Kinformation Desk

Information, resource and advice for otherkin, therians and fictionkin alike, as well as those questioning or curious. -Askbox is open- Please read the About and FAQ before sending an ask! Mobile Navigation

[liongoatsnake]

Social Media Should Not Be One's Therianthropy

Social media is far more a part of many people’s daily life then when I was a teenager. Youtube, Facebook, tumblr, etc all didn’t become “things” until I was a senior in high school to freshman in college. (Yes, yes, I know I’m “OLD.”) More and more people without a daily connection to one or more social media platform are becoming the outliers in an ever increasing internet driven world. This is just how things are, and it is neither an inheritably good thing or bad thing. One thing I do want to talk about in relation to this social media explosion can have a negative repercussions to people’s personal therianthropy.

Social media on all of its platforms is not your identity. Let me explain. It is easy to get caught up in the flood of social media. Creating videos, creating visual aesthetics, showing off “gear” or “dens,” showing images (drawn or otherwise) of possible theriotypes, etc should not be the whole of how therianthropy is a part of ones life. Therianthropy should not be something “done online” or something that only matters while in front of a computer screen, if you will.

For the multiple system I am a part, relatively little of what our personal therianthropy is gets talked about online. We might post about an experience here or there, might maybe share a drawing of someone in our system as their species, might share via a reblog a photograph or piece of art we relate with in relation to our therianthropy, etc but none of that is the meat and bones of what therianthropy is in daily life. Our personal therianthropy is an integrated aspect of our daily life: waking up and getting ready for work with a phantom body in shadow stride, animal instincts and insights popping up in the back of our mind throughout the day, behavioral quirks that confuse the line between our therianthropy and our autism at the turn of a hat, and so on. A lot of experiences which we do not share day to day.

Anyone can get caught up in all the line likes on Youtube or Amino, follows are tumblr, etc. Anyone can get caught up in wanting to share online, and likewise forget everything that maters offline. Exploration of one’s personal therianthropy should not solely within the lens of social media. Venting the frustrations that come with living in a body one doesn’t wholly identify as shouldn’t be something anyone feels obligated to share online. It’s important to recognize while social media  might make someone feel they are exploring their therianthropy or expressing it, social media isn’t your identity, our life. It might be a part of it, but it isn’t the whole of it. Anyone can get caught up and find themselves only really living their therianthropy through social media.

The important thing is to be able to draw things back and center oneself. To not let social media define and shape your identity.  

[valhallanbadger]

Things That People Need to Realize About Otherkinity

Seriously, people both inside and outside the community need to get it through their heads that:

Otherkin means to identify AS nonhuman. Identifying with something nonhuman is being other-hearted. The two are not the same.

A kintype is not a fursona. Someone can make their fursona after their kintype or realize that they actually are kin to the creature chosen as their fursona, but the two are not equivalent by definition.

Otherkinity is not exclusively a spiritual belief. Many otherkin identify as such for psychological reasons.

Otherkinity is not a gender identity. We are not appropriating transgender struggles.

Some otherkin are transgender. A fair amount are in fact. Being one doesn’t mean one cannot be the other. They are different types of identities. Stop erasing the gender identities of trans otherkin and stop using the existence of otherkin to invalidate trans people’s identities. Your transphobia is disgusting and blatantly obvious.

Some otherkin experience species dysphoria which means they have a strong disconnect with their human body. Trans otherkin have found similarities between species dysphoria and their gender dysphoria (if they have it) and so the two do get discussed. They are not the same but they can be comparable.

Otherkin don’t think it’s cultural appropriation to wear wolf ears or that it’s oppression to have house plants or something ridiculous like that. Stop falling for obvious trolls.

Otherkinity is not a mental illness by definition. Some may identify as such due to reasons derived from trauma or illness, but it isn’t in and of itself a mental illness. In fact, a large majority of us whom are mentally ill in addition to being otherkin have confided our identity to mental health professionals who think it’s a healthy identity to have. Stop yelling at us to get help. Your ableism is not appreciated by anyone.

I’m sure there are other important things out there that should be added to this list. But this is all my brain is coming up with for the nonce.

[rukleethedragon-blog]

To all the alterhumans: make this life worth remembering in the next. Don’t spend your days pining for the past– you lived that life, and you lived it the best you could, but you are here now. Take care of yourself. Honor your past. Look to the future. But be here in the present, first and foremost.

