otherkin-or-otherwise

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

Hey, wanna know the ultimate trick to help you explain alterhumanity?

Saying that you "identify" as something can be really, REALLY hard to grasp for a ton of people, so just use a different phrasing with the same meaning!

For example, if you're in a situation were you have to explain your identity to someone who's a bit less open minded, instead of saying

"I identify as a fox"

just say

"I see myself as a fox" or "I feel more like a fox instead of a human"

That has the exact same meaning, but is much easier to understand!

"Yeah, I just kinda see myself as a fox. When I see images of them I kinda go 'hey! That's me!', and doing things a fox would do makes me happy"

Boom. Your chances of being understood just went up by like 80

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

Hello hello! My name is Syd, and I'm a psychology major doing his senior project on plurality! Plurality is deeply understudied and misunderstood among psychologists, and I want to change that!

If you're plural and willing to help out by lending your time for an interview, you are more than welcome to reach out!! Please send me a dm here, or to my academic email at ss7131@bard.edu to express your interest or ask any questions!

Reblogs are appreciated to spread the word! Thank you!! 💕

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

All systems are valid.

Maybe you formed from trauma, or maybe you formed for a reason other than trauma.

Some of us have disorders, while some of us do not.

Some people willed their system into existence, and some have been plural for as long as they can remember.

We're all experiencing life as more than one.

What we call our headmates/alters/parts/sysmates is up to us.

We can view ourselves as more than one person.

There are no rules on how to live as a system.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

Markiplural ⌥ The alterhuman and plural Markiplier fan discord :)

Hello everybody, welcome to Markiplural! We are a 16+ Markiplier fan server geared around providing a space for alterhumans and plural systems to be themselves. Whether you're sourced from Mark's projects, are a longtime fan, or just curious, all respectful creatures are welcome here!

What we offer: ⤻ Tupper and PluralKit ⤻ Accepting of all system types ⤻ Color roles ⤻ Short verification process ⤻ Markiplier social media feed ⤻ AMA channels ⤻ Roleplay category ⤻ Opt-in NSFW channels for 18+ verified ⤻ Simple fun bots ⤻ Fun activity pings ⤻ No blacklist ⤻ A captain and crew passionate about maintaining a positive space ⤻ +More!

Join the fun!

➝ https://discord.gg/xtxpsusatZ

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

On "I don't identify as, I am" language

While this is no means an issue exclusive to the physically nonhuman community, that is the community I consider myself a part of, so that will be my focus.

With the steady growth in individuals being open about their physical nonhumanity (holotheres and clinical lycan/zoanthropes included), I think we-as-a-community need to sit down and have a discussion on language in order to nip something in the bud before it gets out of hand:

I don't "identify" as [thing], I am [thing].

This phrasing ^ is something I have seen a lot in an attempt to try and create a difficult-to-word distinction from otherkin and therians and the like. I understand there is no harm meant in this (again, it's a very difficult thing to communicate), but we need to be careful not to stray into common bigoted phrasing to try and describe things. Even if it is completely unintentional, the phrase above still carries the connotation that "identifying" as something is somehow different from being the thing, that they are on some level not ""truly"" what they say they are. We must remember that these are synonyms, you are what you identify as, that's what "identify as" means.

To use a personal example: yes, I identify as a dragon. Because I'm a dragon. If I didn't identify as a dragon then I would say I'm something else. To give it a parallel: I identify as female. Because I am female. If I didn't identify as female then I would say I'm something else. If someone identifies as something then they are that thing, full stop. We risk straying into dangerous territory if we mirror phrasing used against transgender individuals on a regular basis. "I don't identify as, I am" is not only flawed and inaccurate phrasing, but carries poor connotations.

I've made some posts in the past about how I've had some difficulty communicating in many otherkin or therian spaces because me physically being a dragon is sometimes quite different experience-wise (not 100% of the time, but often). It is difficult to phrase "was born a dragon, has always been a dragon and never been anything else" in a way that doesn't imply that non-physical dragons aren't dragons still. Because they are.

But what is a better way to say this then? Do we need wording to create distinctions for those that are perceptibly human and those that are not? Even this isn't so simple, because physical nonhumans that seem human outwardly also exist. That doesn't entirely solve the linguistic gap.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

A BIG list of entirely free games therians and alterhumans can get !!! This isn't like an ad for them or anything, but when i was younger i never really had games that fit my theriotypes :( so why not start now!! this is in no real order.

These are all games where you play AS the animal, most of them being semirealistic? They're all free, so they aren't super realistic sorry!!! These are all also games i find on my tablet, so im not sure if they're available on pc!!

Wildcraft: As of today, Wildcraft updates every once and awhile, usually for the Wildpass thing they do almost weekly[? i took a large break from this game, forgive me if im misremembering.] Wildcraft was made by Turbo Rocket Games in early 2018. The multiplayer servers arent as active as they used to be, but it's still fun to play with friends sometimes!! I usually play in singleplayer though!! (Also, there is a settings option to make it first person, and one to hide the buttons!)

