being fact-folks is harming other people, or causing plurals to be taken less seriously, or makes us fake and cringe and thus deserve to die? (...) what if I offended the plural community and we'll get punished by harassment/bullying/doxxing or being driven out of plural spaces?"
That site also says, "Fears are not necessarily about religion and belief systems, but about the uncertainty that OCD attaches itself to."
That's the key of it. It's not about being fact-folks itself, but about the uncertainty of whether or not it's real, whether or not it's acceptable, etc. We unfortunately can't know everyone's reactions to us being fact-folks, much less control them. And we sympathize with that.
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Common Obsessions and Compulsions Experienced by Fact-Folks
[Plain text: Common Obsessions and Compulsions Experienced by Fact-Folks]
From our own experiences and what we've heard from others, here are what many fact-folks feel... Of course, not everything is an obsession or a compulsion. However, if these puts you in distress (e.g. disrupting your life in-system and/or out-system, education, work, relationships, etc.), they can be. Especially when this happens in excess, or every time there's a headmate sourced from someone/something in real life.
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Common obsessions in fact-folks' moral OCD
[Plain text: Common obsessions in fact-folks' moral OCD]
Feeling obligated to justify your existence/source
Feeling like you're "problematic" and/or "parasocial" or "invasive" or "stealing identity"
Feeling like your identity automatically makes you do harmful things (Further Reading: this compilation of links about having a source who have done harm)
Feeling like you're being "crazy" or "unhealthy"
Feeling like you're "appropriating a disorder" or "faking a serious condition"
Feeling like you're racist, sexist, transphobic, etc. just because of the source's views, gender, ethnicity, etc. (Further reading: "Answering the Classic Question" by Mod Reaper)
Feeling like you're angering Real Plurals(TM) or Real Alterhumans(TM) for being yourselves
Feeling like you're faking your trauma
Feeling like you'll be punished by society, or at least by your peers, or friend groups, for being a factive
And others we haven't mentioned
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Common compulsions in fact-folks' moral OCD
[Plain text: Common compulsions in fact-folks' moral OCD]
Avoiding the source and their works, their history, or even related topic (e.g. if the source is Alan Turing, you also refuse to read/learn/engage in topics/media about mathematics, queer/gay history, world war, etc.)
Forcing yourselves/your systemmates to not use source names, images, quirks, etc.
Trying to rationalize it beyond "I'm a factive as a coping mechanism/my role is a soother/protector/etc." in that you want to go deeper into childhood memories, every media history, every interest, etc. that you don't have time/energy to do (e.g. because you're not ready to face the traumas, because you're busy with university assignments, because your disability prevents you from it, because of amnesia, etc.)
Looking at people/posts/media who fakeclaim others or saving them in your notes (e.g. haters of the source if they're a public figure, system exclusionists/medicalists, "cringe" social media spaces, doctors who pathologize factivity, lists of criteria for who counts as a real alterhuman and who doesn't, rigid views of coping mechanisms, etc.)
Looking at people who are "more normal" compared to you and idolizing them/putting them on a pedestal (e.g. plurals without any sourced headmates/ introjects/ factives/ etc., plurals who only have fiction-sources and no fact-sources, plurals who have done final fusion and are happy with it, plurals whose entire system hide their sources, etc.)
(Added 19 July 2026) Discarding your system documentation, particularly the factivesâ (e.g. tearing apart, throwing away, or burning your physical documentation, removing factives from your plural proxy bot instead of just setting them on private, deleting your digital documentation such as a system member list spreadsheet, carrd, listography, personal website, etc.)
And others we haven't mentioned
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How to Manage Scrupulosity
[Plain text: How to Manage Scrupulosity]
The TreatMyOCD site says this:
"Scrupulosity OCD can be debilitating, but all forms of OCD are highly treatable. By doing exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy, you can gain more control over your life and live with less distress.
Our brain sometimes misinterprets certain triggers as threats and as a result, we engage in compulsions to reduce the anxiety we experience. These compulsions then reinforce the mistaken idea that these triggers were dangerous in the first place. ERP works by providing opportunities to engage with the same triggers without utilizing compulsions, and instead accept uncertainty and sit with anxiety. Over time, this teaches your brain that the triggers are not as dangerous as they initially felt, and your distress decreases over time when obsessions come up.
