{"id":75050,"date":"2020-09-25T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/"},"modified":"2020-09-25T14:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-09-25T11:00:00","slug":"otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/","title":{"rendered":"#Otherkin are the internet\u2019s punchline. They\u2019re also our future"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a42d9d438dc7\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a42d9d438dc7\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#As_our_understanding_of_identity_and_bodies_changes_otherkin_are_at_the_center_of_the_fight\" >As our understanding of identity and bodies changes, otherkin are at the center of the fight.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#The_history_of_otherkin_experience\" >The history of otherkin experience<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#Is_public_acceptance_worth_it\" >Is public acceptance worth it?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#Two_paths_to_acceptance\" >Two paths to acceptance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#Glitches_in_the_system\" >Glitches in the system<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#Building_a_path_for_the_future\" >Building a path for the future<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/otherkin-are-the-internets-punchline-theyre-also-our-future\/#Must-reads_on_the_Daily_Dot\" >Must-reads on the Daily Dot<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>#Otherkin are the internet\u2019s punchline. They\u2019re also our future<br \/>\n<\/strong>&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"article-sub-head\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"As_our_understanding_of_identity_and_bodies_changes_otherkin_are_at_the_center_of_the_fight\"><\/span>As our understanding of identity and bodies changes, otherkin are at the center of the fight.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-content-wrapper\">\n<p>Rhia is queer, trans, and nonbinary. They are also otherkin, or an individual who identifies as nonhuman on a non-physical level, according to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/otherkin.fandom.com\/wiki\/Otherkin\">Otherkin Wiki<\/a>. Rhia\u2019s otherkin journey goes back to the late 2000s, when they were first active in otherkin online spaces on <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.phpbb.com\/\">phpBB forums<\/a> (a free, open-source message board), <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/hover.blog\/what-ever-happened-to-webrings\/\">webrings<\/a>, LiveJournal, and Myspace.<\/p>\n<p>These days, Rhia relies less on dedicated otherkin groups and more on close-knit, smaller spaces on Discord, group chats, or <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>. Some of the initial reasons they gravitated to the otherkin community changed, too, after they underwent a gender transition and learned about living with ADHD.\u00a0 But even if it\u2019s taken a backseat in their life, Rhia is still a dragon. And the radical queer spaces they hang out in online have been nothing but accepting, in part because these communities are \u201cunapologetic weirdqueer,\u201d or queer communities that radically challenge what it means to have an identity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI found myself exploring gender alongside the other aspects of my identity during my deep time in the [otherkin] community\u2014I think if I had the vocabulary, I would have called myself genderfluid at the time,\u201d Rhia said. \u201cI do think that my early comfort with being \u2018weird\u2019 made it a lot easier to find acceptance in other ways to be weird. I find in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> that I feel accepted and understood among most trans people, because most of them are familiar with gender-specific forms of dysmorphia and other similar common experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rhia\u2019s partner <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/longbikehorse\">brooke<\/a> has a similar story as a queer, polyamorous, transfem agender, and plural otherkin who kins (or identifies with) horses, as it told the Daily Dot. In brooke\u2019s case, it originally explored identifying with womanhood before exploring its non-human identity. And like Rhia, brooke found acceptance in queer spaces partly because marginalized people share a sense of comradery in experiencing marginalization.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started actually taking steps towards [gender transitioning], it felt like there was something missing. I kinda felt like I had left one gender box and just went into another. And sure, this box was a bit more comfortable, but it still wasn\u2019t for me,\u201d brooke said. \u201cI started examining my relationship to gender and identity in general and kinda identified the lingering dysphoria\/dysmorphia was a result of this\u2026 uncomfiness with being read as human, which led me to start questioning my humanity in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rhia, brooke, and other otherkin are unmistakably challenging what it means to have an identity, let alone a body. In a time when gender is no longer considered a rigid construct but a fluid identity subject to change, \u201cunapologetic weirdqueer\u201d online spaces for millennials and younger Gen Zers make far more sense than strict, traditional social norms. The internet, in particular, fosters weirdqueer spaces by giving otherkin the opportunity to experiment with their virtual physical <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>earance and meet others who are either like them or support them. This, brooke said, coincides with a growing feminist movement called <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legacyrussell.com\/GLITCHFEMINISM\">Glitch Feminism<\/a> that explores how \u201cvirtual spaces can help us escape\u201d the rigid norms and rules forced onto physical bodies IRL.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGlitch Feminism is not gender-specific\u2014it is for all bodies that exist somewhere before arrival upon a final concretized identity that can be easily digested, produced, packaged, and categorized by a voyeuristic mainstream public,\u201d the term\u2019s coiner, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LegacyRussell\">Legacy Russell<\/a>, wrote for the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/cyborgology\/2012\/12\/10\/digital-dualism-and-the-glitch-feminism-manifesto\/\">Society Pages<\/a> in 2012.<\/p>\n<p>As our understanding of identity and bodies changes, otherkin are at the center of the fight. At stake is not just otherkin but the fundamental right to create, foster, and earn respect for self-determined identities regardless of society\u2019s approval.