Playable Animals: Right now there are 12 land animals: Wolf [Default], Fox [Common], Lynx, Bear, Lion [Rares], Cheetah, Horse, Eagle, Crocodile, Tiger, Gorilla, and Kangaroo! [Ledgendaries], all of which are obtainable through the chests!! There are also 9 transformations [which are more difficult to get !!]: Raccoon, Deer, Hippo, Giraffe, Gazelle, Hyena, Rhino, Parrot, and Snake! There are also 5 Sea creatures: Dolphin [default], Stingray [Rare], Shark, Seal, and Sea turtle! You can have up to eight family members for every animal, who are also customizable! [not including transformations]

Customizability: There are TONS of skins and accessories for every animal, and you can adjust the size of their body parts, making your character entirely customizable! There are also LOTS of pets!

I give it a solid 10/10!! I've loved this game since it came out!! Me and my brother @whisperrdrrop [hii] played it like the year it came out!! I highly recommend playing this one ! >w< The community also has tons of fun creepypastas, and though the only real one is 'Niddhogg,' it's super fun to just learn about them!

Wolf Tales (Home & Heart (IT MIGHT BE 'WILD ANIMAL SIM' NOW IDK)): (The icon may have changed, my ipad doesn't update icons very much!!!) As of Today, Wolf Tales has basically stopped updating from what i can see. However this doesn't take away from the fun of it!! The game was created around 2020 by Foxie Ventures. Servers are multiplayer by default, but there is a singleplayer option!

Playable Animals: There are currently only 5 animals: Wolf, Fox, Bear, Wild/Big cat, and Dragon! All are unlocked by playing through the quests, though you can use moonstones (ingame 'rare' currency) to auto-buy most of them! Your families/packs are grown through opening chests and breeding!

Customizability: There are quite a few skins for every animal, ranging in rarity. you can obtain skins through buying the 'summoning' of the animal you'd like with moonstones and getting a random skin, or buying one directly. Skins are also not changeable! Let's say you're a grey wolf, and you get the sand wolf skin. You would have to enter your den and find that skin, and switch into that one, meaning it could have a different level! There are also LOTS of pets, though i do not remember how to get them. The only way to change your character is through changing limb sizes, there are no accessories!!

I give it a nice little 9/10, as much as i love this game i don't play it too often, but it really is fun! I think i got this game when it came out, and it was really fun watching the game and the community grow and change!! When i joined, not every player had a jump button, and there was this cool feature called 'Clans' (replaced by the player clans, sadly :() where there were 5 packs that you had to either defeat the alpha of or become besties with, and you'd get a packmate of any rarity from them daily!! My bestie pack was called 'the moonrise pack' and the #1 public enemy was 'The tooth pack' or something. I definitely recommend it :3!!

Ultimate Wolf/Fox/Forest/Savanna/Dinosaur/Cat/Shark/Bird/Jungle Simulator: they made a LOT of these games. These are only the ones that are free on my tablet, but im also seeing 'ocean,' 'dog,' 'arctic,' and 'lion' simulators for a dollar, you'd have to check and see if those are free. I'm mostly focusing on the WOLF simulator here, because i do NOT want to download all of those games. There is no multiplayer option for any of them. All made by gluten free games, no idea the release dates.

Playable Animals: The animals depend on which game you get. I know forest has bears, Savanna has cheetahs, Dinosaur has T-rex, triceratops, and ankylosaurus, bird has parrots and eagles, and jungle has tigers, but these are definitely not every animal !!

Customizability: you unlock a skin for every few levels, and you can tint them, but that's about it. For every game. There's like... 8-15 for most?

I give it a 7/10. As much as i do really, really love this game and all the memories playing it, it's really not the most entertaining game out there. If you're really bored and have nothing to do, sure, go wild with it!!

Dog Sim: I just got this game and it's so silly !! Made by Turbo Rocket Games in 2016, the multiplayer servers are surprisingly still decently active! Obviously it doesn't update anymore.

Playable Animals: The only animals in these are: (you guessed it) dogs. There's a single skin that... might? be a wolf, and there's two robo dog skins. There's a total of 38 skins!

Customizability: The only thing you can customize is your breed, sorry!

Other than that, theres a LOT to play with! With 5 bosses, 25 enemy/prey creatures, 1 map, 1 den, a max level of 200, a maximum family size of 4, 20 achievements, and 30 quests, there's plenty to do!

I give it a nice 8/10, the only points taken being because the game itself isnt the highest quality, and the models arent all 10/10, but it's still a really silly game! I do recommend it :)

Cat simulator - animal life: created in 2019 by Pocket Games entertainment, i think this one is pretty cute! With active multiplayer servers!!

Playable Animals: Just kitties! silly little kitties on big adventures!!

Customizability: Lots of cute skins and accessories!!!

There are tons of quests, camp upgrades, and more included in this!!

I didn't play this one for too long, but there are some pvp servers aswell. Overall really cute game, not too buggy/laggy! 10/10 :3

Wild Cougar Sim (3D): Another game made by Turbo Rocket games before their big success that was Wildcraft, Cougar Sim was created in 2015 (I think? I'm only finding the youtube trailer, dont be afraid to correct me.) I'm not seeing an option for multiplayer unfortunately :(!

