Otherkin
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The otherkin spiritual movement is made up of people who identify as non-human, usually as a mythological or legendary creature. Template:Ref
Otherkin should not be confused with role-players Template:Ref Template:Ref
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Overview
The community grew out of the online elven community of the early to mid-1990s, with the earliest recorded use of the term "otherkin" appearing in early 1996; however, from the context it appears clear that it was already well established. Template:Ref. It was coined when it became clear that people were identifying as a number of different mythological creatures, such as fairies, unicorns and satyrs, and not just as elves. Template:Ref The definition of the term is fluid, sometimes expanding to include animals, aliens, and an assortment of other kinds, but the core definition of mythological creatures is agreed on. Template:Ref
However, the otherkin umbrella has expanded over time, and is often used nowadays to describe a number of communities with similar beliefs. Template:Ref Examples of these are the draconic Template:Ref, vampire Template:Ref and therianthrope Template:Ref communities — all of which share similar core beliefs, but whose members may not consider themselves part of the mainstream otherkin community. Template:Ref There are also elements of the furry community, sometimes called furry lifestylers, that hold such beliefs about various animal species. Template:Ref
Ways of being otherkin
Otherkin describe their non-human aspects as being either spiritual, philosophical or sometimes biological in nature. The spiritual and philosophical paradigms, especially, are seen as different and valid ways of being otherkin, rather than being in opposition to each other. Template:Ref There is more debate about the biological paradigm. Template:Ref
Sometimes a combination of non-human natures is professed, such as being both elf and werewolf, or angel and cat.
Some otherkin claim to feel wings, tails, and other organs from past incarnations that are not part of their human body. This sensation is similar to the "phantom limb" (phantom pain) condition, though not limited to human limbs; i.e. phantom tail, phantom wings, etc.
Otherkin often describe unusual behaviour traits that would not fit in with the mainstream of their culture. Although none of these traits are common enough to be considered identifying traits, there are some which are repeatedly mentioned by different members of the same otherkin type. Otherkin may describe strong traits or cravings which are not immediately associable with their type.
Therianthropes and vampires, especially, describe unusual cravings such as needing to eat raw meat Template:Ref or to drink blood. Template:Ref Many dragons describe a strong tendency to hoard, although this is a common tendency across Western society.
Therianthropes and furries may make animal sounds such as growling, purring and hissing. This may become an automatic response.
Spiritual difference
Otherkin most commonly believe themselves to be human in biology but "other" in spirit, often attributing this to reincarnation or a "misplaced soul". Reincarnationist otherkin have varrying beliefs as to the origin of the soul with beliefs of indivdiual otherkin souls coming from Earth, other planets, and/or different planes of consciousness. These otherkin most commonly claim to receive visions and memories from their past lives, but to share the same psychology as the human race. It is a matter of some debate in the community as to whether this is because human psychology is in some way innate, or simply a matter of upbringing.
The otherkin community also has a relatively high proportion of people afflicted with multiple personalities, who may have internal personalities with different otherkin types, and may include walk-ins amongst their number. A parallel has also been drawn between otherkin and transsexuality, resulting in the neologism trans-speciesism: the conviction that one is in a body of the wrong species. Template:Ref
Philosophical association
As the community has grown more sophisticated, a number of people have begun explaining their association with non-human imagery as a way of understanding and exploring themselves. Another idea otherkin associate with is totemism. Such an explanation for an otherkin's bond with another entity — with the totem guiding or temporarily taking possession of the human body — is especially popular among those involved with Paganism and the New Age movement.
Biological difference
Some otherkin believe themselves to be biologically non-human — for example, by claiming distant, or not so distant descent from a non-human. These may claim, at least partially, to have the mentality and instincts of their "other" nature. It is not entirely unheard of for otherkin to claim that they are only sexually attracted to others of the same otherkin type.
Some otherkin have expressed a desire to undergo genetic testing to see if they have any extremely unusual genetic traits. Others have claimed extremely unusual physical traits, such as the ability to regrow teeth, or having extremely low blood temperature.
Becoming otherkin
The otherkin subculture describes the process of identifying as otherkin as Awakening. The process of awakening has much in common with that of religious revelation or conversion. Depending on the individual concerned, it can be very sudden or a gradual process. It may be validating or traumatizing. It may be associated with the recovery of past life memories.
Otherkin themselves state very clearly that their perceived non-human traits are innate. In the awakening process, they generally consider that something is being revealed about themselves that had previously been hidden. Otherkin frequently quote lifelong feelings of alienation or loneliness, or of homesickness for places they have never seen or cannot identify. They may claim higher levels of psychic, magical or spiritual awareness; equally, they may claim none of these things.
