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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Revision as of 14:57, 4 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]
In the media
Otherkin first entered the mainstream media in February 2001 when they were featured in an article in the Village Voice.[3] Since then, they have appeared in other articles, including a 2009 article in the Michigan Daily which conflated otherkin with Furries.[4]
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. - ↑ 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.