<strong> <\/strong>For people like Rhia and brooke, that future rests in unpredictable moving parts: trans acceptance, emerging digital cultures, growing skepticism toward the reigning social order, and a growing political rift between liberal and left-wing members of the kin community.<\/p>\n<p>Together, these parts spell a chaotic, unpredictable future for the otherkin community that says just as much about its members as it does for outsiders looking to create a better society.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike, just between all of these other ways of existing that a lot of us were never told about or told were explicitly wrong\/incorrect,\u201d brooke said, \u201cwho\u2019s to say i\u2019m not a horse?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-767x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-881029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-767x512.jpg 767w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-599x400.jpg 599w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-524x350.jpg 524w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-1048x700.jpg 1048w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-767x512.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-881029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-767x512.jpg 767w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-599x400.jpg 599w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-524x350.jpg 524w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit-1048x700.jpg 1048w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Furry-Fursuit.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 767px) 100vw, 767px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/alexfvance\/27205440397\">Khaki\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_history_of_otherkin_experience\"><\/span><strong>The history of otherkin experience<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Many people have never heard the term \u201cotherkin\u201d before, let alone met someone who\u2019s a part of the otherkin community. The term \u201cotherkin\u201d originates from an April 1990 post by Darren \u201cTorin\u201d Stalder on the listserv Elfkind Digest. Stalder invented the term as a shorthand phrase for various supernatural, otherworldly, and fantastical kintypes (or identities), such as dragons, elves, and angels, according to<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikifur.com\/wiki\/Otherkin\"> WikiFur<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, \u201cotherkin\u201d is treated more like an umbrella term for all kintypes, according to the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/gender.wikia.org\/wiki\/Otherkin\">Gender Wiki<\/a>, although not every person within the kin community necessarily identifies with the term \u201cotherkin.\u201d Additionally, many outsiders erroneously use \u201cotherkin\u201d when they mean<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikifur.com\/wiki\/Therianthropy\"> \u201ctherian.\u201d<\/a> The term \u201ctherian\u201d refers to those who identify with animal kintypes, such as wolves, foxes, rabbits, and other creatures. These identities (along with many others) run parallel to each other and may overlap, so for simplicity\u2019s sake, this article refers to experiences outside of normative human identity as \u201ckin\u201d experiences within the \u201ckin community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/@vulpesautomata\">Kasi Frost<\/a> is a fox, an elf, an object, and a doll\/robot along with \u201cblends\u201d of these identities together who uses nouns instead of pronouns (\u201cwe don\u2019t [use pronouns], it doesn\u2019t, the fox doll prefers nouns, as they better illustrates itself, ourselves,\u201d Frost told the Daily Dot over Telegram). Frost, who is a hypnotherapist, is an advocate for \u201cself-work for species dysphoria,\u201d and uses hypnotherapy for \u201calleviating stress and other challenges\u201d related to species dysphoria and does \u201cspeaking, teaching, and advocacy work in professional venues and other informal supportive venues.\u201d (A running theme in kin communities is the crossover of trans terminology, which is not a coincidence: There\u2019s a strong connection between trans and kin experiences in \u201cthe realm of dysphoria and dysmorphia,\u201d brooke told the Daily Dot.)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat I would want new folks to know [is that] otherkin is another identity and subculture that is valid, diverse, and profound\u2014and just as integral [as] many other spiritual, cultural, or other movement[s],\u201d Frost said. \u201cWhat we see, feel, perceive, and know for ourselves and who we are is the strongest driver for our passions and wellbeing, [although we] may be different as compared to those who assume a more typical self, no less valid or less by any margin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>There are many common misconceptions around kin experiences that are incorrectly propagated by outsiders. Despite media sensations depicting otherkin as young, cringey teens who are unafraid of howling at the moon in parks, kin folks are acutely aware of their physical bodies. Many are antagonistic to respectability politics; most just want to live in a society that lets them be their authentic selves.<\/p>\n<p>The internet has provided a bastion to many otherkin, but it\u2019s also provided an endless supply of harassment. While some offensive memes have been laid to rest thanks to social justice\u2019s emergence on social media, memes targeting otherkin abound across the political spectrum because kin experiences are considered just a little too strange to avoid scrutiny. To the right, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thetrumpet.com\/13576-rise-of-the-otherkin-when-feelings-trump-biology-anything-can-happen\">trans people<\/a> are just <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.illiberal-liberal.com\/2016\/05\/otherkin-the-transgender-conundrum\/\">gender otherkin<\/a>; to the left, alarmed trans people defend themselves by <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SRSQuestions\/comments\/2k7szb\/why_is_being_transgender_legitimate_but_being\/\">distancing their identities<\/a> from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@keisisqrl\/dear-fellow-trans-people-lay-off-otherkin-9787ccf6725c\">otherkin experiences<\/a> and making fun of them. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/knowyourmeme.com\/memes\/cultures\/otherkin\">Know Your Meme<\/a> documents the otherkin community\u2019s lengthy history as the internet\u2019s punchline as far back as the 1990s, with memes like<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/knowyourmeme.com\/memes\/fck-you-im-a-dragon\"> \u201cFuck you, I\u2019m a Dragon\u201d<\/a> emerging at the community\u2019s expense.