Tiger on The Web

Created: 29/08/2022

Last Updated: 14/07/2023


What is Alterhumanity?

Alterhumanity (alterhuman / alterbeing) refers to a diverse range of experiences pertaining to experiencing identity alternative to, or an alternate form of, what is deemed ’normal’ humanity. This includes, but is not limited to: therianthropy, otherkinity, fictionkinity, otherlinking, nonhumanity, transspecies identities, endelity, spiritual self-identifications such as starseeds and godshards, self-identification with nonhuman entities such as animal-heartedness, godspouses, and soulbonds, and plurality. Not everyone who fits the definition of alterhumanity will want to identify with the term or with the community, and shouldn't ever have the label forced upon them. It is ultimately up to the person themselves to decide to adopt the label or interact with the community.

The main focus of my writing here and throughout the site are those who identify partially or wholly as or with a nonhuman creature or fictional being.

There are many possible reasons behind an alterhuman identity. What that reason is is down to the individual’s beliefs and/or the circumstances that led them to be other than human. The most common ways to describe alterhumanity, and especially otherkinity, are spiritual (past/parallel/future lives, misplaced souls, magical connections, etc.) and psychological (neurodivergency, having a nonhuman mind, imprinting, coping mechanism, ties to mental illness, etc.).


What is Otherkin?

Otherkin, or otherkind, as an umbrella term, are those who identify as something other than human, partially or wholly. Human fictionkin are sometimes, yet controversially, included in this umbrella term, as they identify as something from fiction rather than from this world/timeline.

Otherkin, as an exclusive term, are those who identify partially or wholly as supernatural, generally sapient, entities such as elves, fae, and dragons.

These definitions change depending on the time in community history and the person you ask, but the central aspect remains true: we identify as other than human, or nonhuman.

The only 100% accurate definition of otherkin is somebody who chooses to be a member of the otherkin community, or the wider otherkin subculture, or somebody who sincerely self-identifies as otherkin.

The being that otherkin identify as is known as a kintype.


What is Therianthropy?

Therianthropy is the experience of being a non-human animal to some degree. A therianthrope, were, or therian is a person who identifies as a non-human animal or any non-sapient creature on an integral and personal level. The species a therianthrope identifies as is known as a theriotype or, more rarely, therioside.

Therianthropes may feel that their soul is an animal, their soul is half-animal, half-human; they lived a past life as an animal that they still identify as now, or their brain is nonhuman in some way.

Many therianthropes experience shifts, which is a broad term to describe different experiences that bring a therian closer to their theriotype in a non-physical way. Some therians have constant shifts, while others have them very rarely or not at all. Mental shifts are an experience of having a more animal-like mindset. Phantom shifts are the experience of supernumerary phantom limbs belonging to a theriotype, such as a tail, wings, or fur. Sensory shifts are a state of heightened senses or alertness that is close to their theriotype.

Although the otherkin and therianthrope communities initially developed separately with little interaction or influence, the modern community is more-or-less intertwined due to the shared experience of nonhumanity.


What is Fictionkin?

Fictionkin, less commonly fictionkind, are those who identify as a fictional character or fictional species. This character can be either a specific, named character (most common) or a non-canon character. Most fictionkin identify as human characters, but not all.

The character fictionkin identify as is known as a fictotype.

Metaphysical, or spiritual, fictionkin believe that the source of their fictional identity has a concrete supernatural explanation. For example, reincarnation or soul misplacement from an alternate universe where that piece of fiction played out as real life - called the multiverse theory.

Fictionkin are not just dedicated role-players nor just relate to a certain character a lot. They are not lesser compared to a nonhuman otherkin identity. They experience their identity as a constant and intrinsic sense of self like any other.


What these three terms/communities have in common is that they denote a lifelong and deeply personal experience of identifying as a nonhuman fantasy creature, a nonhuman animal, a fictional character, a mix of those, or something other than those examples. These identities are not consciously chosen and cannot be deliberately altered or dropped. Coming to terms to these identities typically occurs during adolescence or childhood, although the age when one first discovers the community varies. One can identify as their kintype wholly, or partially: one example being feeling you are completely a wolf and not human whatsoever, feeling you are half wolf or half of your soul is a wolf, or feeling you are a small amount, but significant enough to form an identity, of wolf.


