Your opinion on Otherkin?

[SunriseGlimmer 13]

What is your opinion of those who are Otherkin?

[Divine plywood 1,239]

People can identify themselves whatever they like, it's not my place to judge anyone or tell them what I think about them. As long as they feel comfortable in their own bodies, it's fine by me.

With all respect, this question is as pointless as asking what is someone's opinion of blondes or people with green eyes.

[SunriseGlimmer 13]

Just now, Divine plywood said:

People can identify themselves whatever they like, it's not my place to judge anyone or tell them what I think about them. As long as they feel comfortable in their own bodies, it's fine by me.

With all respect, this question is as pointless as asking what is someone's opinion of blondes or people with green eyes.

Finally someone who understands.

[CHA0SXIII 408]

As long as no one is getting hurt I say live and let live, people have bigger things to worry about than otherkin and they should just leave them in peace.

[They call me Loyalty 1,948]

The causes for this particular dysphoria differ between each individual in its own uniqueness. It is uninformative to give a generalized opinion.

[Guest]

Go ahead, but I am not going to acknowledge it. You are free to believe what you like, but you are not free to force others to believe it too. Sorry but I think it's insanity to actually believe you're somehow an animal trapped in a human's body. 

[JonasDarkmane 19,785]

People who believe they are otherkin are people who need help. 

[Here No Longer 5,276]

I don't care that you identify as another animal (not much of my place to), but please don't force me to act like you're somehow a lion.

[Concerned Bystander 2,902]

If people choose to identify with a particular animal, mythical creature, fictional character etc. or adopt it as a sort of 'totem animal' because they feel that it somehow represents them as a person then to each their own.  Similarly, if you want to roleplay as something other than what you are then you just crack on and have fun.

On the other hand, if you expect me to accept that you genuinely believe yourself to be the soul of such a thing inhabiting a human body (or whatever your particular take on it may be) then you must forgive me if I decline to do so.  Do what you want to do, be who you want to be, just don't expect me to take it as seriously as you do.

Like so many other things in life there is a time and a place to indulge in fantasy, as long as you know where that line is and try to avoid crossing it then you'll be fine.  I used to play AD&D myself, but when the dice went back into the box so did the character sheet.

Edited February 16, 2018 by Concerned Bystander

[Stone Cold Steve Jobs 22,424]

I don't know what that is.

[GlitterMoon 225]

1 minute ago, Stone Cold Steve Tuna said:

I don't know what that is.

It's basically people that identify as a different species! Example: foxkin = Someone who identifies as a fox.

[Jeric 46,850]

I actually have quite a bit to say about this topic, and I apply almost the same rules to this schema as many other beliefs. These are my general views when someone shares a belief with me that I don't share ....

 

Is it dangerous? Meaning does it focus around harm of person or property? 

Is the underlying emotion centered around the belief anger and hate?

Is the person positioning themselves to expect be to adopt that their belief is correct even though I disagree? 

Is there an obsessive nature surrounding the belief to the point that is all the person discusses? 

Is the person going to become belligerent, passive aggressive, or militant if my opinion is solicited and I disagree?

Is there an mentally unstable nature about the person? 

 

 

I apply those rules to just about every value or belief someone holds. If such a person can answer 'no' to those questions than I won't have a problem. 

Specific to otherkin, I will raise an eyebrow internally and do happen to believe that a person that has a belief such as this can fall under the DSM V criteria for various mental health disorders, but if you aren't insistent I adopt your view and aren't obsessive to the point it's all there is about you when I talk to you ... then color me mostly indifferent. 

[Rainjay 23]

Sounds like special snowflake syndrome to me, which is pretty trendy among young teenagers online. Pretty much an edgy phase that they'll cringe at in the future when they realise reality doesn't accommodate their every whim. But in the meantime, as long as they're not harming any person (or animal) and can function in society like a normal human being, then it's hardly worth batting an eyelid at. 

[peachy 20]

hahh;; i agree with @Rainjay, it's 100% a phase which they'll cringe at in the future. sauce: previous experience.

but yeah i used to be a kinner. they were awful, dark days which we may never speak of again after this post. :u

[SugarCoatxMarblePie 701]

People with too much spare time with dogs when they were kids so picked up some dog social behavior and feel doggo-like, grow up as spiritual people and decide doggo it is.

[Prospekt 11,018]

I think that if a person's identity as "otherkin" isn't causing them to harm other individuals, then their mind is theirs and they should be able to live free as they see fit. However, if being otherkin is inhibiting one's daily life--perhaps causing them to have certain social difficulties, keeping them from being able to hold a job, keeping them from being able to live independently, etc.--then to me, they are suffering from mental illness and I would urge them to seek professional help.

