Otherkin

[georgetruman]

OP there's some sound advice in this thread. It would be a real shame for you not to curb your little sisters sense of imagination and wonder by shoving Serene's Forest's social precedence down her throat. She needs to learn that whenever she does something, she needs to think about the ramifications (in this case other people's opinions of her).

I would hate to see your sister grow up to be someone who doesn't give a shit about what people think about her. Good luck putting an end to her fun!

Edited December 21, 2015 by georgetruman

[Tryhard]

Sounds like someone has an issue.

I'd ask you to expand on what you mean instead of constructing a straw man to attack it, though.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Tryhard

[georgetruman]

Aren't straw-men easier to fight than real men though? That little girl is either a psychopath and really thinks she is a wolf, or is just having fun. Why ruin it just because it rustles our jimmies?

[Tryhard]

Are you saying that her family shouldn't care about her possible mental instability? You could argue how harmless it is and if ignoring the behavior turned out to be the best option, then so be it, but I find it hard to believe that they should just be like "eh whatever, shits cool" without being at least somewhat concerned.

If you're asking why it rustles our jimmies, it doesn't, I don't know her personally, nor would I actually expect her to care what I think. But please spare me the thought that I sit around hating otherkin and seek to stomp them out for having the nerve to consider themselves one or something like that.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Tryhard

[Parrhesia]

OP there's some sound advice in this thread. It would be a real shame for you not to curb your little sisters sense of imagination and wonder by shoving Serene's Forest's social precedence down her throat. She needs to learn that whenever she does something, she needs to think about the ramifications (in this case other people's opinions of her).

I would hate to see your sister grow up to be someone who doesn't give a shit about what people think about her. Good luck putting an end to her fun!

This unironically, it's called being a socially-adjusted person. Evidently you kinda missed that memo, huh.

[georgetruman]

I would have to agree that if that girl is a psychopath I hope she gets some help.

^ I guess so huh? But I'd rather be socially unacceptable and happy than socially acceptable and feel suppressed. Obviously its personal preference and obviously the two aren't mutually exclusive I know!

Edited December 21, 2015 by georgetruman

[Lord Raven]

You can be socially accepted and happy, you're acting as if the two are mutually exclusive.

[Crysta]

I don't think it's mental instability, really, so much as it's a desire to be a special pretty snowflake (pretty common among teenagers and adolescents - and sometimes unfortunately in full grown adults). Being human is pretty damn boring.

It would be a real shame for you not to curb your little sisters sense of imagination

Serenes Forest: imagination surpressers who play a video game series with dragons in their mythos more often than not

I mean if given a choice I'd probably be a dragon, too.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Crysta

[Tryhard]

I don't think it's mental instability, really, so much as it's a desire to be a special pretty snowflake (pretty common among teenagers and adolescents - and sometimes unfortunately in full grown adults). Being human is pretty damn boring.

I mean if given a choice I'd probably be a dragon, too.

Hence why I thought it was fitting to prefix that with "possible", because I don't really think it's that either. More like bringing D&D roleplaying of Elves etc into real life and just rolling with it as a thing. But with animals. I guess.

I still think it's kinda obvious why people find it rather concerning, though.

Edited December 21, 2015 by Tryhard

[eclipse]

There's appropriate ways to express imagination. . .and inappropriate ones. I let my imagination run wild when I write. But I keep that train of thought in check when I'm dealing with strangers over the phone - they'd freak out if I started talking about the intricacies of a Fire Emblem support conversation!

Likewise, she should not be roleplaying a wolf in public.

[georgetruman]

Likewise, she should not be roleplaying a wolf in public.

I'm not trying to be a complete asshole, honestly, so please hear me out.

Why not? If a little girl wants to pretend she's a wolf in public whats really wrong with that? She isn't hurting anyone shes just being a weirdo. In my opinion there isn't anything wrong (in fact I think there is everything right) with educating her on effective communication with people but if she really wants to be a "wolf" why not?

You can be socially accepted and happy, you're acting as if the two are mutually exclusive.