<\/p>\n<p>The meme, often shortened to an acronym, \u201coriginated from an otherkin argument on LiveJournal.com,\u201d Know Your Meme writes. \u201cLiveJournal user StarBlade posted an entry in the debate section regarding Otherkin, [and] \u2018Fuck you, I\u2019m a Dragon\u2019 became the defensive cry of many of the Dragon otherkin in the debate. Now, the phrase can be used in any situation; however, it\u2019s typically still used in its traditional form.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While FYIAD is an old school meme, \u201cotherkin\u201d are still mocked in the same vein as they were decades ago. It begs the question whether otherkin will be able to find social acceptance anytime soon\u2014or if they should even try.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"Otherkin Acceptance\" class=\"wp-image-870081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-251x167.jpg 251w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-525x350.jpg 525w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-1050x700.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-768x512.jpg\" alt=\"Otherkin Acceptance\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-870081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-66x44.jpg 66w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-251x167.jpg 251w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-525x350.jpg 525w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance-1050x700.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Otherkin-Acceptance.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wwworks\/2313927146\">woodleywonderworks\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_public_acceptance_worth_it\"><\/span><strong>Is public acceptance worth it?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the mid-2010s, trans rights experienced a \u201ctipping point,\u201d or \u201cthat magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire,\u201d as Malcolm Gladwell <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thoughtco.com\/malcolm-gladwell-tipping-point-theory-3026765\">writes<\/a>. There may not be an otherkin tipping point yet, but things are starting to shift. Growing acceptance for transgender people has challenged society\u2019s assertion that normative human cisgender bodies are the default. Glitch Feminism follows in its footsteps by encouraging the creation of new, virtual identities antagonistic to oppressive systemic control. And as the trans community has seen more mainstream cultural acceptance, so have trans otherkin within radically queer parts of the trans community.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, increased acceptance for the furry community (which is also predominantly queer) has in turn yielded more welcoming attitudes toward the otherkin community. Frost credits the \u201cexpansion of what sexuality and identity is\u201d within the queer and trans community as introducing \u201canother way to connect and better explain ourselves that are often more inclined to having an appreciation of who we are as kin.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is often people who have experienced repression and other impacts on their authentic selves that are more receptive to learning about and accepting the identity of others,\u201d Frost said. \u201cWe can be our authentic selves best when we are supported by others who do not take identity for granted in other profound ways, and hold that as a core value; the trans community does not take this for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>These changes are small, but they signal a new direction for the otherkin world: validity, possibly from underground acknowledgement to public recognition. But reaching public acceptance is a difficult fight because a person who identifies as other-than-human surpasses the \u201cboggle threshold,\u201d or the line individuals draw \u201cthat separates the plausible from the ridiculous,\u201d Georgetown University digital anthropologist<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/327969897_Policing_the_Fluff_The_Social_Construction_of_Scientistic_Selves_in_Otherkin_Facebook_Groups\"> Devin Proctor<\/a> wrote in a September 2018 study. <\/p>\n<p>Surpassing the boggle threshold is a necessary step to reach a mainstream tipping point; to get the public on your side, people have to believe you deserve respect. Queers, leather kinksters, polyamorous lovers, satanists, feminists, and nudists have all, at one time or another, found (mixed) acceptance over time as they\u2019ve crossed over the boggle threshold. What makes these identities valid but the kin community implausible is not <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a> but changes in reigning social beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>Proctor argues the otherkin community relies on a \u201cscientisitic self,\u201d or a part of ourselves that \u201cdeploys scientific theories, facts, processes, and methods to help rationalize\u201d a \u201csubjective experience or belief.\u201d In his research\u2019s case study, one otherkin Facebook group upholds \u201cstrict definitions of otherkinity\u201d which define how otherkin exist and what their identity entails. This is partially how the community\u2019s administrators create a sense of meaning: They curate the identity\u2019s boundaries through logic and reason.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe larger significance of Otherkin scientistic selves is that, through their construction and the creation of boundaries from within and without, we witness how groups (and the people within those groups) can carve out a space within which their own experiences\u2014however seemingly irrational\u2014can be apprehended,\u201d Proctor wrote. \u201cWhere they can render the unthinkable recognizable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Per Proctor\u2019s study, kin communities have a mature, nuanced logic to who they are. This logic serves as the core foundation to stories about what it means to be alterhuman, or \u201ca category of personal identity which encompasses identification that is alternative to the common societal idea of humanity,\u201d according to the<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/therian.fandom.com\/wiki\/Alterhuman\"> Therian Wiki<\/a>. This does not mean kin are not \u201creal\u201d but that they have their own communal histories. Every identity has one: The United States has a historical narrative. So do furries, New Yorkers, Red Sox fans, and diehard<em> Half-Life <\/em>players. In each case, narratives state who belongs within the community and why.<\/p>\n<p>But what makes kin communities mature, nuanced, and logical is that they have reasonable boundaries that let participants explore their nonhuman identities while protecting community members\u2019 physical and emotional safety. For instance, the Facebook group in Proctor\u2019s study resists the claim that otherkin can experience actual, physical shapeshifting. If stories are structures that help us better communicate our lives to others, self-moderating narratives helps marginalized communities foster empathy and validity from the inside while better conveying their needs and demands on the outside.