[kin-assistance]

I see. I don't think "tumblrkin" are trying to tarnish the image of otherkin, they're just the newer generation. Otherkin has definitely risen in popularity over the past few years, and because of it's new level of public awareness, it's been made fun of because people, inevitably, think that we're stupid for being nonhuman. The Tumblr community can be infuriating no matter what your views or stance, but it's hard for me to see how small changes in vocabulary are a problem.

It’s not… it’s not small changes in vocabulary.

This post was a while ago, but here is a really good example of tumblrkin. The commentary is mostly that of greymuzzles - those who have been in the kinmunity for over ten years, and are generally helpful people.

You see immediately the problem with tumblrkin. They aren’t kin. They’re just teenagers who don’t care about what came before them, they just want to make otherkinity into some sort of weird joke where an ID is somehow more you than a kintype, and oh if you’re anything but their warped idea of what you’re allowed to identify with and as, you’re abusive.

Tumblrkin aren’t otherkin. They’re more like a cult, and I wish I could say I was the first to say that. The entire idea that they’re going on is incredibly toxic, and if you’re in with them then I feel awfully bad for you, but you’d be smart to run away fast and far and never look back.

Tumblrkin are not the newer generation. I’ve been here in the kinmunity for maybe two and a half years tops. I’m part of the new generation. And do I look like I’m being disrespectful to a fifty-year-old subculture and being part of a warped cultish idea of it? No. I ask greymuzzles and older, more experienced members of the community when I confuse myself, and then I take their information and I pass it along here.

For the record, Mod Gryph is a greymuzzle. I signed on specifically to handle the divinekin asks since I’m the only divinekin mod.

Small changes in vocabulary aren’t a problem. They aren’t. Otherhearted used to be called animalhearted, and fictionkin was once otakukin. You can see why those terms have changed: otaku is (as far as I know) an actually derogatory way to refer to Western anime fans, and otherhearted is more than just Earth animals.

The problem is not definition but connotation- the associations with the word. I’m gonna assume you’re the same anon as the “why can’t we say kin instead of kintype?”. And I will repeat my stance: I don’t know outside of tumblr, but when you use kin instead of kintype and don’t have an obvious reason for muddling up terms, most actual otherkin (actual otherkin in this case is just ‘Everyone who Isn’t Tumblrkin’) will give your words no more regard than the kin-positive blog I linked above.

Obviously, depending on where you are, the word used in that way will have a different connotation. But here on tumblr, we just can’t make that happen. And if we could, it would start with greymuzzles suggesting it, not folks who are just the right age and in the right place for it to be a tossup whether or not they’re tumblrkin.

It’s not about definition in this very specific case, it’s about the impression you’ll give off from the connotation of the word combined with its usage.

~Mod Lu, who is very tired and apologizes if fae came off as harsh.

[ttum-has-dysphoria]

“Species Dysphoria isn’t real”

[kin-assistance]

What, what is a copinglink??

A copinglink is a voluntary nonhuman or fictional identity used entirely to cope with something. You can pick, change, and drop it as needed to handle your situation. It was coined by @/who-is-page as a means of replacing the badly-made ‘copingkin’ which was really just spreading misinformation. It was clear a term was needed for voluntary IDs used to cope, since those folks were using kin terminology which really did not apply to the situation, so they made copinglink as a term to bridge that gap.

The French version is ‘support-lier’, because I needed one for my French final and Page said it was good. There really isn’t a nice way to directly translate ‘coping’, but I tried.

From the idea of copinglinking comes the idea of otherlinking, which is just a voluntary ID that doesn’t have to be for coping. Page also mentioned the idea of supportlinking (same discussion in which the French version was made), voluntary IDs used to support one’s identity, which isn’t always just coping. However, I don’t think that one’s caught on yet, so if it’s useful, I’m sure someone’ll use it.

~Mod Lu

[jarandhel]

Welcome to the Otherkin Community

Welcome to the Otherkin Community.

Here are a few links to get you started:

https://www.otherkin.net/

Otherkin.net Discord Server

https://anotherwiki.org/

https://dreamhart.org/2012/01/a-revised-otherkin-faq/

https://dreamhart.org/kindir/

http://justanotherkin.tumblr.com/post/58429596952/an-faq-on-otherkin-for-the-perplexed-observer

http://otherkin.livejournal.com

https://dreamhart.org/forum/

https://dreamhart.org/chat/

http://otherkin-news.tumblr.com/

http://frameacloud.com/otherkin/nonfiction-otherkin/introduction-otherkin/

http://frameacloud.com/otherkin/nonfiction-otherkin/otherkin-lexicon/

http://frameacloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Scribner_DirectoryOfWritings_0-6b.pdf

http://frameacloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Scribner_Booklist_3-2-2.pdf

http://frameacloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Scribner_Timeline2p0.pdf

http://frameacloud.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Scribner_Timeline_Spanish.pdf

http://www.kinmunity.com/

http://www.kinmunity.com/chat/

http://houseofchimeras.weebly.com/informative-articles.html

[ulfrvif]

