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Welcome to the Non-Human Info-Carrd! Thank you for visiting! Click any of the buttons below to begin!

• What Are Non-Humans?
• NH Term Glossary
• The History Of Non-Humanity
• Inclusivity and FAQ
• Am I Non-Human?
• Sources + Credits

This carrd was created throughout Autumn and Fall 2022, and was last updated on June 27th, 2023!If you have ANY questions, concerns, improvement suggestions, etc. Feel Free To Fill Out This Form!_{Click Or Tap On The Underlined Text To Be Taken To The Respective Pages.Please note that this carrd was made for the EverSkies community, so not all beliefs, terms, etc. may apply elsewhere. the ES Community also has very specific beliefs that might not apply outside of the game, such as not referring to folks with Person and other "Human" terms. Those are reflected here as well.}

What are Non-Humans? What is Non-Humanity?

Non-Humans, more commonly known outside of EverSkies as Alterhumans, are those who identify partially or wholly as a non-human species, real or fictional.Folks can be non-human for a lot of reasons! Non-Humanity has causes rooted in neurodiversity, psychosis, spirituality, trauma, plurality, and/or more! There are quite a few ways to be Non-Human, as Non-Humanity is an umbrella of many encompassing experiences, identities, and beliefs!✩─────✩─────✩The Causes:
So, as stated previously, there are many causes to one’s Non-Humanity. Each individual’s cause and manifestation is different, and no two are the same. Here are a few ways one could potentially be Non-Human:-Spirituality: One way someone could be Non-Human is if they have a spiritual connection to their particular species, type, kintype, etc. One way this could manifest is if your soul itself is Non-Human! Another form of this would be in the form of connecting with past lives. There are quite a few spiritual ways to be Non-Human!--Neurodiversity:
Another potential cause of Non-Humanity lies in one’s neurodiversity. Autism, for example, may cause one to have trouble understanding things such as who and what they are, their gender, etc. They may also struggle with trouble understanding their humanity, or even just being flat-out disconnected from it entirely! Other autistic NH have had their special interests become so much of an integral part of their identity, that it’s caused them to be NH.--Trauma and Psychological Stress: Trauma is another potential cause of Non-Humanity. It’s well documented that enough psychological stress and trauma can alter, fracture and create new identities or parts of an identity. Some are Non-Human as a coping mechanism, whilst in others, their trauma and mental state caused them to involuntarily lose touch with being a human. Maybe it was never there to begin with.--Psychosis: Psychosis is a term describing conditions wherein those experiencing them have lost touch with reality in some way, shape or form. Psychosis can be a symptom of many conditions, both physical and mental, but is not its own standalone thing. In the case of being Non-Human, this may come in the form of Endelity. Clinical Zoanthropy falls under this group and describes those with a rare delusion in which one genuinely believes they are an animal.--Plurality: One may be Non-Human as a result of what they are inside their respective system, if they’re part of one. Non-Human alters can either inherently be that way, or identify as such for a number of reasons.Non-Human Alters, also known as Extranthropes, tend to form under deeply traumatic circumstances which lead the body/system/brain to believe it isn't Human, such as persistent dehumanization by those around them, or that it would benefit by detaching itself from the concept of Humanity, thus splitting a Non-Human alter that suits the role.-Other: There are other causes to Non-Humanity. For instance, there are those who were simply never human to begin with. Maybe all their lives, they were just something else (i.e. a dragon) entirely! In the end, though, it all comes down to one’s experience.When you're ready, navigate to the Glossary next.