You can be but you don't have to be. All I'm saying is why force it on a little girl? Why not encourage her to just be happy with herself either way? If she wasn't just messing around and she really did have a problem, isn't that what she would need to learn anyway - not to need to be a "wolf" to be happy?

Edited December 21, 2015 by georgetruman

[blah the Prussian]

OP there's some sound advice in this thread. It would be a real shame for you not to curb your little sisters sense of imagination and wonder by shoving Serene's Forest's social precedence down her throat. She needs to learn that whenever she does something, she needs to think about the ramifications (in this case other people's opinions of her).

I would hate to see your sister grow up to be someone who doesn't give a shit about what people think about her. Good luck putting an end to her fun!

Giving a shit about what other people think about you is great. I used to not give a shit, and I had no friends. Then, I stopped acting like a contrarian asshole when we moved to Prague, and I got friends. The real world isn't a place where you can pretend to be a wolf. It's that simple.

[georgetruman]

Giving a shit about what other people think about you is great. I used to not give a shit, and I had no friends. Then, I stopped acting like a contrarian asshole when we moved to Prague, and I got friends. The real world isn't a place where you can pretend to be a wolf. It's that simple.

I would argue that the real world is a place where you can literally do whatever you want given you have the means. I would bet quite a bit of money that I could step outside and pretend to be a wolf. I really do believe I have the means, and as long as I didn't harass people and pee in public, I don't think there would be too many life altering repercussions.

I like to think that my real friends wouldn't give a shit if I liked running around pretending to be a wolf: as long as I didn't do it when I was hanging around them because they aren't really into that stuff. My friends ought not to care about crap like that because its not nearly as strong an indicator of my character as other tendencies.

For a bunch of Fire Emblem fans I feel you guys sure don't buy into the cheesy themes these games are all about!

Edited December 21, 2015 by georgetruman

[eclipse]

I'm not trying to be a complete asshole, honestly, so please hear me out.

Why not? If a little girl wants to pretend she's a wolf in public whats really wrong with that? She isn't hurting anyone shes just being a weirdo. In my opinion there isn't anything wrong (in fact I think there is everything right) with educating her on effective communication with people but if she really wants to be a "wolf" why not?

You're falling short.

When someone engages in behavior that makes others uncomfortable (and howling like a wolf in public WILL make others uncomfortable), it sends a message to them that the person acting weird is more interested in their own actions than the feelings of others. That, in turn, will cause her to be isolated by others, because most people will not seek the company of someone that makes them feel uncomfortable. Other people do matter, and I'm going to have a quiet IRL giggle if the counter-point to this is the logical extreme of bending over to other people.

[twice]

*howls like a wolf in public*

Yes no one will notice how weird I am, how about I start acting even more like a wolf too and attack folks

[amiabletemplar]

Aren't straw-men easier to fight than real men though? That little girl is either a psychopath and really thinks she is a wolf, or is just having fun. Why ruin it just because it rustles our jimmies?

Well, I at least didn't participate in arguments anything like what you're suggesting, so painting everyone with that broad brush weakens your case, causing it to come across as biased and inflammatory rather than insightful or pertinent.

For example:

I don't think it's mental instability, really, so much as it's a desire to be a special pretty snowflake (pretty common among teenagers and adolescents - and sometimes unfortunately in full grown adults). Being human is pretty damn boring.

This is, more or less, what I discussed--I simply phrased it in different terms, and focused more specifically on it as a developmental side-effect rather than a thing that anyone might do (which is also a valid way of looking at it). So when you, Georgetruman, refer to my posts (since they are among the posts in this thread) as being imagination-crushing, as hostile and treating imaginative behavior as psychosis, I have to wonder whether you even read my posts at all--or perhaps simply chose to ignore them because you were too offended by the others to take the time to respond to mine. I did, for instance, specifically say that the best response for the time being is to simply ignore it, neither supporting nor condemning, unless his sister attempts to use this behavior as an excuse for inappropriate things she has done (e.g. leaving a mess in the kitchen "because I'm a wolf, wolves are messy eaters!") And, furthermore, I said that if Blah feels seriously concerned, instead of immediately assuming mental illness, a damaged psyche, or whatever else, that he should engage with her, get into real and meaningful conversations about values, identity, preferences, etc. How is that in any way like "putting an end to her fun," to say nothing of "curb[ing her] sense of imagination and wonder"?