<\/p>\n<p>However, an umbrella community may have different narratives, including some that are in conflict with each other. Queer rights activists and gay assimilationists, for example, have radically different perspectives on public sex\u2019s role in the LGBTQ community. In the same way, otherkin, therian, and alterhuman folks can find themselves ideologically opposed in all ways except building a society where their identities can be treated as real, valid, and worth serious thought.<\/p>\n<p>In order to be accepted, the kin community has to figure out how it can build awareness and acceptance. But not everyone is on the same page about how to gain their rights.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-650x512.jpg\" alt=\"Alt+H Otherkin Alterhuman Acceptance\" class=\"wp-image-870083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-650x512.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-508x400.jpg 508w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-768x605.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-1536x1210.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-56x44.jpg 56w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-212x167.jpg 212w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-444x350.jpg 444w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-889x700.jpg 889w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance.jpg 1903w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-650x512.jpg\" alt=\"Alt+H Otherkin Alterhuman Acceptance\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-870083\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-650x512.jpg 650w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-508x400.jpg 508w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-768x605.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-1536x1210.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-56x44.jpg 56w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-212x167.jpg 212w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-444x350.jpg 444w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance-889x700.jpg 889w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Otherkin-Alterhuman-Acceptance.jpg 1903w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alt-h.net\/\">Alt+H<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Two_paths_to_acceptance\"><\/span><strong>Two paths to acceptance<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Given the kin community\u2019s close ties to queer and trans people, it\u2019s no surprise that plenty of kin rights activists have deeply radical politics. No better example exists than those advocating for alterhumanity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlterhuman\u201d is a phrase that encompasses otherkin but has many different meanings, depending on who you ask for a definition. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/alt-h.net\/\">Alt+H<\/a>, an advocacy group \u201cdedicated to increasing awareness and acceptance of alterhuman people,\u201d encourages a loose definition: \u201cYou are alterhuman if you decide to call yourself alterhuman.\u201d Alterhumanity overlaps strongly with kin experiences, but just as \u201cotherkin\u201d isn\u2019t synonymous with all kin types, \u201calterhuman\u201d is not a universal term that all non-human persons identify with.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are a lot of distinct communities that are considered alterhuman by their nature,\u201d Alt+H writes in its<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/alt-h.net\/educate\/faq.php\"> FAQ<\/a>. \u201cOtherkin, therians, otherhearted people and selfshapers are the most notable of these. Some communities exist on the borders of alterhumanity, or otherwise partially intersect [\u2026] the whole point of the label is to be as permissive as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alt+H encourages education and compassion for people who are alterhuman and lists a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/alt-h.net\/educate\/\">resource section<\/a> for information on the community. There\u2019s a guide for<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/alt-h.net\/research\/projects\/ah-and-mh.php\"> mental health professionals<\/a> working with alterhuman clients. The pamphlet also encourages medical professionals to avoid pathologizing alterhuman experiences, stressing that \u201cfew if any\u201d are \u201cinherently harmful or clinically distressing.\u201d A second guide on species dysphoria is under way.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost alterhumans function well in their daily lives and find community and meaning in their identities,\u201d the guide notes. \u201cThose who struggle often have other factors contributing to their issues, such as a poor home environment, poverty, discrimination for other identities, or mental health problems.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In a world increasingly interested in labeling and categorizing marginalized people, \u201calterhumanity\u201d as a concept is \u201ca conscious rejection of definitions,\u201d as one alterhuman<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.alt-h.net\/post\/151023733082\/how-i-learned-to-love-ontological-ambiguity\"> wrote<\/a> in 2016. Even the term itself is non-universal; not everyone in the otherkin, therian, and related communities identify with alterhumanity, nor should it be treated as a de facto term for anyone who identifies outside of human experience. The only unifying factor behind alterhumanity is that its members identify as alterhuman.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAlt+H started as a Tumblr blog mostly with the motivation to get people using the word \u2018alterhuman\u2019 at all,\u201d Alt+H organizer and co-director<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/vagabondsun.github.io\/home\/\"> mordecai<\/a> told the Daily Dot. \u201cI was personally moving away from \u2018otherkin\u2019 because my understanding of my identity was becoming more complicated than the community really made room for, even if the word technically fit. The co-founder (who isn\u2019t part of the project any more) never really felt right with the word in the first place. We guessed, I would say correctly, that a lot of people were in similar situations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alterhumanity is an important part of not only the kin community but the online queer community, too. One popular alterhuman group includes those who experience plurality, which subreddit <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/plural\/wiki\/faqs\">r\/plural<\/a>\u2019s FAQ describes as \u201can umbrella term encompassing a phenomena in which multiple consciousnesses coinhabit a brain and body.\u201d Some plurals have multiple systems, or \u201ca collection of entities sharing a body.