What is Otherhearted / a Synpath?

Those who are otherhearted or animal-hearted experience a strong identity with (as opposed to as) and/or an integral connection with a nonhuman being. The species one feels this connection to is referred to as a hearttype.

A synpath is something that resonates with you on several levels, or you feel a strong connection to, without you identifying as them. Similar to otherhearted and can be used interchangeably, but synpath in particular can be used with both nonhuman creatures and fictional characters.

A typical experience for both of these is deep sense of familiarity and closeness with a certain thing, feeling like you should be them while not being them on a kintype level, finding comfort or satisfaction in them, and (more rarely) experiencing shifts and noemata of them.


What is a Copinglink?

Copinglinking or otherlinking is the act of (usually voluntarily) gaining an identity of a certain entity such as an animal, character, mythical creature, or anything you want. Copinglink generally refers to a consciously created coping mechanism, while otherlinking refers to other reasons behind creating the identity.

People often 'link with certain characters or species in order to cope with trauma or day to day life, to gain positive traits of the subject (bravery, emotional strength, humour), to be more like a character they enjoy, or just for fun.

Linking is easier if the subject is a frequent cameo shift you're looking to strengthen, a character your fictotype is familiar with, or a character/species that already means a lot to you.


Frequently Asked Questions:

"Why are people otherkin?"

Beliefs about one's otherkin identity are usually described as spiritual/metaphysical or psychological.

Spiritual otherkin believe in an explanation for their otherkinity that involves souls, energy, reincarnation, or magic. They may believe that their soul is half or entirely nonhuman; that a nonhuman soul, or a shard of one, was (mis)placed into their body, they have a profound connection to a past, parallel, or future life as something, they are a demon/angel/deity incarnated in human form, or they have a deep spiritual link with a certain being that manifests as a part of their identity.

Psychological otherkin believe that their otherkin identity stems from explanations involving coping mechanisms, neurodivergency, personal experiences with mental illness, or having a nonhuman mind. Common explanations are a conscious or subconscious imprinting on a certain thing during childhood which later turned into a kintype, otherkinity stemming from the experience of othering from humanity as an autistic person, identity developing around a certain species or character, or being born a certain thing in the wrong body.

Some otherkin believe their experience to be explained by a mix of the two, or do not wish to define themselves as either.


"Am I otherkin?"

Nobody can tell you this, and anyone claiming to be 100% able to, especially over the internet, definitely cannot. Otherkinity is an extremely personal and unique experience that only you can accurately figure out, as unhelpful as that answer probably is. The only prerequisite for otherkin or otherkin-adjacent identities is to sincerely identify as something nonhuman and/or fictional. However, there are some common experiences aligned with otherkinity and related identities, which are:

You do not have to experience all of these, or any, to identify as nonhuman, but multiple may be an indicator of otherkinity and a sign to explore further.

Get a feel for the community and see how you resonate with common subjects and beliefs, talk to otherkin about their experiences and/or own awakening and questioning process, keep an open mind and don't jump to conclusions.

Here are some resources and guides helpful for new awakenings:

Any questions can be asked on forums, subreddits, or in the alterhuman tags on social media, or you can ask me directly on Tumblr or through email.


"What kind of creatures do you identify as?"

Literally anything you can imagine. Most commonly, therianthropes identify as predators such as wolves, foxes, and big cats, but there are also horses, birds, reptiles, fish, rodents, and many others in the community. Otherkin commonly identify as dragons, elves, unicorns, and fae, but any fantastical creature can be a kintype. Fictionkin can identify as any character or species from contemporary fictional media, whether canon or non-canon. Some 'kin may also identify as concepts, objects, angels, demons, or machines/robots.


"How do I find my kintype?"