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The NH Term Glossary

Types of Non-Human:
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Alterhuman: This term describes those with an identity that is alternative or different to the common societal idea of being human. The less human-centric version of the term is Alterbeing.
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Non-Human: This term describes those who identify as something other than human. This is the most common term for this on ES, commonly abbreviated to NH on there. This identification may be considered a subtype of Alterhuman, but the two aren't inherently the same.
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Demihuman: Demihumans are those who identify as partially Non-Human. These can include being part human and also part Non-Human. Whilst this is the primary use for the term on ES, it has a few other, but also conflicting definitions outside of the platform.
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Otherkin: Otherkin refers to Alterhumans and Non-Humans who identify as something not of this world.
_{(Examples include angels, demons, stars, seraphim, sirens, voids, dragons, elves, plants, mermaids, dolls, plushies, fairies, vampires, zombies, etc.)}
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Therian: This term describes Non-Humans who identify as animals, most commonly of earthly origin.
_{(Examples include: cats, dogs, bunnies, birds, snakes, frogs, fish, wolves, foxes, lions, tigers, bears, (oh my!) lynxes, horses, dinosaurs, insects, etc.)}
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Fictionkin: This term encompasses Non-Humans who identify as fictional beings or characters. It must be noted that not all Non-Humans are Fictionkin, and not all Fictionkin are Non-Human.
_{(Examples include: Anime characters, OCs, Dungeons and Dragons races, Characters or species from a book, show, game, or movie, etc.)}
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'Linker: A 'linker is a Non-Human who chooses (or sometimes does not) their identity. This can be for a variety of reasons. One of the most notable types of 'linker is Copinglinkers, defined below.Copinglinker: Also called a C'Linker, this is a form of 'linker that identifies as Non-Human as a coping mechanism for trauma, stress, dissociation, mental illness, etc.
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Endel: Endels are Non-Humans who are or identify as such due to psychosis. The term is a self-identifier to describe one's identity being caused by, rooted in, or influenced by psychosis and/or delusion.Clinical Zoanthropy: A rare condition which causes one to genuinely believe they're an animal such as a Wolf, Cat, Dog, etc. Please note that these are not the only three animals Zoanthropes can believe they are, and Clinical Zoanthropy and Endelity are NOT interchangeable terms.
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Otherhearted and Synpath: Whilst often interchangeable, these two are separate from identifying AS Non-Human, and might be considered separate concepts from one another. These terms both signify identifying WITH a species. For example, one may identify WITH something like angels, but not genuinely believe they ARE one. These terms are mostly used in Kin communities. The shortened form of Otherhearted is 'Hearted.
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Extranthrope: An Extranthrope is an alter in a system who is Non-Human. These come in a few types, including those who are inherently Non-Human or who identify as Non-Human.
_{(NOTE: I am not an expert on systems. If any of this information is wrong or requires expansion, PLEASE tell me! -Moth)}
-✩─────✩─────✩Other Terms To Know About:
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-Type: A type is what someone identifies as, in specifics. The Kin version of this is "Kintype." For example, let's say that someone identifies as an Elf. If they were Otherkin, would be considered Elfkin, as Elves are their kintype. Otherwise, they would just be an Elf.
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Kithtype: This term is used to describe the species someone identifies with. the ‘kin terms for this are Otherhearted and Synpath.
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Polymorph / Polykin: Polymorphs are those who identify as more than one species. there are plenty of ways one may identify as such, and it's perfectly valid to have more than one kintype. Polykin is the term for this that is primarily used in 'Kin spaces.
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Shift: A Shift, known as a Kinshift in 'Kin spaces, is defined as an experience or moment of time where one either feels much more connected to their type or adopts the mentality of said type. This isn't an exhaustive definition, as there are MANY types of shifting. These include mental, spiritual, phantom, cameo, dream, sensory, astral, aural, and more! Shifts can be voluntary or involuntary.
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Phantom Limbs/Features: Phantom Limbs, or Phantom Features, are limbs, features and other appendages that one may feel, but aren't physically there. Phantom Limbs commonly correspond to an individual's kintype, and can include extra arms, extra legs, tails, horns, wings, claws, animal ears, etc.
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_{NOTE: The next 4 definitions are exclusive to Fictionkin, IRLs, Fictives, Introjects, etc.!}Source: One's source is the show, movie, anime, game, book, comic, etc. that they come from.Sourcemates: Those who share a source with one another.Canon: Another exclusive term. This is defined as the universe one previously lived in.Canonmates: Those who share a universe they previously lived in with one another.
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Species Dysphoria: Species Dysphoria is the unease, upset and/or discomfort associated with feelings that one isn't in the right body, or that they are trapped in a human body. Those experiencing Species Dysphoria may feel Phantom Limbs or Features, amongst other things.
_{(Please note that Phantom Features are not a Dysphoria-exclusive experience.)}Species Euphoria: The opposite of Species Dysphoria. This encompasses the feelings of happiness, contentedness, correctness, and/or comfort in their species.
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Considering/Kinsidering: Considering is thinking of what type of non-human you are at. The ‘kin version of this is kinsidering, which is the pun using the words "Kin" and "Considering." This process may take anywhere from a day to a few weeks, months or even years.
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System: A system is a term used for those with DID, OSDD, etc. This term collectively refers to all of the alters sharing the body.Singlet: A Singlet is somebody who doesn't have DID, OSDD or any other dissociative disorders of the like.

