I wanted to ask, who on the forum has ever thought about the word Otherkin?
Who likes it, and who doesn't?

I have no problem with the term. If something better ever comes to mind, then I'll most likely use that instead.

I am not really keen on "Otherkin"... I am sure there is something much better

Zygo

I don't think of myself as Otherkin, so really Otherkin, like human is just something other people are.
But I suppose if I liked it then I wouldn't mind thinking of myself as Otherkin, so maybe I'm not that keen.

Otherkin gives a false impression of who some of us are.

I am not Otherkin, I am an Elf. Being an Elf does not make me Otherkin, it makes me an Elf.

I like the word otherkin when im talking about all types of creatures, but i normally say vampire or werewolf or fae when im talking about one. also otherkin is a good word for us humans to say becuase it, well... to me, says your not exacly human but your still kindred to humans. i call animals otherkin sometimes. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=otherkin i don't like the way they defined it... it means something different to me.

Just putting in my 2 cents.

Silver

I try to avoid the word "Otherkin" when explaining my beliefs to people because, like the definition in that dictionary, "Otherkin" can have a very negative connotation.

Yes I would avoid that particular definition because it has been written from an extremely biased point of view.
That has purposely been written from a derogatory angle instead of stating facts as a proper information source would normally do.
(perhaps they have issues with otherkin )
Some of the later articles are written from a sensible point of view but you have to read a lot of dross to get to them.

Zygo

I dont really like the name "otherkin", it gives the impression (to me at least) of being anything other than human and it doesnt matter what cos no-one cares. Does that make sense??

I don't really like using the word "otherkin" to describe me and what i am. mostly because the word other makes me feel distance from myself. But i like using the word otherkin to organize my thought process when thinking about kin and non-kin. but i've begun just thinking about us as kin and non-kin. But it's kind of like before i even knew about kin. I wouldn't use "human" to classify who and what I am, just because that feels weird. does that make sense? i think i'm just complicating what i'm trying to say...

basically i think of me as me, not as any name because names can be misleading and limiting.

there, that's a bit simpler, haha.

It is a sad fact though that for many who call themselves Otherkin the descriptions given there are spot on.
For every real, honest and truthful member of Kin there are around a dozen of the people described in this article.

I prefer Kindred if I must have a collective noun for myself and others like me.
Definition of Kindred.

This has the added advantage of also shortening to the word Kin which helps make it less confusing.

Other than that I am with Katie. I am just me. Me describes who and what I am perfectly and it's less confusing that way.

I don't like it, I never have, but I always just put that down to me not being much of a group person. I don't usually join things. Forums like this were the first things I'd ever joined and I only really did that because it was a chance to be the real me with people who would understand and not think I was crazy. It took me a while, and I went through quite a few forums, but I think I finally found one.

Otherkin forums seem to be designed to try and make us all part of one group, instead of individuals, but I enjoy being an individual.
So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I joined each forum I joined not to become "ONE OF US", but more myself than I had ever been before. So instead of becoming one of a group I got to be more of an individual.
I'm not sure if that's how forums are supposed to work, but that's how they work for me.

Kindred is a word I could get along with because it seems to put across the idea that on some basic elemental level we are all related, and should repsect each other, but leaves room for the individual to grow within themsleves and become as much their own person as they can be without having to give anything to the group in order that they be included.
There is nothing saying "In order to belong you must be this, think this or behave this way, and if you don't you're out." It just accepts me for who I am and encourages me to be more.
Yes I could be Kindred and still be me.
Thanks for that Whisper.

I agree with the first definition on Urban Dictionary.

An Otherkin is an individual who believes themselves to be totally or in part to be inhuman.

Even those who say that they are an Elf, and not Otherkin, you do therefore believe that you are an Elf, and thus fit the definition to a point. Before I get jumped on by the moderators for posting something related to us being Human, read the first sentence of this paragraph, now think, do we really think the person who said they are an Elf is sitting at a computer with pointed ears and every stereotype from a Tolkien novel and is secretly saying "no way, I don't believe this, not possible, I've got to really be Human," not the case here. Clearly ElvinDream believes themself to be an Elf and thus perfectly fits that definition, at least in my opinion.

Otherkin is a very broad term, which is why I think it works well, saying that you are an Elf can very well serve as a much more specific form of Otherkin. I disagree with the use of kindred, thanks to Vampire: The Masquerade, Kindred has more poor reputation than Otherkin, and the route-word being "kin" thus is a less specific form of Otherkin which by it's meaning states "An individual who has familial relations with something other."

Whether or not we like the actual word, Otherkin is an excellent word, in my opinion to describe that which we are. I personally strive to reduce the negative connotations that it has (which I feel is a direct result of some of the more fluffy individuals in the community, and some communities which bolster false claims and ridiculous belief systems which defy accepted societal standards). Overall another thing that the Otherkin community at large can do to help itself out is to accurately use words for their meaning, I have heard many people use many words in the wrong ways, to the onlooker this only makes us look like the third definition on urban dictionary. We only really have text to discuss on these forums, which means we *must* use words for their correct definition.

Now the word "Angelkin" on the other hand. I cannot stand that word, while yes it does accurately denote my beliefs, that I have kinship to Angelics, I prefer to use the words "Incarnate Angel" as that is what I believe myself to be, an Angel which is born into a Human body.

Terro.
You are mistaken in your assessment of my personality.
Since you know absolutely nothing about me at all you could not be anything other than mistaken.
Why you felt that you needed to use me as an example in order to make your point I don't know, but I would appreciate it if you would resist the urge to use me to make any further points you feel the need to make.
Thank you very much.

ElvinDreams

I believe that Otherkin does indeed suit many many people, but I do not believe that it describes me at all. I'm only speaking for myself of course, and I don't think that anyone has the right to push anyone else into being something they don't wish to be.
Kindred is a word I like very much, it describes me much better than Otherkin, and since I do not allow what other people think to sway what I believe for myself, the negative associations given to the word Kindred by some don't effect me or my liking for this word at all.

I don't like Otherkin, for me it feels wrong, and so I voted no.