Otherkin

[Bidoof FTW]

Personally I don't really understand it and think it's a little bit bogus, but I tend to try and ignore my personal beliefs as long as what someone else is doing makes them happy and doesn't have a negative impact on my life.

Keep doing you, be happy.

 

[pastelspectre]

The dysphoric question is meant to mean like. Do you feel uncomfortable in your human body- do you feel like your body should be that of the kintype you identify with?

I also wonder if... so you talk about fictionkin, right? What is the difference between identifying with a character and feeling like you ARE that character? I find that I identify with lots of characters, but I have never felt like I am one, so I find this a point of confusion.

Thanks for answering so readily! :)

It's no problem. I'm fiction-hearted, so I only identify with characters. But for fictionkin, I think those people tend to have memories of being that character and feeling like they are that character. I only know the basics of fictionkin, to be honest.

 

[Hands]

-How serious is it? Do you feel oppressed if someone scoffs? Do you feel 'closeted' in real life before coming out as 'otherkin'?
I feel it's pretty serious for me. I would be offended or 'oppressed' I guess if someone scoffed. I've never came out to anyone in real life as otherkin except for my sister. I've vaguely hinted to it at my mother and she doesn't seem to mind.

-Do you feel physically out of place or distressed, or the need to mimic the idea/accepted form of the 'kin' you identify with? I.E. are you dysphoric?
I'm not sure what this is asking..

-Do you behave as though you are the animal you identify with? Or is it a more spiritual acknowledgement? "I remind myself of this animal" E.G. likening your agility and cunning to a cat or likening your loyalty and aloofness to that of a dog's?
Sometimes I will sort of put my hand on myself and 'groom' myself as a cat, or I'll play with my cat on four legs. Mostly though I think I remind myself of a cat with certain personalities.

-Personally, do you feel you decided to identify as 'otherkin' or was it something you felt was always there, waiting to be discovered?
I think it's always been there waiting to be discovered.

And the last question I separate because a lot of people can't answer it, but often times it's a really helpful in regards to understanding. "What are your reasons behind identifying as this?" It's extremely vague and up to interpretation so I leave it to you to decide how to answer it, if at all. I'm just looking for some emotional insight.
My reason that i identify as catkin is because I've always liked cats and felt that I sort of find myself mimicing cat behaviors or what not. i guess it just makes me feel comfortable to identify as catkin or fiction hearted, especially fiction hearted because it makes me happy to find characters I can identify with.

Kinda like when people say "______ is my spirit animal"? Like an animal they kind of resemble either via behavior or appearance?

 

[pastelspectre]

@Hands; I think it's sort of like that, yes.

 

[Caaethil]

Identifying as either partially or fully an animal is ridiculous. I'm not against it because it 'hurts people', I'm against it because it's stupid. If you identify as otherkin or fictionkin, I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you. I just think less of your intelligence because it is a very silly thing to believe.

'Fiction-hearted' is kind of a silly word. Literally anyone who cares about television, film or writing has characters they identify with. Being able to relate to a character doesn't put you in a box, it's very normal.

 

[pastelspectre]

I'll have you know I'm not stupid. I'm intelligent. I'm not freaking retarded. I identify as catkin because I can. Because I have memories of being a calico domestic cat in my past lifetime. I'm sorry if you think I'm stupid because of that and I'm sorry you think of fiction-hearted that way. I'm also sorry you're so close minded.

 

[Aquacorde]

Oh that brings up another question :o

You have memories of being a cat? How does that work? Is it dream-like, or kind of deja vu, or just as vivid as your memories of like last week?

 

[pastelspectre]

Well it depends. I don't have too many memories of being a cat, only a few here and there and they're only quick glimpses. But I think I might also be kin with Rin Hoshizora because I have memories of laying in a meadow with Maki and Hanayo. That memory is pretty vivid. However my cat memories I do remember, they're just not as vivid. They come and go in quick glimpses mostly.

 

[Aquacorde]

How does it feel different than actively imagining you are something other than what/who you are kin with? Like if you imagine your life as a wolf, does that feel different than how you are a cat?

 

[pastelspectre]

I'm not sure. I'm only catkin and I'm not kin with any other animals but I'm sure it'd be different for different animals, and it varies from person to person.

 

[Aquacorde]

But I mean, how does it feel to have a "memory" versus to "imagine"?

 

[pastelspectre]

well, imagining is just..imagining, it usually seems foggy or unreal for me, it didn't really happen. but a memory, i think a memory seems more vivid and real. all of what i remember as catkin and rinhoshizorakin have been somewhat vivid and real.

 

[Aquacorde]

I have some really vivid memories of dreams that seem very real- do you have dreams of your kin? Or is it flashes when you are awake/doing something that reminds you of your kin?

 

[Kanzler]

I don't know if there's any evidence for past lives, let alone past lives in other animals, still. Where are the ant-kins and paramecium-kins?

 

[Aquacorde]

You know I've wondered that before but I've come to the conclusion that if you were something that can't really form memories then you shouldn't be able to have memories of being that. So I guess it's limited to certain animals, huh?

 

[pastelspectre]

I have some really vivid memories of dreams that seem very real- do you have dreams of your kin? Or is it flashes when you are awake/doing something that reminds you of your kin?

Usually it's flashes when I'm awake or doing something that reminds me of my kin.

Also @Kanzler I'm sure there's some antkin or parameciumkin somewhere.

 

[Aquacorde]

So what kinds of things remind you of your kin? Do you consciously do things that would invoke memories- like do you get flashes when you act like a cat, or do you get them and that's what prompts you to act like a cat?

 

[pastelspectre]

usually when i see something cat related or playing of my cat it reminds me of my kin. i usually don't do things that invoke memories consciously, i usually do it without knowing to be honest.

 

[Aquacorde]

Does being reminded of your kin affect your behaviour in that current moment? Like if you were just going about your day and were reminded of your kin are you compelled to act a little more like them, or start feeling like you are them in that moment?

 

[pastelspectre]

Hmm..I'm not sure. I usually would feel like I am them in that moment but I don't usually feel compelled to act like them.