• Click/Tap Here For The History of Non-Humanity and Otherkinity!
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The History of Non-Humanity

The history of Non-Humanity on EverSkies is complicated, but outside of it, to understand how this all came to be, let's rewind the clock and take a look at the history of these types of identities! Whilst the earliest documented thing for Non-Humanity was in 1930 (Source: WRSP), I'd like to start in the 1970s, as that's when things started to become serious.1970's:
The Elf Queen's Daughters, abbreviated to EQD, were an early group of individuals who considered themselves to be Elves. EQD are approximated to have formed around 1972, although estimates place the foundation of this group between the Late 1960s and 1974. In 1973, they released their first newsletter! In 1974, the group was renamed to the Silver Elves. From there, they began to publish the Zine "Magical Elven Love letters" in 1979.1980's:
Mailing lists began to be used to keep the different existing Elven groups in contact with one-another. In 1986, Margot Adler published a revised, expanded version of her 1979 book "Drawing Down The Moon." Whilst EQD wasn't in this version's directories, the Silver Elves were.1990's:
In 1990, University of Kentucky student R’ykandar (Dara) Korra’ti founded the Elfinkind Digest. Issue #16, dated April 18th, 1990, contains the first ever documented usage of the term "Otherkind." A few months later in July of that year, Issue #71 would contain the first usage of the term we all know today, "Otherkin." Coined by Torren / Darren Stalder, the term was first used when they got tired of typing elf/dragon/orc/etc.-kin over and over again. Also this year, many Usenet groups popped up, discussing various non-human identities such as vampires, dragons, fairies, elves, animals, etc.In 1991, a circle of individuals weaving Faery magic came together to create The Tree Leaves' Oracle. They later began to call themselves the Faeids. Throughout 1991 and 1995, White Wolf would release a series of Tabletop RPGs involving supernatural identities. In 1997, Doreen Virtue would publish multiple books on incarnated beings. Finally, in 1999, many now-defunct forums were founded, and online texts were created to discuss Otherkinity, Therianthropy, and Vampirism.2000's-2012:
In 2000, Rosalyn Greene would publish "The Magic of Shapeshifting," a Non-Fiction book that served as a "handbook" to Shifters. Also this year, the Faeid Fellowship was founded by Leaf McGowan. In 2001, the Silver Elves would self-publish both a 300-page anthology of all of their writings, as well as "A Book of Elven Runes: an oracle of Faerie." All throughout the early 2000s, many Otherkin books and titles were published, and many organizations were founded. A mailing list I'd like to bring up is the mailing list "African Elves" which was created in 2002 for Black and POC individuals who identified as otherkin and shared an interest in elves, faeries, and other similarly kindred beings.Then, in 2006, Danielle Kirby published the very first scholarly text on Otherkin, titled “Alternative Worlds: Metaphysical Questing and Virtual Community amongst the Otherkin.” From here, in 2007, An individal by the name of Lupa would publish "A Field Guide To Otherkin."Finally, in 2012, Orion Scribner would publish a massive document, laying out the detailed history of Otherkin.
_{(I actually used Scribner's work throughout writing this as a reference, and I feel as you will find it useful too! It's a bit of a read, though... -Moth)}

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Inclusivity, Misconceptions and QnA

Now that we’ve gone over the history of Non-Humanity, let's get into some things that you should know in order to be respectful. We should also touch on a few questions you may have, as well as clear up some misconceptions. Let’s get into it!^{✩─────⚠─────✩
Fair Warning! This section contains information that could be potentially distressing, such as what Reality Checking / Counter-Checking is. The section also has some elements that may come off or be perceived as RC / CC in the form of the questions, a part of an answer and misconceptions. There are also mentions of zoophilia for one of the misconceptions. It must also be stressed that every Non-Human is different, and what may apply to one may not apply to another.
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How To Tell If You’re Non-Human