\u201d At times this can look like the criteria for a clinical diagnosis of <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/dissociative-disorders\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20355215\">dissociative identity disorder<\/a>, but not always. Plurality, like other alterhuman experiences, varies from person to person.<\/p>\n<p>Plurality has become <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/aeon.co\/ideas\/what-we-can-learn-about-respect-and-identity-from-plurals\">increasingly visible<\/a> in niche online <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/abs\/10.1080\/21504857.2020.1774403?forwardService=showFullText&amp;tokenAccess=NPPJVCJHYNTXJVFMWWBP&amp;tokenDomain=eprints&amp;doi=10.1080%2F21504857.2020.1774403&amp;doi=10.1080%2F21504857.2020.1774403&amp;doi=10.1080%2F21504857.2020.1774403&amp;target=10.1080%2F21504857.2020.1774403&amp;journalCode=rcom20\">queer spaces<\/a> as more plural queers have come out about having multiple systems, each with their own personalities, interests, and sexual desires, including none at all. But plurality has barely reached mainstream awareness in online queer spaces, let alone offline ones, and so very few queer outsiders are ready to vocally advocate for plural rights. Nonetheless, plurals share a common fight with the kin community due to discrimination. As r\/plural argues, \u201cthe bulk of the public believes that plurals are unstable, dangerous, or otherwise \u2018mentally ill,\u2019 when in reality, even a [dissociative identity disorder] system is far, far more likely to hurt themselves than anyone else.\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/stopthestigma.org\/did\/\">Stop The Stigma<\/a>, a Texas-based 501(c)(3) mental health nonprofit, calls this \u201cone of the most common misconceptions,\u201d as \u201cmost people who struggle with DID are not violent or disturbed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alt+H is a radical antidote to these problems. The organization is fundamentally \u201cagainst capitalism, fascism, and those who preach tolerance of ideologies which are themselves intolerant,\u201d and its work primarily centers the most marginalized within its own spaces. The staff engages in transparency around its research, including<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/staff.alt-h.net\/s\/Pxxgd3MYfLbLZCc\"> public records on its expenses<\/a> and crowdsourcing feedback on its draft of a<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.alt-h.net\/post\/611604395130486784\/looking-for-feedback-species-dysphoria-pamphlet\"> species dysphoria guide<\/a>. When Alt+H was criticized for engaging in respectability politics by deciding which communities were and weren\u2019t alterhuman, the group not just reversed its decision but publicly<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.alt-h.net\/post\/190425887355\/weve-removed-a-lot-of-disclaimers-about-some\"> explained the problems and apologized<\/a>. Its community is a textbook example of Glitch Feminism in action.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe joke among ourselves that all we\u2019ve done in four years is make one pamphlet, but it\u2019s important not to devalue the \u2018soft\u2019 achievements. We\u2019ve had countless people tell us that Alt+H\u2019s community spaces gave them the confidence to take their own identities seriously,\u201d mordecai said via email. \u201cWe\u2019ve had mental health professionals reach out to us about how they were better able to help their alterhuman patients because of our resources. We\u2019ve started conversations about species dysphoria and the word \u2018transspecies\u2019 that have legitimized those ideas for many people. We\u2019ve contributed a lot to the destigmatization of mental illness\u2019 role in alterhumanity, particularly with regards to psychosis. We\u2019ve warmed a lot of people up to the idea that there can be choice in identity, and that that\u2019s OK.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If Alt+H styles itself as a radical organization for alterhuman rights with an emphasis on anti-hierarchical governance and radically left-wing political beliefs, then the<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/freedomofform.org\/\"> Freedom of Form Foundation<\/a> is its more mainstream cousin, not unlike LGBTQ lobbying organization the Human Rights Campaign. The Freedom of Form Foundation strives for institutional support while researching issues such as morphological freedom, or the ability for people to change and tweak their physical biology as necessary. Under this approach, hormone replacement therapy, biohacking, and stem cell therapy can be considered three pioneering forms of morphological freedom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Freedom of Form Foundation seeks to address the systemic adjustments needed through policy and research,\u201d Vice President Dan Davies told the Daily Dot via email. \u201cBy having the right data and studies to hand, we can provide policymakers and educators the tools they need to make smart decisions to the benefit of morphological expression, which will have far longer lasting impacts in the preparedness of society to accept morphological freedom and to embrace it as the virtue it is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity that began as a \u201ccollection of different furries, otherkin, therians, and others interested in morphological freedom enabling technologies,\u201d Davies told the Daily Dot. These groups came together after concluding that they could only gain advocacy, donors, and investors if they worked to connect with researchers and operated within the complicated bureaucratic world of corporate, financial, and government entities. <\/p>\n<p>Founder and president Michael Norsworthy told the Daily Dot that the organization was directly inspired by furry self-expression through fursonas, or furry-themed characters, as well as the \u201chuge and unanswered interest\u201d for morphological freedom seen in the otherkin and therian communities. Norsworthy\u2019s interest in morphological freedom goes as far back as childhood, and it guided his path to a doctorate degree in biological and biomedical sciences from Harvard. It was through his graduate work that he realized the only way to fight for morphological freedom was by \u201cbuilding an institution that could really solve the problem,\u201d one that could \u201cspecifically develop expertise that I can\u2019t, that can advocate for change, and that can influence and inspire people more broadly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNow, regarding morphological freedom\u2014I actually don\u2019t think there\u2019s much of a stigma,\u201d Norsworthy told the Daily Dot. \u201cI\u2019ve really had only two types of discussions with people about it. The first type is people who are excited or intrigued, who ask lots of questions or immediately start going off about what they would love to do with it. And the second type of discussion is with people who say they\u2019d like it, but suspect that society isn\u2019t ready for it, or who are otherwise critical but still clearly interested.