Intro to Self-Exploration

What is Said “I want to get in touch with my therioside.” “How do I connect to my therioside?” What it Means “I want to get in touch with my inner animal self.” “How do I connect with and learn more about myself?” Therianthropy and Otherkinity are explorations of the self, identity, and what’s happening on the inside. We are examining, analysing, and studying our own natures, personalities, and even unrealized spiritual or intellectual capacities. We actually have to accumulate knowledge about ourselves. This is not easy. “A real sense of self is hard to nail down when we are so habituated to identifying ourselves in very external ways.” This includes being influenced by relationships (friends, family), society, culture, school, work, where we were born/live, etc. “However, when you strip all that away, all those external formalities and identifiers, what’s left?” While we may research non-human species of animals as an aid to help us learn more about our own minds and souls (if you are spiritual), Therianthropy and Otherkinity are not about external entities or other independent creatures outside of us. Maybe you have always liked a species of animal or have developed a sense of familiarity with it as you’ve learned more about yourself. It’s okay to incorporate that into or attribute that to Therianthropy, but we are complex and multi-faceted beings. A lot of other experiences should be taken into consideration as well.

Links to “Self-Exploration: Getting to Know Thyself” by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. and "6 Daily Practices for Self-Exploration" by Lisa M. Hayes in the notes.

[raptor-canidae]

Psychological Therian

Psychological Therians are as valid as Spiritual.

Not every Therian believes in Reincarnation! Nor believes that their identity is due to spiritual reasons at all.

Therianthropy is not just spiritual, nor is it just believing you were an animal in a past life. It is identifying as an earth based creature due to spiritual or psychological reasons.

Psychological Therians identities are not due to mental illnesses either.

[kinformation-desk]

A little late but happy pride month to all LGBT+ followers! 

[kinformation-desk]

Excuse me, but your definition of fictive is incorrect. I'm a fictive in a system and I'm actually the main host of said system. The term you should be using instead of "host" is "core". The Core is the person who was born into the body, while a fictive can show up or be called into the system for any number of reasons. They also don't only have to be from "modern" media, you could have someone from a Shakespearean play show up too.

I see, thank you for the addition/correction! I’ve gathered the information/definition for that particular reply from other systems I know (e.g. House of Chimeras) and general multiplicity resource sites, which are also linked in the answer. 

So far I’ve pretty much only seen systems use the term “host”, but since I’m not a system myself nor involved in the community and still have to learn a lot about multiplicity, I would highly appreciate more sources/resources regarding the terminology and definition/s. It would help a lot!

[ulfrvif]

Therianthropy is not a Competition

I have seen the checklist , “Therian Things I’ve Done” going around on Amino, and I just wanted to share some thoughts about that and similar stuff that happens.

First thing I noticed was that a lot of the hobbies or activities on the checklist are not exclusive to Therians. Anyone can practice meditation. Collecting bones and having animal items is also done by scientists, pagans, Aboriginal peoples, Shamanic practitioners, and ordinary people. Therians are also not the only people who enjoy the outdoors or love animals, and I know a few who do not put any emphasis on that. Some Therians actually do not like being outside.

We need to be more careful about labeling these common things as “Therian” because they are not. This is a major reason why we are disliked and trolled. It looks like we are trying to take over and claim these common activities and hobbies. We need to be more thoughtful about how the public will perceive things like this, because we are in the public eye. Stuff like this makes it harder for regular people to open up and want to understand us.

Therianthropy is personal and unique to each of us, but a checklist like this puts pressure on others to be dishonest with themselves so that they can have a lot of check marks too. For example, “Has a canine theriotype” could make people feel insecure if they do not identify as a canine. Not everyone has every type of shift. Not everyone likes to wear collars and tails. Not everyone wants to be in a pack.

I know this checklist was supposed to be fun, but I can see a lot if negative and unintended consequences for young and uneducated who want to impress others and fit in. They will rush to do these things and check boxes instead of taking their time to learn.

Therianthropy is not a competition or checklist. We can encourage others to think deeply about their own experiences and share more unique and personalized writing if they want to.