This approach proceeds incrementally, where triggers that lead to less anxiety are utilized first, progressing gradually to exposures that cause more anxiety. This way, not only are you facing your fears and developing new knowledge and comfort with perceived threats, but you are also building confidence and trust in yourself along the way."
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That site basically says that scrupulosity is managed by exposing yourself to things that trigger your obsession incrementally (bit by bit), without using compulsions to soothe the triggers.
Here are some examples of exposure that works in our personal experience (no experience is universal, you can use this or other methods):
1: Using that factive's favored form in our headspace, inner world, mindscape, astral space, other worlds, wonderland, etc.
2: Going by the fact-source names and using an image of them as an avatar (including in your private notebook, document, spreadsheet, DMs, discord server! you don't have to publicize yourselves if it's not safe. you can simply keep it to your own systems, or to friends/partners/trusted few people)
3: If they're a public figure, we watch/read/engage with their work on purpose (not following algorithms/recommendations, but seeking it with a specific book/film/historical archives/etc. in mind)
4: When we're spiraling about morals, just say "okay, so? what if that's true?" or "does it matter?" and don't continue. (Because if we continue, the scrupulosity will keep giving us arguments to make sure we keep obsessing and pushing us to do compulsions). Then we distract ourselves by doing busy things that engage our minds, or continue with the exposure (as shown in 1-3).
5: Sometimes we also say the "moral requirements" on purpose (out loud or written) to point out how impossible/harmful to fulfill they are, especially when directed to other people. For example, "If our friend's system has a factive of an abusive person, should we force them to be a 'normal' sourceless headmate?" / "Will this be okay to say about a headmate who is a nonhuman? A factive of someone they know? A copinglinker? A fictive? A religious person who is traumatized and calls upon a guardian angel?"
6: Or, saying it to point out how irrational/ridiculous they are so we can laugh at it. For example, "Oh yeah, being sourced from a man means we're misogynistic. Apparently, being a misogynist has nothing to do with mistreating women! That's wild! I never knew that's what misogyny means!"
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Be More "Crazy" if it Helps You! (a.k.a. Dignity of Risk)
[Plain text: Be More "Crazy" if it Helps You! (a.k.a. Dignity of Risk)]
i don't know how to explain to people that we didn't fucking choose to be like this, our brain just did the only thing it knows how to do to protect itself--it shaped itself in the image of something that makes us happy.
Here is a quotation from @hazyaltcare's post about the merits of being "crazy".
"Lifeâs hard. be âinsaneâ if you want. Pretend to be a spy analyzing secret documents to make paperwork bearable. Listen to âfictional character inspires youâ playlists to have a reason to live. Have friends in your head. (...) if it works, it works. You donât have to be a âsaneâ adult to live your best life."
This post is about being plural on purpose, however, it can be applied to your situation.
As you said yourself, being "sane" - in your case, having no factives in your system or not being a factive at all - is something that your brain doesn't want to do. It doesn't mean your brain is "weak". It just means it knows how to protect itself - and protect you all. It just means it knows what makes you happy and comfortable.
You're allowed to be happy by being/forming factives, even if others think it's "insane". Everyone's happiness looks different. And you deserve happiness. All of you do. đ
Moreover, you don't owe others this explanation. You don't have to tell others that your trauma made your brain have factives - you don't owe people your trauma history. Stay safe. You have a right to privacy. đ
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And a post that Mod Reaper made: Plurals should be allowed dignity of risk.
"Sometimes, what looks to others as âmaking themselves more crazyâ is making them live happier and healthier. (...)
Sometimes, that is the best way they can cope with life. Everyone copes differently, and no one can dictate whatâs the best coping mechanism for other people.
But even if theyâre not âhealthyâ or trying to ârecoverâ in the way that Western psychiatry - or you personally - see as âacceptableâ, they should still be respected.
Plurals inherently have the right to agency. Plurals donât deserve to have their agency taken away."
This post has a similar topic to the previous one. Everyone copes differently. Your way of coping works for you, and that's a good thing. We're glad that your brain is giving you the resources to live a fuller life by being factives. đ
Being connected to a source does not equal rejecting growth. Being source-connected doesn't mean you can't have a full life. Source separation is not mandatory for a healthy relationship with yourselves and your sources. đ
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Feelings of Isolation
[Plain text: Feelings of Isolation]
we have never met a singlet that is accepting of plurality and at this point we are starting to think they don't even exist.
