Otherkin: Difference between revisions
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'''Otherkin''' is a term for those who believe that they are mentally, spiritually, or physically other than human.<ref name="fieldguide">{{book|first=Lupa|title=Field Guide to Otherkin|year=2007|place=Stafford, UK|publisher=Megalithica Books|isbn=978-1-905713-07-3}}</ref> |
'''Otherkin''' is a term for those who believe that they are mentally, spiritually, or physically other than human.<ref name="fieldguide">{{book|first=Lupa|title=Field Guide to Otherkin|year=2007|place=Stafford, UK|publisher=Megalithica Books|isbn=978-1-905713-07-3}}</ref> |
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First appearing in use on the Internet on April 18, 1990, the word was coined when a member of [[The Elfinkind Digest]], [[Torin]], "got tired of typing elf/dragon/orc/etc.-kin and just used otherkin" as shorthand.<ref name="timeline">{{book|first=Orion|last=Sandstorrm|title=Otherkin Timeline: The recent history of elfin, fae, and animal people|url=http://orion.kitsunet.net/|place=Online|publisher=http://orion.kitsune.net|year=2011}}</ref> |
First appearing in use on the Internet on April 18, 1990, the word was coined when a member of [[The Elfinkind Digest]], [[Torin]], "got tired of typing elf/dragon/orc/etc.-kin and just used otherkin" as shorthand.<ref name="timeline">{{book|first=Orion|last=Sandstorrm|title=Otherkin Timeline: The recent history of elfin, fae, and animal people|url=http://orion.kitsunet.net/|place=Online|publisher=http://orion.kitsune.net|year=2011}}</ref> |
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==Awakening== |
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Most otherkin are not born aware of what they are. Instead, they become aware through a process known as "awakening", the term itself likely derived from the roleplaying game [[Wikipedia:Mage: The Ascension|Mage: The Ascension]] by [[Wikipedia:White Wolf, Inc.|White Wolf]] first published in 1993. The term is also used by the therian and vampire communities. |
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Awakening often takes place during the teen years<ref name="amenti1">{{website|first=Countess|last=Amenti|title=The Dilemma Over Awakening Teens|year=2007|url=http://www.sanguinarius.org/articles/Amenti_dilemma.shtml|publisher=[[Sanguinarius.org]]|date=April 2, 2012}}</ref>, though it can occur earlier or later, and may involve experiences such as an awareness of one's astral form being nonhuman, the development of a need to [[feeding|feed]] on blood or energy, the development of metaphysical gifts such as empathy, or even the recovery of memories from nonhuman past lives. |
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Some groups, such as the [[Lostkin Project]] use the term awakening more narrowly, to refer to "the process of reclaiming memories of other lives, and/or powers generally attributed to the Fae."<ref name="lostkin">{{website|first=Gazer|title=The Lostkin Project|url=http://lostkin.org|year=1999|date=April 2, 2012}}</ref> |
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==In the media== |
==In the media== |
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Otherkin first entered the mainstream media in February 2001 when they were featured in an article in the Village Voice.<ref name="villagevoice">{{article-newspaper|last=Mamatas|first=Nick|title= Elven Like Me: Otherkin Come Out of the Closet|periodical=Village Voice|month=February|day=20|year=2001|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-02-13/news/elven-like-me/1/}}</ref> Since then, they have appeared in other articles, including a 2009 article in the Michigan Daily which conflated otherkin with [[Furries]].<ref name="michigandaily">{{article-newspaper|last=Stahl|first=Eileen|title=Furries have feelings, too|periodical=Michigan Daily|month=January|day=21|year=2009|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NGNjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FXkNAAAAIBAJ&dq=otherkin&pg=4984%2C446695|pages=4A}}</ref> |
Otherkin first entered the mainstream media in February 2001 when they were featured in an article in the Village Voice.<ref name="villagevoice">{{article-newspaper|last=Mamatas|first=Nick|title= Elven Like Me: Otherkin Come Out of the Closet|periodical=Village Voice|month=February|day=20|year=2001|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2001-02-13/news/elven-like-me/1/}}</ref> Since then, they have appeared in other articles, including a 2009 article in the Michigan Daily which conflated otherkin with [[Furries]].<ref name="michigandaily">{{article-newspaper|last=Stahl|first=Eileen|title=Furries have feelings, too|periodical=Michigan Daily|month=January|day=21|year=2009|url=http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NGNjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FXkNAAAAIBAJ&dq=otherkin&pg=4984%2C446695|pages=4A}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 11:32, 2 April 2012
Otherkin is a term for those who believe that they are mentally, spiritually, or physically other than human.[1] First appearing in use on the Internet on April 18, 1990, the word was coined when a member of The Elfinkind Digest, Torin, "got tired of typing elf/dragon/orc/etc.-kin and just used otherkin" as shorthand.[2]
Awakening
Most otherkin are not born aware of what they are. Instead, they become aware through a process known as "awakening", the term itself likely derived from the roleplaying game Mage: The Ascension by White Wolf first published in 1993. The term is also used by the therian and vampire communities.
Awakening often takes place during the teen years[3], though it can occur earlier or later, and may involve experiences such as an awareness of one's astral form being nonhuman, the development of a need to feed on blood or energy, the development of metaphysical gifts such as empathy, or even the recovery of memories from nonhuman past lives.
Some groups, such as the Lostkin Project use the term awakening more narrowly, to refer to "the process of reclaiming memories of other lives, and/or powers generally attributed to the Fae."[4]
In the media
Otherkin first entered the mainstream media in February 2001 when they were featured in an article in the Village Voice.[5] Since then, they have appeared in other articles, including a 2009 article in the Michigan Daily which conflated otherkin with Furries.[6]
See also
References
- ↑ Lupa. 2007. Field Guide to Otherkin
Stafford, UK: Megalithica Books. ISBN 978-1-905713-07-3. - ↑ Sandstorrm, Orion. 2011. Otherkin Timeline: The recent history of elfin, fae, and animal people
Online: http://orion.kitsune.net. - ↑ Amenti, Countess. 2007. The Dilemma Over Awakening Teens
Sanguinarius.org. http://www.sanguinarius.org/articles/Amenti_dilemma.shtml. (accessed April 2, 2012). - ↑ Gazer. 1999. The Lostkin Project
http://lostkin.org. (accessed April 2, 2012). - ↑ Mamatas, Nick. 2001. Elven Like Me: Otherkin Come Out of the Closet
Village Voice, February 20. - ↑ Stahl, Eileen. 2009. Furries have feelings, too
Michigan Daily, January 21, 4A.