If you’ve clicked onto this page, chances are, you’re trying to figure out if you’re Non-Human! Luckily, this resource exists to help! On this page, we’ll go over a few potential causes, how to further discover, nurture your species/kintype, etc. There are also resources linked here to check out if you so choose!✩─────✩─────✩Finding Out What You Are:
If you’re questioning if you’re Non-Human, the first thing you can do is think of what could be causing it. As listed previously here, there are a number of causes to such. If you feel like you’re adequately described by one of these, chances are, you’re Non-Human! Do note that that isn’t an exhaustive list of reasons why someone may identify as Non-Human.There are a number of ways to figure out what species or kind of being you are. One way would be to think of any animals or creatures that you feel a deep personal connection to. If you’re unable to identify such, you can also turn to many Alterhuman and Otherkin communities. You can also look to fictional media for clues if need-be. Research is an amazing thing that'll help you lots!One EverSkies-Specific way to get in touch is to make a post about it in either an NH club, or one of the big box clubs such as ES Gen, We’re Gay Lol, FPO, etc. Usually, in the aforementioned big-box clubs, there’ll be plenty willing to discuss with you and help you out! (Tip: For easier understanding, you should use tone indicators and other things of the like in your post.)Furthermore, in Further Reading, a few resources have been listed in order to aid in discovery, including this one. Another word of advice to give is to meditate, as that can be super helpful in finding out your form/what you are! There are multiple forms of meditation, most notably Mindfulness and Analytical Meditation. Analytical Meditation might just be your pal here! Start out small, though, as meditation takes practice and time! Spending time with oneself and "finding your feelings" is also super helpful!Figuring out if you’re NH can take anywhere between a few days to even a few months or years, so don’t feel bad if you don’t know immediately. It’s perfectly fine to not know what you are yet, too! It's also perfectly normal for one's identity to shift and change as they grow older.Either way,
you’re completely and utterly valid.
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• Sources And Credits
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Sources and Credits

Changelog✩─────✩─────✩November 24th, 2022:
^{_{Day-One Fixes And Improvements.}}
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_{-Made Capitalization More Consistent.-Corrected “Term” to “Act” in section about RC/CC.-Added Text To Credits.-Added This Changelog.-Corrected Intro Page.}✩─────✩─────✩January 9th, 2023:
^{_{The First Major Update Made To The Carrd.}}
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_{-Added Disclaimer Specifying Target Audience.-Converted As Much Language As Possible To 3rd Person.-Added Onto Definition For Non-Human Alter.-De-Otherkin-ified Language Where Possible, Fixed Up Terms, etc.-Removed DA / DM From Glossary. Added An Entry On Why The Term DA Is Problematic In FAQ.-Removed Line About Tulpamancy Being A Closed Practice. Guidance Needed For That Before Anything Else Is Said About The Practice On This Carrd!-Changed Clinical Lycanthropy To Clinical Zoanthropy To Better Describe What The Condition Actually Is, As Not All Zoanthropes Are Lycan in Nature.-Updated Credits-Redid The Second paragraph For Reality Checking In FAQ In Order To Be Less Aggressive And Better Reflect The Facts.-Modified the "NH Are Not Oppressed" Section In Order To Remove Aggression And Emotional Charge. Added Info About Individualized Derision And Harassment.-Converted Some Titles Into Standard Text In Order To Save On Elements.-Widened The Page Width From 37 To 40.-Rewrote Answer To ”How Can One Be (Insert Character Here) IRL?” To Remove DA Jargon.-Put Clinical Zoanthropy into the Glossary.}✩─────✩─────✩June 27th, 2023:_{-Finally published after I realized it was down.
-Updated definitions of therian, kithtype.
-Corrected grammar, potentially problematic descriptor-Updated reality checking info-Simplified and darkened theme-Fixed a link using the Wayback Machine (allaboutirls)-Changed credits to reflect current events}