This is called questioning, questioning is a personal journey/process, a deep self-reflection that usually takes a long time (a few months to multiple years). The three R's of questioning are:

Record your day-to-day alterhuman experiences in a journal, app, or blog. These could be shifts, phantom limbs, pulls towards certain creatures or characters, memories, instincts, or dreams.

Research related topics, such as animal behaviour, folklore, or fictional source material, alterhuman community history, other people's experiences, philosophy, spirituality. You can visit various forums, sites, and community spaces to get a feel for things. Read books on creatures you feel drawn to. Ask friends and family what mannerisms and traits you have or had when you were younger, and what animal, character, or fantasy creature they'd associate with you. They may not be correct, but it could point you in the right direction. If your instinct says no, trust that instead.

Reflect on your experiences and what you've found out. Meditation is often recommended for this, which can be helpful regardless of spirituality. Draw your memories, a picture of yourself in your mind, your supernumerary phantom limbs, or write of your experiences as prose or poetry rather than objective notes.


"Why are there so many dragons/wolves/'cool' creatures? What about everything else?"

(Were)wolves and dragons have been some of the most common kintypes from the very start, some theories are:

However, do not go and question / claim anything about individuals who do identify as large predators or popular species. Healthy scepticism and taking some of these points into consideration is fine, but above all know that they know more about their own experiences and identity than you do.


"What are memories / noemata?"

Noemata is a broad term for any inherent knowledge about a kintype's life or world. This includes spiritual past-life memories of kintypes, and inherent knowledge of psychological kintypes, hearttypes, hearthomes, synpaths, and linktypes.

Memories are usually experienced by spiritual otherkin or fictionkin. This is knowledge about events or experiences in their past life which are usually remembered through flashbacks, images in the mind, remembering snippets of conversation, sensations, emotions, "just knowing" things, or dreaming of certain events.

Fictionkin refer to noemata of their life as their kintype as their canon. This canon is usually more detailed than the source depiction of that character's life, memories taking place across an entire life, and may also be divergent from or contradictory to the source material in parts. A canonmate is another fictionkin who identifies as a character from that person's particular timeline (sharing certain memories not shown in the source material), while a sourcemate is another fictionkin who identifies as a character from that person's source material, regardless of timeline.

It may be helpful to write your noemata down as you experience them, and then try to construct a timeline of events or write an informational piece on a topic related to your kintype's life when you have documented enough. Writing about your life, meditating, consuming your source material, or answering questions about your kintype can often trigger new noemata.


"You're all delusional."

A nonhuman identity, or any strong identity mismatched with one's physical body, is not a delusion on its own. Alterhumanity is mostly seen as good or helpful by therapists, and is not discouraged since it tends to have a positive influence on our lives as it helps us find a concrete sense of self and community. It only becomes an issue when one's alterhuman identity aggravates mental health conditions in a harmful way, or otherwise is a direct cause in dysfunction, and this is not common. Some alterhumans do experience their identity as caused by, rooted in, or influenced by their delusions and other mental health conditions, and this doesn't make them any less alterhuman if they choose to use the label.


"Aren't therians just furries?"

No. The furry fandom is a fandom and a hobby revolving around an affinity for anthropomorphic animals. Therianthropes have a deep and unchangeable identity as an animal regardless of how anthropomorphic they are. Furries don't tend to identify as their fursona, or as an animal at all. Although a large portion of therians are also furries, they are not the same thing.


"Isn't therianthropy cultural appropriation?"

Not inherently. Therianthropy and totemism are vastly different experiences/beliefs, and by using a completely separate term and community we are not claiming to have totem or spirit animals either. Some individual therianthropes may have or recommend spiritual practices hailing from closed cultures or religions they aren't a member of, identify as beings from closed cultures they aren't a member of, or have dubious choices in gear/aesthetic, but that has nothing to do with therianthropy as a whole. Therianthropy does not use one single set of spiritual beliefs, is not a religious group, and at its core does not appropriate practices from closed cultures.


"What are phantom limbs? Is that offensive/appropriative?"