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not unlike Russell\u2019s Glitch Feminism, the Freedom of Form Foundation believes that the emergence of transgender rights and biohackings movements have set the stage for a far more radical appreciation for morphological freedom. But things differ from there: Where left-wing kin community members like Alt+H\u2019s staff believe liberation can only come from abolishing oppressive institutions and challenging identification as we understand it, the Freedom of Form Foundation believes it can circumvent the scientific, political, and financial obstacles that plague those seeking biological augmentations through institutional access. That means the foundation wants to create and maintain professional connections with the government as well as major financial and scientific institutions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to show scientists that research in morphological freedom is appreciated, fundable, and impactful. Talking with scientists 1-on-1 reveals there\u2019s a ton of interest here\u2014we just need to bring it out to the level of communities and institutions,\u201d Norsworthy said. \u201cWe\u2019ve even talked with a handful of doctors, and had really positive conversations. Medical boards often come up as being potential barriers\u2014so one of the things we want to do here is just start having some open conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-683x512.jpg\" alt=\"Otherkin Glitch Feminism\" class=\"wp-image-880996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-683x512.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-59x44.jpg 59w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-223x167.jpg 223w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-467x350.jpg 467w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-933x700.jpg 933w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-683x512.jpg\" alt=\"Otherkin Glitch Feminism\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-880996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-683x512.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-533x400.jpg 533w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-59x44.jpg 59w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-223x167.jpg 223w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-467x350.jpg 467w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism-933x700.jpg 933w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Otherkin-Glitch-Feminism.jpg 1600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/joncates\/4613451310\/\">jonCates\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY-SA)<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Glitches_in_the_system\"><\/span>Glitches in the system<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In theory, the Freedom of Form Foundation and Alt+H should be able to walk hand-in-hand. Both are organized nonprofits fighting for acceptance for the kin community through social destigmatization and morphological freedom. But in reality, the two organizations are at odds with each other because they have different ideological goals. In the best-case scenario, they can coexist at odds with each other. But more likely than not, one will supersede the other for influence over kin acceptance.<\/p>\n<p>In July 2019, Alt+H discovered Freedom of Form Foundation board member Matthew \u201cSvarOS\u201d Carbrera had written two Reddit posts defending both the U.S. immigration process and the Trump administration\u2019s decision to stay out of the Paris Climate Accords. Alt+H criticized the comments for promoting the Trump administration\u2019s policies amid a growing slip into fascism. After the foundation\u2019s board defended Carbrera\u2019s comments, the two organizations ended their professional connection.<\/p>\n<p>After the Daily Dot reached out to both Alt+H and the Freedom of Form Foundation regarding the conflict, Norsworthy insisted this his foundation \u201cwouldn\u2019t cooperate with a fascist system if it came to that,\u201d given the foundation is \u201ccapable of social disobedience, even though our interactions with regulators so far has actually been quite positive.\u201d He defended both Carbrera and the foundation\u2019s response, insisting that the conflict was blown out of proportion.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe that this matter goes beyond our organization simply trying to be neutral\u2014which we do generally try to do. Instead, we have been cast as something we are not,\u201d he said. \u201cCalling us fascists is extremely inflammatory. What part of equating an opinion about one aspect of border policy (without considering other parts of immigration or humanitarian beliefs Svaros might hold as part of a complete package) with fascism is fair?\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-900x512.png\" alt=\"Alt+H Freedom of Form Foundation Discord Reddit\" class=\"wp-image-870093\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-900x512.png 900w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-703x400.png 703w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-768x437.png 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-1536x874.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-77x44.png 77w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-294x167.png 294w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-615x350.png 615w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-1230x700.png 1230w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit.png 1580w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-900x512.png\" alt=\"Alt+H Freedom of Form Foundation Discord Reddit\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-870093\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-900x512.png 900w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-703x400.png 703w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-768x437.png 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-1536x874.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-77x44.png 77w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-294x167.png 294w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-615x350.png 615w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit-1230x700.png 1230w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/AltH-Freedom-of-FOrm-Foundation-Discord-Reddit.png 1580w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\"><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1024x203.png\" alt=\"Freedom of Form Foundation Alt+H\" class=\"wp-image-870086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1024x203.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-800x159.png 800w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-768x152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1536x304.