Playable Animals: Yeah, It's just Cougars! What did you expect?

Customizability: With eight skins (Must be purchased with ingame currency), 9 coat marking options (Almost like tattoos!) including a Shark, Wolf, Lizard, Scorpion, Butterfly and Bird (Phoenix?), and options to change body/limb sizes, there's actually really good customization here!

With 3 unlockable family members, 30 quests, 20 achievements, 18 enemy/prey creatures, 4 biomes, and 8 dens, there is plenty to keep yourself busy with here! That accompanied by the fact that this isn't even a bad looking game, i honestly give it a nice 10/10! Very cute game, not much lag, pretty good in terms of realism, it's pretty cool!! :)

Dragon Sim Online: Yet another game made by Turbo Rocket in 2016, i quite like this one! With semi-active multiplayer servers!!

Playable Animals: Quite a few different types of Dragons, varying in element, colour, and breeds!

Customizability: With 4 elements, 46 (VERY pretty) skins, and limb/body adjustment sliders, you can customize your dragon pretty well!

Similar to both Cougar Sim and Dog Sim, Dragon Sim has plenty to offer: 30 quests, 20 achievements, 27 enemy/prey creatures, 3 bosses, 6 islands and 4[?] dens, there's plenty there to keep you busy! another 10/10 from me :)

this list is incomplete !! I'm still working on this, im just having trouble finding games !! If you find any free games like these, send me an ask with some info on it!!

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

Can someone please explain how someone can physically identify as nonhuman? Like, do they physically see a different creature when they look in the mirror or at their body?

I keep seeing the topic of alterhumans identifying physically as something else and it confuses me

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

i hate virgil's purple eyeshadow. it gives me so much dysphoria.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

really love dynamics that are like 'it honestly doesn't matter if you view them as romantic or platonic, the point is that they love each other. the type of love is inconsequential, all that matters is that it's there'. gotta be one of my favorite genders.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

you, reading this. you're a creature now. reblog to creature your followers

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

no, you don’t need to wear your mask/tail to school.

i wish young nonhumans didn’t feel compelled to be ‘out’ at school, especially when it’s a dangerous environment. i keep seeing posts along the lines of “wore my tail/mask to school! people berated/teased/put their hands on me, but it’s ok”.

no, it’s not.

like.. i understand a mask or a tail can be a very validating thing for some people. and i’m not saying NO ONE should wear them at schools. but i just keep watching this mounting trend of young therians insinuating you need some physical accessory or to do quads to be a ‘real’ nonhuman. and then it leads to things like this and it makes me incredibly sad.

i’d known i was alterhuman since late elementary school, actually. it’s a huge part of my life even now, years after graduation. there wasn’t a reason for it to be brought up, so i never did. it was a closely guarded secret to me, but it didn’t feel like a weight i was carrying. i always thought “no one needs to know i’m an animal if it jeopardizes my safety. so, oh well”.

“but, how will people know that i’m an animal?”

they probably will. they probably already do.

i was the designated ‘animal’ person my entire school career despite not ever handling animals in front of anyone. if there were pets, lost wild animals (baby rabbits, birds, lizards), or sometimes even loose livestock that got onto campus, it was always me who had to go tend to them.

everyone wanted me in their group in environmental science. if a project called for animal illustrations, the same thing would happen. it was certainly weird because i was also a ‘weird kid’ and not especially desired to be around outside of that, lol. but i was never harassed for it. it made me feel very validated, actually.

i had fun during gym running and fiercely destroying the opposing team in field hockey. i taught everyone which plants were okay to forage (and we snacked on them when we had to sit on the lower field for practice). every day i was hyperaware of the limbs i had that weren’t quite there. friends noticed my ears twitch and my nose wiggle at certain stimuli. i felt nice walking on two legs. i felt nice because i felt animal and i didn’t have to prove it to anyone.

really like… just do what makes you happy. i admire the bravery it takes to so earnestly wear your identity on your sleeve like that. that’s very impressive. however, there is NO obligation to do anything like that if you understand that there will be a reaction that poses a threat to you.

i want our kids to be safe, too. you don’t have to feel dysphoria over being discreet. sometimes it’s the safest option. and sometimes, that can be really fun, too.

study everything you can about your ‘type. wikipedia and animalia are good resources. ramble about them to anyone who will listen. jokingly refer to yourself as one in friend spaces. wear discreet clothes that remind you of your ‘type. find a nice private place outside where you can run and explore and look at plants and smell the air and feel like yourself. but by no means do you have to prove yourself. you know you.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

???

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

Not that it has anything to do with sexuality, but I think that having the same mindset for nonhumanity and multiple identities and how it is with bisexuality is good. You can be 90% attracted to women and 10% to men, and you’re still bisexual. It can be 50/50. 30/70. Even 99/1, and you’re still bisexual. So just because I’m feeling an identity 5% of the time, doesn’t mean that it’s not an identity.

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

shout out to plantkin and phytanthropes!! yall are super valid

[otherkin-or-otherwise]

literally