These are now more commonly referred to as supernumerary phantom limbs, rather than just phantom limbs. Supernumerary phantom limbs are a recognised phenomenon involving receiving sensory input from additional body parts unrelated to limb loss. For example, many transmasculine individuals have talked about experiencing a "phantom penis" without bottom surgery.

In an otherkin context, supernumerary phantom limbs are the "phantom" sensations of additional or altered limbs or body parts that are unrelated to one's physical body. These sensations usually match up to the traits of a kintype. Parts most commonly experienced are tails, wings, ears, horns, snout, and fur.


"What is species dysphoria? Why do people call themselves transspecies? Is that offensive/appropriative?"

Species dysphoria is a deep sense of unease and discomfort with one's physical self in terms of feeling they are the wrong species. While similar to gender dysphoria on a surface level, they are different experiences, and alterhumans / transspecies individuals do not claim to be inherently under the transgender umbrella or experience unique widespread oppression on the basis of species identity. A very large amount of alterhumans are transgender themselves, and may call themselves transspecies in order to draw a parallel between their personal experiences with gender and species.

Transspecies is a label one might adopt in order to convey that they wish to transition to their correct species through body modification or other methods, they experience extreme species dysphoria, they see their gender and species as linked, they're rejecting humanity entirely in favour of their correct species, or they want their species identity to be taken more seriously. It is a personal experience with many different reasons behind it.


"If you kin [problematic character], that's a red flag."

While you can make an initial judgement on somebody on the basis of their kintype(s), it probably isn't an accurate one. Fictionkind identities aren't chosen, so it says as much about a person's morality as any other kintype does (nothing at all). Those with villainous or 'problematic' fictotypes do not owe you endless apology and grovelling on the basis of their identity, regardless of what their fictotype did. Villainous fictionkin should not use their fictotype as an excuse to repeat or defend hurtful actions, but they are also not required to repent or go above and beyond to redeem themselves in this life.


"But kinning is relating to something!"

This is referred to as "kinning for fun", or KFF, and is usually disliked within the otherkin community. While identifying with something, or strongly relating to a character, is fine, the problem arose when this group took the words "kin" and "kinnie", rejected its history and meaning, and spread misinformation about the otherkin community. Often, KFF insult otherkin or lie (intentionally or unintentionally) about our beliefs and history, usually citing known anti-kin trolls from Tumblr as a reason why our terminology needs to be changed to become 'normal'.

This has suppressed actual information on otherkin, fictionkin in particular, and driven younger 'kin who were mostly experiencing authentic fictionkinity to create a separate, extremely toxic, community based around the idea that genuinely and seriously identifying as a character is, on its own, a sign of mental illness.

Both communities continue to spread the idea that 'kin' is only a fun and casual faceclaim, roleplay, or liking a character; that taking it any more seriously than that is inherently a sign of delusion, and that experiencing delusion makes an identity inherently more valid than an otherkin identity, while spreading misinformation on delusions themselves. As mentioned before, a strange intrinsic identity is not a delusion on its own, and is generally not even a mental health concern. There are alternative communities for alterhumans whose identity or experiences are related to delusion, which stand in solidarity with otherkin and fictionkin rather than against them.

Otherkin, and especially fictionkin, has never meant only heavily relating to something or thinking something is neat, and it definitely doesn't mean that we agree with our fictotype's actions and want to send that message; we have always sincerely identified as the thing we say we are, and did not consciously choose who/what it is.


Terms & Definitions:

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I must say that most are self-identifiers to be opted into, not firm community borders or labels to be applied to people without permission. There are definitely other more elaborate glossaries available if you search around or take a look at the references I’ve linked below.



Identity-based Terminology:

Clado(therian / kin / mythic) - those who identify as a group of related creatures rather than a specific species. [1]

Endel - self-identifier to describe one’s alterhuman identity being caused by, rooted in, or greatly influenced by delusion.[2]

Fakendel - a delusional mis/identification of the self as a fae, changeling, or other creature that is impersonating a specific human or the human species in general. [3]

Factkin - those who identify as another existing human being, typically one from the present. Controversial due to association with anti-kin trolls and concern over identifying as currently living humans. Diaunthro is a wider term denoting identifying as or with a copy of a real human being, whether past or presently existing. [4]

Fictionfolk - an all-inclusive term for any type of fictional identity.