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-100x20.png 100w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-380x75.png 380w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH.png 1574w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1024x203.png\" alt=\"Freedom of Form Foundation Alt+H\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-870086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1024x203.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-800x159.png 800w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-768x152.png 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-1536x304.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-100x20.png 100w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH-380x75.png 380w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/FFF-AltH.png 1574w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/staff.alt-h.net\/s\/E3y9jnq8aPq2TJA\">Alt+H<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The conflict between Freedom of Form Foundation and Alt+H revealed that even radical political identities that upend our understanding of bodies and virtual space are not immune to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/the-big-idea\/2017\/7\/18\/15992226\/neoliberalism-chait-austerity-democratic-party-sanders-clinton\">neoliberalism<\/a>, or a liberal move toward conservative socioeconomic and political beliefs that support upholding the capitalist marketplace as it exists. Under neoliberalism, certain actors may seek to join the old order. The Freedom of Form Foundation, for example, is inspired by \u201ccollaborative community-charity efforts\u201d that support financial, scientific, and government institutions. If Glitch Feminism celebrates systemic disruptions, then the foundation is best considered a part of the<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/truthout.org\/articles\/beyond-the-non-profit-industrial-complex\/\"> \u201cNonprofit Industrial Complex,\u201d<\/a> a term that describes the \u201csymbiotic relationships\u201d between major nonprofits, political and financial institutions, and state control over marginalized populations and movements, according to<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dukeupress.edu\/the-revolution-will-not-be-funded\"> <em>The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot all nonprofits do bad things, but they do all share certain limitations,\u201d Truthout\u2019s<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/truthout.org\/articles\/beyond-the-non-profit-industrial-complex\/\"> Erica West<\/a> writes. \u201cNonprofits address the symptoms of a broken system\u2014racist, anti-immigrant policies; lack of access to health care, housing or emotional support\u2014but they do not have a strategy for addressing the underlying disease, namely capitalism.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Contemporary American sociopolitical upheaval raises larger questions about racism and representation within kin spaces. These questions, not unlike Russell\u2019s \u201cglitches,\u201d reveal racism\u2019s role in the kin community: Systemic discrimination does not disappear just because a Discord server is filled with alterhumans and otherkin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the wake of the Minneapolis uprising, I learned for the first time that many of my long-time alterhuman mutuals were Black, because [many] of them simply did not feel comfortable being openly both at once,\u201d mordecai said. \u201cI think we\u2019re going to have to work long and hard to help alterhumans of color feel comfortable speaking about their specific experiences, and even more so to tackle the unique issues they face navigating their alterhuman identities when they\u2019re so violently dehumanized already, but I very much want to make that a priority going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-819x512.jpg\" alt=\"Freedom of Form Foundation Otherkin Therian Research\" class=\"wp-image-870085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-819x512.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-640x400.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-70x44.jpg 70w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-267x167.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-560x350.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-819x512.jpg\" alt=\"Freedom of Form Foundation Otherkin Therian Research\" class=\"lazyload wp-image-870085\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-819x512.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-640x400.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-70x44.jpg 70w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-267x167.jpg 267w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research-560x350.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Freedom-of-Form-Foundation-Otherkin-Therian-Research.jpg 1024w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\"><figcaption class=\"dd-article-img-credit\"><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/freedomofform.org\/research\/\">Freedom of Form Foundation<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_a_path_for_the_future\"><\/span><strong>Building a path for the future<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Neither Alt+H nor the Freedom of Form Foundation are immune to the nonprofit model\u2019s flaws, but money talks. It\u2019s easy for the kin community to decide which one is the most marginalized-centered based on what institutions it does (or rather, does not) support.<strong> <\/strong>While Frost sees plenty of merit in both the Freedom of Form Foundation and Alt+H, the fox doll warns \u201cit\u2019s plausible\u201d that the Freedom of Form Foundation \u201cor any passionate cause\u201d could \u201crun afoul of the peril of the \u2018nonprofit complex.\u2019\u201d And while morphological freedom is a necessary step for alterhuman rights, education is, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy personal concern with Freedom of Form Foundation, and it is more of a respective difference, is that they want to keep things more biomedical, and STEM-y. And I think Alt+H is keeping more openness to subjective transhumanism, and psychology, with an appreciation of morphological and anatomical consideration,\u201d Frost told the Daily Dot. \u201cSo, yes, I would assist someone in feeling their tail, and it would help them\u2014they may or may not need more help. But if you can at least not be anxious, that\u2019s going to help you figure more out.