Otherkin & Therian Quick Reference Guide

What are Otherkin and Therians?
Otherkin and Therians are individuals who, for various reasons, believe themselves to be non-human in some manner of speaking (just not in the physical sense).  This can be for spiritual reasons, psychological/neurological reasons, etc…It means that we hold an identity - an identity that we did not choose for ourselves, but inherently come to realize.  One does not choose to be Otherkin.

Who are Otherkin and Therians?
We are people from all ages, races, and groups.  Some are young, some are old.  Some are students, parents, grandparents, veterans, and the list goes on and on.

What are Fictionkin/Factkin?
Fictionkin is the term given to individuals who identify as a character, or a species, from a work of modern fiction (IE. A pikachu, Legolas from LoTR, etc..).

Factkin is the term given to individuals who identify as someone from the past who has actually lived such as a historical figure.

Fictionkin are typically only seen as being Otherkin when they identify as something that isn’t human.  Otherwise, they are simply Fictionkin.  Factkin are not Otherkin as they identify as human.

Is Otherkin and Therianthropy a Mental Disorder?
Not to my knowledge.  Just as there are humans who walk this earth that experience their own set of disorders, Otherkin and Therians can experience the same things (we’re human too!).  Some non-human identified individuals may be autistic, suffer from depression, and so on just like anyone else but being Otherkin or Therian in itself is not a mental disorder.  We have jobs, families, attend social functions, and get educations just like everyone else.

Can I Be An Otherkin or Therian?
No, and I’m honestly not sure why anyone would want to become one if it were possible.  There’s absolutely nothing to be gained by it except being mocked by ignorant people who won’t take the time to research and understand where we’re coming from.

As stated previously, it’s not possible to ‘become’ Otherkin by choice regardless of the reason behind it.  That includes those individuals who claim to be Otherkin due to coping reasons.  If you’re using a non-human persona to help you cope with something in your life, that’s your business and I hope it works well for you.  But please, don’t call yourself Otherkin. Identifying as non-human is not a choice.

Identifying As/With and Connections To - Explained
By the generally accepted definition, one must identify as their non-human identity.  Anyone can identify with something or have a connection to something.  These individuals are generally said to be X-Hearted (ie Lion-hearted, Dragon-hearted, etc..) and are not considered to be Otherkin or Therians.  A strong connection with someone or something does not mean that you believe you are that something.  Someone can strongly identify with their best friend, but that doesn’t mean said person believes they are their best friend.  Likewise, someone may feel a strong connection to butterflies and how they flit along in the wind but that doesn’t mean they are a butterfly.  

For that matter, there are Otherkin and Therians out there who don’t like their types which just goes back to the fact that we can’t willingly choose to be Otherkin or Therian.

Where Can I Learn More?
There are several places you can go to read more in-depth information with a simple search phrase but below I’ve provided a few good resources.

http://project-shift.net/

http://www.werelibrary.org/

http://frameacloud.com/


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