Fictionkin - also known as fictionkind, those who identify as a fictional character and/or species.

Folcintera - the unique experience of an individual who non-physically identifies as an animal from folklore; a person who experiences a form of involuntary and intrinsic nonhumanity with aspects of both animality and sapience, and which originates from or is personally intrinsically tied to mythology, folklore, or other form of cultural legend. [5]

Greymuzzle - a therian who has actively participated in the community for many years. A title given as an acknowledgment of one's work in the community rather than achieved after a certain amount of time.

Nonhuman - a broad term denoting not being human in some way or not wanting to be seen as human.

Otherhearted / Animal-hearted / Synpath / Kith - identifying strongly with, rather than as, a nonhuman or fictional species/character. [6][7][8]

Otherkin - those who identify as something other than human, partially or wholly.

Otherlinker / Copinglinker - someone who consciously creates a nonhuman or fictional identity for fun, coping, or other reason. [9][10]

Phytanthrope - an individual who identifies as a species of plant. [11]

Polykin / Polytherian - someone who identifies as more than one entity.

Therianthropes - those who identify as an animalistic species existing on earth, in myth, or in fiction.

Transspecies - more or less synonymous with being otherkin, therian, or otherwise nonhuman, but implies a desire to physically transition, rejecting humanity entirely, a relationship to one’s being transgender, or wanting one’s nonhumanity to be taken as seriously as their gender. Controversial, but gaining acceptance.

Type (theriotype, kintype, fictotype, linktype, kithtype, paratype [12], etc.) - the thing one identifies as/with/etc.

Were - the original term for a therian. Taken from 'werewolf'.


Experience-based Terminology:

Awakening - when one first discovers their alterhumanity or the term(s) to describe it.

Contherianthropy - a therianthrope who does not experience mental shifts and are always passively in a state of both theriotype and human.

Hearthome - a place that feels like ’home’ despite never having lived or spent significant time there. May be fictional or from this world. Often related to kintype but does not need to be.

Memories - images, scenarios, emotions, or sensory experiences otherkin may remember percieving as their kintype.

Noemata - inherent knowledge about the life of one’s kintype. [13]

Shift - an experience where some aspect of yourself changes to closer reflect your ’type. Phantom shifts (the sensation of supernumerary and/or altered limbs or other features) and mental shifts (a change in behaviour, feelings, and/or instincts) are most common. A cameo shift is a typically brief shift of something that is not a known kintype.

Somatic Shift - a shift that relates to the body, such as sensory shifts, kintype-related body aches, unintentional changes in gait, some phantom shifts, berserker shifts. [14] Not the same as physical shifting - the false claim of the ability to physically shapeshift.

Species Dysphoria - significant discomfort associated with one’s species.

Species Euphoria - a feeling of relief, contentment, and/or joy associated with one’s species.

Fictionflicker - temporarily taking on the identity of one or more fictional characters temporarily. Likened to a temporary fictotype or frequent cameo shifts.


Other Terminology:

Beastpunk - A subculture / term for anyone who identifies partially or wholly as a nonhuman creature focused on embracing, expressing, and celebrating nonhumanity. [15]

Canon - A term used by fictionkin referring to their source material and/or their life as their identity.

Canonmate - A term used by fictionkin to refer to those from the same timeline as them, often other fictionkin in this life. Sourcemate refers to another fictionkin from the same media, but not usually the same timeline.

Kinnie - originally used as an insult towards otherkin, often seen as offensive in serious 'kin circles due to this origin. Co-opted by the recent kin for fun / TikTok kin movement as a term for somebody relating to a fictional character, but some otherkin may want to refer to themselves as a kinnie.

Medusan - an orientation for alterhumans who are attracted to other alterhumans or sapient nonhuman creatures. [16]

Pack - multiple otherkin who regularly communicate in an established group.


Further Reading / References: