I thought I’d share my post of otherkin/alterhuman terms on here to start off this blog! If I got anything wrong, please give me a correction! These are the definitions in my personal experience that I’ve seen or encountered.
Alterhuman: A member of the non-human community. Anyone who identifies as, or is connected to a non-human, (including plural/multiple) or identifies as someone or something from or connected to a place other than this earth. A therian/otherkin is Alterhuman.
Therian/Therianthrope/Therianthropy: An individual that identifies as being, in part or whole (non-physically), one or more non-human animals on an integral and personal level. Therians cannot choose their thereotypes.
Otherkin: A person that identifies as being, in part or whole (non-physically), one or more non-human creatures or beings on an integral and personal level. Otherkin cannot choose their kintypes.
Phytanthrope/Plantkin: A person who identifies as a plant other than an animal or creature. Plantkin cannot choose their kintypes.
Fictionkin: A person that identifies as being, in part or whole (non-physically), one or more species and/or characters shown in media on an integral and personal level. Some fictionkin are character-specific, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, while others identify as a fictional species, like a non-specific Chao or a Pokémon. Fictionkin cannot choose their kintypes.
Otherhearted: A deep spiritual connection to a creature. This is different from otherkinity, being that you identify WITH a creature as opposed so AS that creature. Proper usage is x-hearted (e.g. Dragon-hearted, Wolf-hearted.) You cannot choose what you are hearted with.
Were: An old term that used to be used to refer to therianthropes, derived from were-wolves. This term is rarely used.
Coping Linkers: People who use non-human entities as a way to cope with depression, anxiety, and general day-to-day troubles. They are not considered the same as otherkin or therians despite vague similarities, as they have chosen their identities. The name was changed from copingkin to copinglinkers to cement that they are not associated with the otherkin community.
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Polytherian/Polytherianthrope: Someone who identifies as more than one animal.
Polykin: Someone who identifies as more than one non-human species.
Cladotherian/Cladotherianthrope: A therian that identifies as a larger group than just as a specific species. E.g. identifying as a bird therian rather than an eagle therian.
Contherian/Contherianthrope: A therian whose animal and human sides are intertwined and doesn’t experience shifts as they are constantly in a stable state of both.
Sun Therianthropy: Similar to contherianthropy, only instead of being constantly half shifted, the base instincts and behaviors of the theriotype are ingrained into the individual’s personality, and small amounts of shifting is experienced.
Theriomythic: A person who believes that they are, in part or whole (non-physically) one or more mythical type creatures, such as dragons, griffons etc. It usually describes a more animalistic side of the being, aka having a dragon be more like a wild animal than a magical all-knowing one.
Awakening: The process of realizing and accepting that you are a therian or otherkin, and then discovering your therio/kintype. Not everyone experiences an awakening.
Theriotype: What a therian identifies as being on a spiritual and personal level. A therian may identify as one or more animals as their theriotype. E.g. a therian may have a wolf theriotype, meaning they identify as a wolf.
Kintype: What an otherkin identifies as E.g. Dragonkin means identifying as a dragon, wolfkin as a wolf.
Kin: Shortened form of Otherkin, not a verb. You can’t ‘kin’ something, and ‘kinning’ isn’t a thing. “My kin/theriotype is (x)”, or “I am (x) kin” are correct ways of phrasing it. “I otherkin across the street” makes no sense.
Kind: The former way of identifying ones kintypes, ex. Dragonkind, dogkind, etc.
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System: A body in which two or more minds, alters, fragments or other conscious beings reside. Also called Plural or plurality.
Headmate: A being residing within someone’s mind, capable of their own thought, feelings and desires. This can appear through trauma, tulpamancy and spiritual origins.
Fictive: A system-mate/headmate/alter that is a fictional character or species (E.g. Sonic the Hedgehog or a Chao.)
Tulpa/Tulpamancy: A headmate made by will and preservation, not by trauma or spiritual reasonings. A being bought into consciousness by the mind itself.
Soulbond: A contact that has been established through the mind to another being, enabling the two or more to communicate. Usually across universes/dimensions.
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Fluff: A term usually used to describe people who are trying to make their experiences seem bigger than they actually are to make themselves seem more important. This is also used commonly to describe Tumblrkin. Usually used as a derogatory term.
Kinnie: Used derogatorily toward younger members of the Alterhuman community. Used on Tumblr as a synonym to Otherkin.
Kinfirm: To confirm a kintype as what you identify as. Usually used by trolls or anti-kin online, as well as people from Tumblr, though it is becoming more commonly accepted.
Tumblrkin: A person usually from Tumblr who has done no research on otherkinity, and claims to be kin just for the ‘aesthetic’, to jump on the bandwagon, or otherwise. They usually have kintype lists of 100+ and the term is used derogatorily.
Species Dysphoria: The experience of dysphoria (discomfort, depression, anxiety or similar based around one’s self) associated with the feeling that one’s body is of the wrong species. Not all therians and otherkin experience this.
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Shifting: Feeling, sensing and/or having experience that one attributes to their non-human identity for a period of time. Not all nonhumans experience shifts.
– Astral Shifting refers to when someone has an out of body experience and travels to another realm or spiritual plane as their kintype.
– Aura Shifting is when the auric or energy field around someone’s body changes to that of their kintype.
– Berserker/Feral Shifting causes the individual to act more like their kintype. In many cases, the individuals report a total loss or near total loss of human-self-awareness. If the experience is frequent, it is recommended that you report to a local psychiatrist.
– Cameo Shifting is when a person experiences a shift of a being different than their identified species.
– Dream Shifting is when someone dreams of being their kintype.
– Mental Shifting is when someone has an altered state of consciousness in which they begin to think they are their species. This can range from only behavioural changes to losing the ability to comprehend language during the shift.
– Phantom Shifting refers to Supernumerary Phantom Limbs, where the person experiences limbs, (Tails, extra arms, wings, etc.) characteristics (Fur, feathers, horns, etc.) or sometimes a complete body of their kintype overlaying their physical, human one.
– Sensory Shifting is when the brain tries to perceive regular senses in a way that fits their kintype, causing the senses to feel stronger or duller. Species who have senses humans don’t have may experience a sort of phantom or ghost copy of what they may feel from those senses.
– Spiritual Shifting is when one’s astral body or spiritual self changes into that of the individual’s kintype.
– Voluntary Shifting is when a person consciously makes themselves shift, through music, meditation, sensations or else.
– Involuntary Shifting is when a person spontaneously shifts, sometimes due to stimuli such as emotions (fear and anger are common) or other sensations.
Otherkin/Alterhuman Terms
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