Awakening may be triggered by references in the media or in literature, or by the company of local otherkin. As the community becomes more prominent on the Internet, many otherkin awaken after encountering it. However, it is not uncommon for people to state that they awakened independently of the community, or before they had ever heard of the concept of otherkin.
Despite the conviction in the community that otherkin are born, not made, there is no clear definition on what constitutes "otherness". One effect of this is that anyone who asserts mainstream otherkin status is very unlikely to be contradicted by the community itself.
However, those who profess more unusual beliefs are likely to meet with controversy. One example of this is the otakukin, or otakin, community, who associate with Japanese media such as anime or video games. Template:Ref Some otakukin state that the media they have associated with remind them of past lives they have lived. There is a tendency for people to be accused of role-playing if their claims are considered implausible; this has been referred to as "subculture intolerance". Template:Ref
Medical perspectives
These unusual beliefs have led to frequent suggestions from both within and without the otherkin community that its members are mentally ill. However, while it is true that some otherkin experience mental illness, many otherkin contrastingly carry on stable, functional and productive lives. Because their doing so is contrary to the nature of insanity, this raises the question of whether any psychiatric diagnosis of otherkin based wholly or primarily on their belief would necessarily be either valid or appropriate, considering that clinical mental disorders are often characterized by various maladaptive behaviors.
It should be noted that those otherkin who have already been diagnosed with mental illnesses or disorders rarely consider this to be relevant to their otherkin status; indeed, many otherkin consider that their beliefs help to mitigate such problems, rather than being a problem in themselves.
The most common disorders quoted are schizotypal personality disorder and clinical lycanthropy.
Schizotypal personality disorder
The connection with schizotypy has generally been drawn on the following grounds:
- The peculiar beliefs held by otherkin are well outside of the norms for Western culture. (DSM-IV: "odd beliefs or magical thinking that influences behaviour and is inconsistent with subcultural norms").
- Many otherkin experience the feeling of phantom wings, tail or other nonhuman body parts. (DSM-IV: "unusual perceptual experiences, including bodily illusions").
There are other interesting commonalities in particular cases - for instance, the Elenari, a subset of elf-type otherkin, are often described as having a peculiar mode of speech, which might be interpreted as a match for the "odd thinking and speech" symptom.
However, the DSM-IV goes on to list six or seven other symptoms, including social anxiety, social and emotional withdrawal and paranoia, and states that a minimum of five or more symptoms are required for a diagnosis of this disorder. It is worth bearing in mind that even people who are robustly mentally healthy are liable to have some personal quirks that occur in the symptom list of one or more personality disorders.
It is also debatable whether the beliefs of otherkin are indeed "inconsistent with [their] subcultural norms" — Scottsdale Community College (http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/psy266/course/definition.html) states that "To be considered signs of a mental disorder, these atypical behaviors or mental events cannot be either ... individual variations that are expressions of a particular subculture (for example, coloring one's hair green and purple because one's friends are doing it). In neither case are the atypical behaviors or mental events a sign of an internal dysfunction: they are consistent with the norms (standards) of some social group to which the individual belongs." As part of the definition of delusion, Drake University (http://www.educ.drake.edu/nri/syllabi/reha222/Schizophrenia/dsmglossary.html) states that "The belief is not one ordinarily accepted by other members of the person's culture or subculture (e.g., it is not an article of religious faith)."
Clinical lycanthropy
Clinical lycanthropy is defined as the delusion that one has physically become or is becoming a non-human animal; most otherkin, however, recognize that their body is human but conceive that part of them, either in a mental or spiritual sense, is non-human. Beliefs about "shifting" - transforming either mentally or physically into another form - are reasonably common, although those few people who claim to "p-shift" or "physically shift" tend to describe such things as eye colour changes. A few otherkin perceive their body as human, but think that this perception is a "seeming" - an illusion generated to protect their identity.
See also
External links
- Otherkin.net (http://www.otherkin.net/)
- What Are Otherkin? (http://otherkin.drinkdeeplyanddream.com/articles/otherkin-memory.html)
- Otherkin, Labels, and Spirituality (http://www.myplace.drinkdeeplyanddream.com/spiritual/Otherkin.html)
- The Otherkin FAQ (http://www.otherkin.net/mirror/kinhost.org/res/Otherfaq.html)
- What does it mean to be a were — and is were is the word to use? (http://www.wildideas.net/temple/library/letters/weremeaning.html)
References
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