We wish there were more singlets who accept plurality, too - we've never met any, either.
However, if you wish to find experiences of plurals who are accepted by singlets, maybe our plural joy tag can help: http://fact-anonymous.tumblr.com/tagged/plural+joy
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we have never met another plural who knows who our sources are, which fucking sucks because we're massively hyperfixated on it right now and it's the only thing we think about. just another thing to make us feel lonely and isolated
We sympathize with that. It's valid to wish that your sources were more well-known. We hope you can find at least someone hyperfixated in it, or, hell, you can talk about it on this blog, we'll listen to it and publish it, so maybe our followers can find it and join the conversation!
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Closing Thoughts
[Plain text: Closing Thoughts]
This advice may not be easy. You may not make it in the first, second, third, or even a hundredth day of trying. You may fail many times. You may still experience moral OCD, dormancy, selves-hate, etc. for years. You may backslide, lash out at each other, and be hurt. Because healing is not linear. OCD is a disability, and you can't be fully abled/neurotypical, you can only manage the symptoms.
Failing is an action. Failure is an adjective that hits directly on your selves-worth. So, failing doesn't make you a failure. Failing just means you have another chance to keep trying something better.
Because trying is hard! Especially when your goal is something that is against society's norms that tells you to conform to being "normal" and "sane". Plus, you've been surrounded by this pluralphobic, anti-fact-folks point of view from childhood, and will continue to be surrounded by it.
And trying, no matter what, is really amazing. You can be proud of yourselves - and if it's okay to say, we're proud of you too! Even if the entire alterhuman community never improves their opinion on/treatment of fact-folks, you still have each other/yourselves, and people supportive of fact-folks, even if they're not immediately visible/vocal. We are rooting for you, Anon. And we're rooting for anyone else in the same situation.
(Yes, we're also rooting for ourselves! Because we're not an expert at being fact-folks, we're not perfectly accepting of ourselves yet, because we're in a difficult situation as well. As a result, sometimes we fail at doing our own advice. But whenever we fall, we can get back up, while grieving the ones lost. But we're always glad to know we're not alone!)
Donât punish yourself for being an individual person. Youâre allowed to have your own identity and experiences and sometimes that will not line up with the body youâre in or your headmates identities and experiences, and thatâs okay. Donât spend your life making yourself small for other people. You deserve to take up space and you deserve to be an individual. It is not something that is earned, you deserve it by simply existing.
The goal of this survey is to gather information of on incidences of species-based misgendering within the Alterhuman community.
Please do
Introducing a survey on Species-Based Misgendering, hosted by Duranos of The River System.
   Species-Based Misgendering: the assumption of one's gender and/or pronouns based on the expectations of one's species, stemming from biases, when the expected gender does not match the individual's gender.Â
   Gendered Expectation: the expectation set for a species' gender, whether this bias comes from a cultural or folkoric background, establishment in a media, a linguistic framework, etc.
The survey is open both to the identities underneath the alterhuman umbrella, as well as nonhuman/human+ folks within plural conglomerates.
While this survey is primarily looking for responses from those who have been misgendered based on their species, those who have not experienced species-based misgendering are welcome to complete the survey as well. Interpretation of what counts as species-based misgendering is open to interpretation by each individual, and there are long-form fillable responses throughout the survey to accommodate this.
The survey is set to close on July 31st, 2026.
I welcome folks to share the link to the survey wherever you are active in the alterhuman community.
This form is made to collect information about what symbols the Homestuck fictionfolk community use.
A short survey for Homestuck fictionfolk (fictives, fictionkin, fictionhearted, fictionhome, questioning, etc.) related to terms and symbols used for the community.
If you come up with another idea later, you can submit to this form again.
Plural is an opt-in label. It means more than one. The minimum count is 1*, not even 2. The not-quite multiple are who plurality was meant to include. Itâs not being overt or separate or amnestic or distressed that makes you(&) plural, because diagnosis is irrelevant and those are all criteria. Median and midcontinuum folk are as plural as anymany. Only you(&) get to decide whether you(&) count.
Unironically one of my favorite parts of getting older is that we'll get to be an older nonhuman + plural that younger ones can look at and see that yes, we can live long fulfilling lives and that this experience can be a lifelong one.