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Alt+H is in agreement with Freedom of Form Foundation regarding the importance of morphological freedom. And to the foundation\u2019s credit, it advocates for serious ethical considerations that medical professionals need to keep in mind when helping kin and alterhuman patients embody their authentic truth. These are concerns Frost has in mind, as well; doctors, for example, need to help patients navigate mental, physical, and emotional pain in ways that are not maladaptive. A therian who wants to \u201conly eat mice and cat food, only say meow at all times, and expand on other maladaptive traits\u201d could significantly harm their body, Frost said. But conversely, as a hypnotherapist, Frost isn\u2019t necessarily worried that \u201chelping someone feel their tail\u201d will be a maladaptive morphological change.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I showed you how to control pain through self-hypnosis because you have chronic joint pain, what\u2019s to say you couldn\u2019t do that if you had appendicitis starting?\u201d Frost said. \u201cSo, yeah, if I offer certain ways of showing people how to be \u2018authentic\u2019 or dissociate, etc.\u2014it could eventually reinforce the wrong things in the wrong person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But there is time to figure out these issues: Almost everyone in or adjacent to the kin community agrees broad social acceptance is far away. Some, like brooke, believe mainstream tolerance for the kin community isn\u2019t coming any time soon; Rhia is a little more optimistic but thinks \u201cit will be a while\u201d before we live in an otherkin-affirming world. Even Norsworthy says body augmentation by 2030 is \u201ca fairly tight timeline,\u201d albeit \u201ctheoretically possible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But as movements like Glitch Feminism grow, kin and alterhuman spaces will lead the way for new understandings of bodies and identities as they are embodied online. They deserve respect, not ridicule. Besides, who hasn\u2019t explored nonhuman identity online before, whether through an <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/anime-manga\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"6\" title=\"Anime || Manga\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">anime<\/a> avatar or a fursona? Theoretically, a tipping point could draw near. But the alterhuman and kin communities will have to figure out what\u2019s right for them or risk fragmentation, not unlike the trans community\u2019s own issues with anti-nonbinary movements such as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@hhunkin3\/debunking-transmedicalism-a-masterpost-5c63c367f8b8\">transmedicalism<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For Frost, the answer is straightforward: The kin community must hold onto to its core values, including supporting people and organizations that \u201cexpressly stay supportive of the core of who we are, as our authentic selves, without compromise, and do so in a transparent, ethical, and inclusive manner.\u201d In that regard, it may be organizations like Alt+H that have the kin and alterhuman communities\u2019 best interests at heart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t imagine a better future for alterhumans that isn\u2019t better for all marginalized groups,\u201d mordecai said. \u201cI maintain that this idea of human hegemony is close to the root of all oppression, and that tackling the issues that alterhumans face necessarily means addressing every form of marginalization. That\u2019s, uh, a big ask. But we\u2019ll get there. In the more immediate future, I\u2019ll settle for guessing that Alt+H won\u2019t be so alone in thinking this is worth fighting for.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Must-reads_on_the_Daily_Dot\"><\/span>Must-reads on the Daily Dot<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\">\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Gym \u2018Karen\u2019 takes off clothes, threatens staff because she wasn\u2019t allowed to bring her cat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Don\u2019t click that USPS text you just got\u2014it\u2019s a scam<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hagrid memes take over Twitter after Robbie Coltrane voices support for J.K. Rowling<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Trump retweets post calling Joe Biden a \u2018pedo\u2019<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\">\n<p>                                                                                                <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                                        <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/beauty-afro-girl-cat-make-creative-1476290201\">iordani\/Shutterstock<\/a><br \/>\n                                    <\/span><\/p>\n<p>                                                            <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(Licensed)<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/alexfvance\/27205440397\">Khaki\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY)<\/span><\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/wwworks\/2313927146\">woodleywonderworks\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY)<\/span><\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.alt-h.net\/\">Alt+H<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/joncates\/4613451310\/\">jonCates\/Flickr<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\">(CC-BY-SA)<\/span><\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/staff.alt-h.net\/s\/E3y9jnq8aPq2TJA\">Alt+H<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit\"><br \/>\n    <span class=\"dd-article-leadart-image-credit-segment\"><br \/>\n                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/freedomofform.org\/research\/\">Freedom of Form Foundation<\/a><br \/>\n                <\/span><\/span><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/social-media\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Social Media category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/irl\/otherkin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Otherkin are the internet\u2019s punchline. They\u2019re also our future &#8221; As our understanding of identity and bodies changes, otherkin are at the center of the fight. Rhia is queer, trans, and nonbinary. They are also otherkin, or an individual who identifies as nonhuman on a non-physical level, according to the Otherkin Wiki. Rhia\u2019s otherkin journey&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":75051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/woman-with-leopard-makeup.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-75050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-social-mediaa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75050","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=75050"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/75050\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/75051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=75050"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=75050"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=75050"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}