I may not personally agree with the otherkin phenomenon, but unless it's harming you, I don't believe in intervening. Just don't expect me to treat you as anything less than a human being.

[honk friend 1,978]

17 hours ago, Divine plywood said:

With all respect, this question is as pointless as asking what is someone's opinion of blondes or people with green eyes.

This basically

I know what it feels like to be socially rejected for who or what I am so I am a little sympathetic, but I don't know if I'd give much credit to self identifying as another animal.

[Rhythm Red 6,484]

Honestly, I don't know enough about the whole otherkin thing to give a good opinion. But as long as they aren't harming others, I don't see any problem.

[King of Canterlot 9,603]

Otherkin are weird. They may not be harming anything like many people have said here, but that doesn't make them any less weird and cringey to go around thinking your a fox or dog or whatever. I also agree with some others here that it is also just a phase that these people are going through, more than likely they'll look back at themselves in a few years and think "Why was I like that?". 

[ChrysalisM 286]

On 2/16/2018 at 6:31 AM, Concerned Bystander said:

If people choose to identify with a particular animal, mythical creature, fictional character etc. or adopt it as a sort of 'totem animal' because they feel that it somehow represents them as a person then to each their own.  Similarly, if you want to roleplay as something other than what you are then you just crack on and have fun.

On the other hand, if you expect me to accept that you genuinely believe yourself to be the soul of such a thing inhabiting a human body (or whatever your particular take on it may be) then you must forgive me if I decline to do so.  Do what you want to do, be who you want to be, just don't expect me to take it as seriously as you do.

Like so many other things in life there is a time and a place to indulge in fantasy, as long as you know where that line is and try to avoid crossing it then you'll be fine.  I used to play AD&D myself, but when the dice went back into the box so did the character sheet.

D&D player too, but looking into the fictkin community helped give a reason why this fandom seemed to be calling to me. I've also felt oddly pulled to changelings, something I can't really explain myself, but on matter like this, be open, but slightly skeptical. Some of the signs resonated with me, so I'm going to take some of the spiritual methods I know to help me navigate this. I have been able to manifest the shape of a changeling in my astral body (I've been able to manipulate it's movement as long as I can remember, and I have recently learned basics of changing its form, but I have to be lying down, seated, or simply not moving to do it to maximum effect.)

And yes, I know the difference between fantasy and reality.

[North Star 5,172]

Basically what others have said - nothing wrong with identifying as stuff, but given that my identity is just the result of how I feel day to day which is linked to what I do day to day then I struggle to see how identifying as otherkin would happen for me.  

I'll add my two cents - I used to be a bit of a sour intolerant type about netty things when I was a teen (which was a while ago), especially furries, and I really regret that. Hating on nerdy teen identity stuff is itself a teenage phase  I just wish I had grown up and stopped being a hater earlier, because I could have found ponies even earlier in their heyday and been nicer to a few sweet furry folk I encountered.

[Stardust 641]

It's strange doesn't really make much sense, though these days I come across more therians which I guess are pretty similar but not the same. In terms of therians while I don't exactly care for them, some of the stuff I have seen of them for a gathering or something they go out for a howl, or maybe that's weird too x3 

What I don't like is when these groups get defensive and aggressive.

[Sonic Shimmer 4,131]

I don’t really understand it to be honest. I don’t know if it’s just an elaborate roleplay or if they actually believe it. I certainly don’t think it has any basis in science or logic.

But I think people can do what they please as long as it doesn’t affect me. If being otherkin makes them happy, cool.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

I'm not someone that judges people at their face value, however, to me it does often come off as somewhat mocking of people who identify as being transgender. The logic of well if you can be born the wrong sex, then why not species or race even as some have done. While I won't say I really know anyone that's otherkin and as such I can't really say I understand their thought process. Perhaps they are serious but what would that mean really to those who use transgenderism as their logic. To be fair, I believe this has more to do with wanting to express themselves as their spirit animal only taken more seriously. While there is nothing wrong with identifying with traits of animals, to think you are one is well slightly far fetched don't you think although not going to judge them.

[Adorable Lovestar 243]

4 hours ago, Fluttershyfan94 said:

I'm not someone that judges people at their face value, however, to me it does often come off as somewhat mocking of people who identify as being transgender. The logic of well if you can be born the wrong sex, then why not species or race even as some have done. While I won't say I really know anyone that's otherkin and as such I can't really say I understand their thought process. Perhaps they are serious but what would that mean really to those who use transgenderism as their logic. To be fair, I believe this has more to do with wanting to express themselves as their spirit animal only taken more seriously. While there is nothing wrong with identifying with traits of animals, to think you are one is well slightly far fetched don't you think although not going to judge them.

Does it really matter why they identify the way they do? The more important question to ask is: Are they hurting anyone? I doubt that they are.