[demonessdollie-deactivated20180]

Friendly Reminder everyone. “Factkin” was made to troll people. I’m seeing this is multiple areas with the origin story of them

[otherkindfaq]

Where’s the source for this, by the way? I only heard this origin of factkin recently and I haven’t seen the original proof of trolls modifying ‘factive’.

[liongoatsnake]

We’re the source of this. (Someone screenshot and re-posted something one of us wrote from another site here on tumblr.) The only source is first-hand rather than a second-hand source due to being around tumblr when the multiplicity and otherkin mixing trolling was going on strong. ) It was around the same time that Gawker published there, um, “article.” - Jordan

[otherkindfaq]

Ah, thank you for clarifying that for me.

[dovewithscales]

Thought for the Day

There is no verb form of “kin”. You cannot “kin with something”, and “kinning” is not a thing. The question of whether or not it’s “okay to kin with that” should never even be asked, because it’s not possible to “kin with that” in the first place. You either are a thing or you are not. It is involuntary. Ask instead (at all times) whether or not your words and actions at any given moment may be harmful to anyone else. Otherkin is who and what we are, not something we do. It is not an action because it is not a choice. And if you are “kin with” something that means you are their relative. I am not “kin with” dragons. I am a dragon. I am kin with my cousin.

[anti-kin-cringe]

@witchy-star That’s exactly what I’m saying. The category “Identity Disorder” was present in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (the primary diagnostic tool of the field of psychology in the US). With the publication of the DSM-IV they were re-classified as “Identity Problems” because they weren’t considered severe enough as a rule to be disorders.  With the DSM-V, the current edition, the entire section was removed. Dissociative Identity Disorder was reclassified as a dissociative disorder (and now includes the diagnostic criteria that it must be significantly disruptive). Most or all of the rest were removed entirely. The field as a whole now recognizes that the things which were once called Identity Disorders aren’t unhealthy and usually aren’t diagnostically significant. Because identity can take many forms, and basically anything which doesn’t make you unable to function and take care of yourself is fine. Anyone who seriously uses the term “identity disorder” is working from a book that’s been outdated since 1952.

-Corvid

[kinformation-desk]

I have gone to many otherkin Tumblrs about how I feel and so far none have given me an answer. I just want to know if I'm an Otherkin too. I've always felt detached from humans, even my own family. I want to know why and I feel being an otherkin may be the answer. I feel sharp pains in my shoulder blades and on the sides of my head, only in one spot on each side. Does this help with what otherkin I may be. I don't know what I am and I'm hoping you can help me...

No one else can tell you if you’re otherkin or not. Only you yourself can determine that, along with your kintype. Of course, you must fit the definition, though. 

First off, feeling detached from other humans can but doesn’t necessarily have to be a sign that you might be otherkin. Mental illness like depression and other factors such as imbalances in the body (e.g. hormones) can also cause feelings of detachment. Chronic pain also doesn’t automatically mean you’re otherkin. I highly suggest seeing a doctor if the pain is frequent and sharp.

If you think you might be otherkin, you could start by taking notes/writing down the feelings and experiences that make you feel distinctively nonhuman. Research is also important. Look into otherkinity in general and other people’s experiences (I suggest outside of tumblr, since this isn’t the best place for it. There are forums linked in our resources page). You could ask yourself questions: Do I experience shifts? If so, what do I feel during those shifts? Why exactly do I feel detached from humans? Do I have any nonhuman urges or behaviours? (Again, writing it down can help a lot!) Give mediation a try if you want.

Most importantly, be patient, give yourself time and be thorough with your introspection and research. There’s no rush in finding your identity or figuring out if you’re otherkin. There is nothing wrong with being human either.

Good luck, and don’t be afraid to ask if you have further questions!

[jarandhel]

Cult Awareness

[jarandhel]

jarandhel:

Sometimes the otherkin/therian/vampire communities need a reminder that not every otherkin/therian/vampire organization is a good one to join.  Here’s some things people should keep in mind:

http://www.neopagan.net/ABCDEF.html

http://www.howcultswork.com/

http://people.howstuffworks.com/cult.htm

http://www.ex-cult.org/fwbo/CofC.htm

http://www.cultavoidancesociety.org/index.html

Yes, there are cults of personality that operate within and prey on members of our communities.  No, being otherkin/therian/vampire does not automatically make you a good person. 

Reblogging a very old post that I made in 2012, since it seems some folks could use the reminders again. I have also personally written on this topic: https://dreamhart.org/2009/02/abusive-situations/ https://dreamhart.org/2009/02/warning-signs/