I haven't faced my potential fact-based identity in a long while, largely because they did a terrible thing and I'm unsure how to reckon with the complicated feelings of that,,
But I just wanted to say it's comforting that this page exists, I'm happy to see y'all on our feed even when it's unrelated reblogs :> I hope you have a wonderful weekend and something randomly good happens to you
mod espresso [plain text: mod espresso]: hi, anon, thank you so much for your kind message! nice to see that our blog can bring joy and comfort to our followers! i wish you a wonderful day/night and hope something good happens to you as well. and wishing the same to my& fellow mods (âÂŽâĄ`â) (happy blushy kaomoji)
on a related note, mod reaper recently made a post that may help: What to Do When Your (Fact-)Sourceâs Morals are Different from Yours and It Causes You Hurt
here is the link by itself: fact-anonymous.tumblr.com/post/821041657258655744/advicesupport-for-a-musician-factive-whose-source
and a new advice post from myselves, which also compiles other people's posts: Coping with Fact-Source Guilt
here is the link by itself: https://fact-anonymous.tumblr.com/post/821768779545591808/is-it-okay-to-ask-if-there%CA%BBs-any-resources-or
another reaper post: To any introjects of problematic people....
and the link: https://fact-anonymous.tumblr.com/post/822034462577754112/to-any-introjects-of-problematic-people
i hope you may be able to find something helpful there even. good luck with your fact-experiences! (đïŸăźïŸ)đ (finger guns kaomoji)
A lot of people seem to mix up âcommunityâ with âfriend groupâ so when they read âno one should be abandoned by the community. No matter what they didâ they think it means âyou have to be friends with abusersâ. When in reality it means âno matter what someone does they shouldnt be left to go homeless and be denied financial, housing, medical, etc aidâ
You donât have to be friends with these people, no one is saying that. Itâs just saying that you should support rehabilitative justice, support programs that help homeless people, support funding for free medical services, and make sure they donât turn away anyone who needs help.
To any introjects of problematic people. Specifically factives (or fictives when lines get blurry) of streamers or other internet people that have done or said things you find morally wrong. How do you deal with it? What sort of things do you do specifically to source separate? Do you still interact with that persons media and how do you feel about doing so? How do you feel about creating/sharing fan content?
This is stuff we think about a lot in reference to a few alters, having really been into the dsmp a few years back, among other things.
- đ„
This question is for factives (or Fictives) whose source self is a problematic person.
Mod Reaper [Plain text: Mod Reaper]: We have a few posts that deal with this:
Coping with Fact-Source Guilt by Mod Espresso
What to Do When Your (Fact-)Sourceâs Morals are Different from Yours and It Causes You Hurt by Mod Reaper
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These posts have our own advice and links advice from other blogs regarding this topic.
The top post also talks about scrupulosity/moral OCD. It also links a source separation resource by multiplicity-positivity, however, this is the caveat - which we agree with:
âPlease keep in mind that you do not have to completely and totally separate from your source in order to view them in a healthy, more distanced way. You can still identify as or strongly with your source while simultaneously acknowledging that you are your own person and are not responsible for the actions, thoughts, and decisions of your source.â
Moreover, people often have different interpretations on what exactly "source separation" means.
For some, it is to completely disavow any connection to them... which is your choice, by the way. It should be fully consensual and not forced upon you by other people, including your own systemmates.
For others, it's simply to not follow their harmful views and actions.
To me, interacting with the source's artwork, or creating and sharing fan content isn't inherently a harmful thing to do. You're not supporting them financially or spreading their bigoted views. You're not justifying their abuse or blaming their victims. Fan content isn't inherently advertisement of the source.
Being sourced from them doesn't mean you support them, or mean you are a "walking advertisement" of them. You're not an endorsement. You're a person/people/being/etc. You are someone who is existing right now, have your own agency to do good or bad, and have your own feelings and boundaries. Your life is complex and cannot be boiled down to just "but you're promoting bad behaviour/stealing identity/etc. by being you".
That's a very unfair assessment, to just judge you for your name/gender/etc. that amounts to a source, instead of by your behaviour in this new body/world/universe with such a different circumstance from your source's.
Also, you don't have to act like "their art was always bad/overrated anyway", especially if their art has nothing to do with their abusive/bigoted behaviour. Good people can make bad art, and bad people can make good art. If you conflate them, if you think creating art about abuse, bigotry, etc. must mean they agree to that in real life, you may misjudge someone.
Now of course you should be critical about whether or not that art was made as a propaganda or persuasive piece to make you agree with their views. You should know who is funding them, who is the target audience, etc. But just engaging with art doesn't mean you're bad people, it doesn't mean you lack critical thinking. Also, critical thinking does not mean you should mock the artwork/its creator and harass everyone who's interested in them (including yourself/yourselves/your systemmates).
To me, the most important thing is to realize that their morality and actions do not dictate yours. You're not automatically doomed to follow your source's abusive behaviour. You, like everyone else, have the capacity to be a better person, even if those people won't change for the better/apologize to their victims/etc. It's impossible for you to change their mind or give reparations to the people they've abused. You are not responsible for that.
Also, being a good person is achieved by treating others kindly and with respect. You can't just "buy" your way into being a good person by consuming the purest media, liking the most unproblematic public figures, and/or source separating. After all, if source is not an excuse for bad behaviour, lack of source should not be an excuse for that, either.
You do not have to apologize for existing. You are not obligated to grovel at strangers - even other alterhumans' - feet with disclaimers regarding your sources. You don't have to apologize to factives/fictives of their victims, unless it is a fully consensual arrangement between all parties.
Source does not equal support. Hell, source doesn't necessarily equal enjoyment either. Many folks become, form, split, create, have walk-ins, or soulbond fact- or fiction-folks whose sources they didn't know prior, or dislike.
And you can still be a better person/better people than your source/s, even if others are uncomfortable with your existence. They may have a right to avoid you. But you also have a right to be respected even if you don't source separate, and not be banned from forums, servers, etc. for just being yourselves and not harming others.
Is it okay to ask if thereʻs any resources or guide to coping with the guilt of being factkin of someone whoʻs recently revealed to have done something horrible?
Coping with Fact-Source Guilt
[Plain-text: Coping with Fact-Source Guilt]
by mod espresso [plain text: mod espresso]
hello, and of course it's okay! thank you for sending this ask. not all of them are specifically created for factkin, but we hope it can help a little. (âżâ âżâ )
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Preface
[Plain text: Preface]
disclaimer: i can't know your entire situation, but here are some advice, that i hope can help - your mileage may vary. take what works, discard what doesn't. everyone's experiences are different and you are the expert of your own experience. we can't dictate it for you, nor do we want to.
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first off, let me say that your guilt is valid. you're allowed to feel it, and don't have to rush it/get rid of it immediately. you are allowed to sit with your grief and cope with it in a way that helps you, even if it looks "bad" to others. examples: writing a letter to him and tearing it up at the end, making vent moodboards/aesthetic, drawing, journaling, making crafts, or even creating RPF of your source. you are allowed to do anything within your ability. you can ask people you trust to help too, if you have them.
also, if breathing/grounding exercises help you during this coping time, you can do that. if they don't help, don't do it. you don't have to force yourself to do methods that stress you out, worsen the guilt, or trigger disability symptoms.
just please be safe with it - e.g. practice harm reduction, don't burn paper or flammable objects in your living space, etc. but if you can't be safe with it, if coping hurts you, know that it's okay and you're not forever "a failure" or "tainted" or "will never be able to get over your guilt".
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secondly, there's nothing wrong with using resources not specific to alterhumans, such as looking up "how to cope with guilt" in general, or "how to deal with scrupulosity (moral OCD, where one has an obsession in trying to adhere to an impossible moral code and the compulsion to do all sorts of things to reach that moral standard)".
if it helps, it helps. you're not "stealing resources".
(regarding scrupulosity, the obsession can look like "i don't want to seem problematic to other alterhumans" or "i don't want to seem like i support him just for being joe hawley factkin" or "how do i make myself seem palatable to the widest audience?".
the compulsion could be hiding your identity, forced - instead of consensual - source separation, forcing yourself to campaign against him, impulsively deleting all his artwork that you saved on your devices/physically, etc..
of course, not every activity above can be seen as obsession/compulsion. however, if it's distressing to you, or give you problems in work/school/daily life/etc., it's okay to look for scrupulosity/moral OCD resources and find a community that may help.
imo, moral OCD can be hard to spot, and can be worsened by being close to fandoms who like to harass others.)
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thirdly, it's okay to rest from your source's artwork. it's okay to block his tags (whether the artist or the band or their work or anything related). it's okay to block people or need rest from the fandom. you may return later - or not return at all. factkin (and other fact alterhumans) of public figures shouldn't have to be involved with fan communities, historical communities, etc. of that figure.
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fourth, if you join communities or use resources, you don't have to show your identity. safety and privacy are important and you don't owe strangers information about your factkinity. you are not obligated to say every single detail, especially with people you do not trust.
of course, i get that it's nice when you can be fully yourself. but if, say, you join a community of ex-fans, or a moral OCD help forum, you don't have to say that you're joe hawley but you can say you're a fan of him who is struggling with guilt about liking him since he was outed as doing harm.
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Links
[Plain text: Links]
disclaimer 2: we are not affiliated with other blogs besides our own. linking is not endorsement.
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Resource 1: What to Do When Your (Fact-)Sourceâs Morals are Different from Yours and It Causes You Hurt by Mod Reaper of fact-anonymous
[plain text: resource 1: What to Do When Your (Fact-)Sourceâs Morals are Different from Yours and It Causes You Hurt]
here is the link to the post by mod reaper from this blog
This post talks about the guilt and hurt of finding out one's source has done harm, and how to cope with it. This post also links other posts (not alterhuman-specific) related to how to cope with liking an artist who has done harm, and how not to put someone on a pedestal, and to be open to change in yourself.
advice/support for a musician factive whose source is a Gen-AI user/supporter when they themselves hate it?
context: he (my source) has men
while this post was written for a factive's question, you could adapt it to a factkin situation:
being a factkin is also a thought crime. it's an identity, not an action. actions you take depend on yourself, and everyone - you included - has the capacity for kindness. you aren't automatically going to do harmful things like your source.
you shouldn't have to be punished for being yourself.
now, some relevant quotes:
"You do not have to beat yourself/yourselves up for liking his work, idolizing him (...) or being him. It [resonating with a public figure's identity or artwork] is something that commonly happens in the era where mass and new media is so easy to access.
You do not have to immediately disavow every single thing about him, particularly his artwork, or say âhe was always a bad person/his art was always bad anywayâ. You donât have to justify your existence, or your enjoyment of his art.
(...)
The important thing is to not put money where his mouth is. As in, the important thing is to not do actions that concretely support him financially or politically, e.g. buying his albums, retweeting his bigoted tweets, verbally justifying his harmful actions and views, etc."
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Resource 2: "Super Problematic" Factkins by ama-factkin
this post talks about what OP thinks about factkin whose sources have done harmful things, as well as divinekin.
I'm just curious, how do you feel about super problematic fact Kins? Like people who kin Hitler/other dictators, Murderer's, things in the B
we will quote the important parts here:
"The kintype is not the action.
Being otherkin is not something that has moral weight. Being otherkin does not automatically mean you are a good or bad person. (...)
[Plain text: The kintype is not the action. Being otherkin is not something that has moral weight. Being otherkin does not automatically mean you are a good or bad person.]
I have a problem with individual people who do things and then blame those things on their kintypes.
I have a problem with people who engage in cult-encouraging behaviours whether or not they are otherkin.
I have problems with people who do cultural appropriation whether or not they are godkin.
I have problems with people who glorify dictators whether or not they are factkin.
I have a problem with people who make serial killers out to be cute little misunderstood angels whether or not they are factkin.
(...)
But being factkin/godkin does not make a person more likely to do these things, and people who arenât otherkin do them every day.
In conclusion: I think all factkin and otherkin alike are valid and I maintain that a kintype is not an excuse for bad behaviour. What matters most is the way the person acts, not what identities they hold." (emphasis ours)
[Plain text: a kintype is not an excuse for bad behaviour. What matters most is the way the person acts, not what identities they hold.]
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Resource 3: How to deal with learning your source and/or source creator is a bad person by multiplicity-positivity
[Plain text: Resource 3: How to deal with learning your source and/or source creator is a bad person by multiplicity-positivity]
here is the link to the post by @multiplicity-positivity
This post talks about how it's okay to mourn/grieve the loss of someone you look up to, and links a resource about source separation in the end, so read at your own discretion. OP has stated that source separation is not mandatory, and I quote: "Please keep in mind that you do not have to completely and totally separate from your source in order to view them in a healthy, more distanced way. You can still identify as or strongly with your source while simultaneously acknowledging that you are your own person and are not responsible for the actions, thoughts, and decisions of your source."
đŹ 0  đ 1  â€ïž 10 · Multiplicity Positivity · Hi! any idea of how to deal with learning your source and/or source creator is a bad person?
it
relevant quotes here:
"itâs alright to mourn or grieve the loss of someone you and your system once looked up to. Itâs alright to feel hurt or betrayed when someone you thought was a kindhearted person turns out to not have othersâ best interests at heart. There are no wrong feelings. Itâs alright to be sad or even distraught about this. Weâd encourage you to feel your emotions and attempt to connect with them, sit with them, and ultimately, let them go.
(...)
Just because our sources made bad decisions or chose to take advantage of someone else does not mean we are doomed to repeat those mistakes. We are capable of learning from our sources, itâs true, and even acknowledging their mistakes as examples of how we can lead our lives a bit differently. And we can do this without repeating the actions of our sources or convincing ourselves that, because our source is/was harmful, we are harmful as well
(...)
we will stop engaging with their content in ways that benefit the artist, but that doesnât mean we have to give up enjoying that artistâs work entirely."
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Resource 4: Coping Without Source Separation by cambriancrew
[Plain text: Resource 4: Coping Without Source Separation by cambriancrew]
while this isn't a factkin post, it can be useful, perhaps. post is by @cambriancrew.
are there ways to cope with being haunted by your source (not in the "source was am awful criminal" way) without having to change who you ar
A quote from here: "You donât have to source separate to change your current and future self. Just be consciously choosing to be, moment to moment, a brighter, bolder, kinder, better person â to grow and learn and become the person you want to be."
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Resource 5: You shouldn't have to be punished for your memories of other lives by sarksdimension
[Plain text: Resource 5: You shouldn't have to be punished for your memories of other lives by sarksdimension]
a post by @sarksdimension - it's geared for other alterhumans but i believe that factkin can benefit.
I thought Iâd relay something Iâve been told both by friends and my psychologist. It helps me feel better whenever I hear it, and I figured
"You shouldnât be punished for things youâve done in your memories of other lives. No matter what you remember doing, if youâve done nothing wrong here and are trying to be better, that makes you a better person than you were before. (...) Even if you slip up, remember that recovery isnât linear and everyone makes mistakes. If you just keep pushing to become better, and you want to become better, youâll get there. I believe in you."
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Resource 6: Reassurance for Someone With Memories of Immoral Behaviour by hazyaltcare
[Plain text: Resource 6: Reassurance for Someone With Memories of Immoral Behaviour by hazyaltcare]
link to the post by @hazyaltcare
Warning for mentions of school shootings.
okay this is pretty. dark. but i cant help these memories and i just. i dont know. need some positivity/reassurance that im not a bad person
Quotes: "Your actions in this timeline matter far more than they do in any other, as this timeline is the one you have actual influence over. (...)
The fact that iâm able to acknowledge how fucked up the things I did in other timelines were actually have helped me grow as a person and have shown me the person I donât want to be.
Donât punish yourself over a life you remember when itâs one thatâs completely outside of your influence. You canât change what happened, just like you canât change that kintype or who you are.
Be kind to yourself. You donât need to justify yourself or your kintypes. Literally the fact that you know what you did in that timeline was wrong is enough.
Remembering bad things in other timelines doesnât mean you are going to enact them in this one. Just like intrusive thoughts, exomemories are not indicative of your future actions."
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Resource 7: Source Controversy by hazyaltcare
[Resource 7: Source Controversy by hazyaltcare]
link to the post:
Hey if requests are open can I request some Deuce (from Hollywood undead/nine lives) positivity please since Iâm just upset with all the con
Quotes: "Itâs okay if you need to take a step back from all of it and unplug from whatâs going on in your sourceselfâs life. Whatâs happening to him isnât a reflection of yourself and your character, and youâre not obligated to defend him.
Remember that when otherâs say they hate him, they arenât talking about you. Your sourceselfâs controversy is not yours to bear. Being a version of Deuce doesnât mean you are responsible for every other version of Deuce (your sourceself included!)"
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of course, we know that your source's actions affect others in this timeline. people who are still living here and now in this world. it's up to him to apologize to people that he targeted, to give financial compensation, etc.. even from a pragmatic point of view, it's not possible for you to do so. you're located in a different body that hasn't done that, maybe even in a different country. so, it's not your responsibility.
we hope this can help, and take care of yourself if possible. if it's not possible, know that you're not lesser for that. you are still worthy of kindness and respect no matter your capabilities - or your source's actions, for that matter.
