Subculture
What does Otherkin mean?
People who understand themselves, on some plane, as not human: myth, creature, another species.
Definition
Otherkin is the umbrella for people who understand themselves, on some plane, as not human — myth, creature, another species. The vocabulary came from a mailing list and a scene: identity claimed in self-understanding. The scene itself argues where that borders on roleplay.
The branch that points at an earthly animal is therian, the name AHWW gave in 1992. Furry privileges art and character. Alterhuman is a newer label, a still wider umbrella.
Origin
English otherkin came off a mailing list. On 26 March 1990 R'ykandar Korra'ti launched the Elfinkind Digest. On 18 April, in digest #16, Elezar wrote otherkind; on 9 July, in #71, Torin wrote otherkin. The list closed on 2 February 2018.
History
From the mailing list the name crossed onto Tumblr and alterhuman TikTok. Therian pointed at the earthly animal (AHWW, 1992) and became the branch search mixes most often with the canopy. Furry stayed the art-and-character scene; alterhuman, the newer label. The border with roleplay is the point the scene itself argues.
How it emerged
People who did not fit human needed a collective noun. Elfinkind gave the mailing list in 1990; otherkin gave the umbrella that still holds myth, creature and another species.
Usage examples
Therian is a branch; otherkin is the wider canopy.
Elfinkind Digest went out in March 1990.
Translations
- pt otherkin
- en otherkin
- es otherkin
Synonyms
- Elfinkind Digest
- therian
- furry