Serenes Forest: imagination surpressers who play a video game series with dragons in their mythos more often than not

Careful, Crysta. You might accidentally cloud his picture with facts!

I mean if given a choice I'd probably be a dragon, too.

Never actually thought I'd get to use this picture on a forum--but I'm so glad I can.

[georgetruman]

You're falling short.

When someone engages in behavior that makes others uncomfortable (and howling like a wolf in public WILL make others uncomfortable), it sends a message to them that the person acting weird is more interested in their own actions than the feelings of others. That, in turn, will cause her to be isolated by others, because most people will not seek the company of someone that makes them feel uncomfortable. Other people do matter, and I'm going to have a quiet IRL giggle if the counter-point to this is the logical extreme of bending over to other people.

So If a man dressing as a woman makes me uncomfortable should I ask him to stop or should I get over it? The reason howling at people is fucked up is the same reason that yelling anything at anyone is fucked up, it has nothing to do with the girl pretending to be a wolf. Its about assaulting their ears with loud noise not making them feel awkward. There are laws against noise pollution but there aren't too many about just being a weirdo. Teaching someone to be respectful of others and teaching them not to make people "uncomfortable" because of one's mannerisms are different.

Why is everyone being such a bummer? If people can't handle some little girl pretending to be a wolf that's their problem not hers! Of course people are going to think you're weird but who cares?

My first post was intended as tongue-in-cheek so I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but I'd really like to reference this post from a long time ago: http://serenesforest.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=54866

TL;DR Some kid wants help with bullying and quite a few people offer advice that is strategy to make the bullies stop, as opposed to strategies to get over the bullying. I feel like there is quite a bit of "get her to stop so she doesn't get bullied" in this forum which is insane to me. The only surefire way to protect yourself from bullying is to not let bullying affect you. You guys can bet your asses that I, just like everyone I know, have been the subject of disparaging remarks and disrespect and if I can get over it and not let it affect me, anyone can. You have very little control over how others will feel about you but you have full control over how you feel about yourself.

A weird guy is a weird guy and while I absolutely agree that people ought to know how to interact with adults in a professional/academic setting, there's no reason to force them to be like that. Some people find happiness in odd ways. My uncle was a drug addict and alcoholic for almost his entire life and finally found real happiness in almost complete isolation. He lives only with animals and sees other people only a few times a week but he loves it.

I obviously have no idea whats really going on with ole Op's sister especially as I only have second hand information, but if I had to guess I would put my money on a little awkward girl acting like a little awkward girl, and that she is probably going to grow out of it. But the idea that someone needs to grow out of that behavior is absolutely absurd. No, you aren't going to live a normal life if your hobbies include running around pretending to be an animal. Yes, you can absolutely take up on your hobby of running around pretending to be an animal in ways that shouldn't bother anyone else and live a perfectly happy and productive life.

[blah the Prussian]

The problem is that she's thirteen. The time to grow out of it has come. I would hope that my friends would be concerned for me if I started to act strange.

[amiabletemplar]

So If a man dressing as a woman makes me uncomfortable should I ask him to stop or should I get over it?

Is clothing an active behavior that, if you wish to avoid awareness of it, forces you to seek a completely different space? Or is it a passive state, which can be ignored in the same way one ignores (say) the color of a car parked on the street?

Or, in other words, are clothes a disturbance of the peace? Disturbing the peace is definitely something that many governments (both the US and most European countries, AFAIK) consider a problem that should be eliminated, rather than a personal expression to be tolerated by others. Clothing, being a passive object hanging from the body of another, would need to be pretty damned unusual to qualify as a disturbance of the peace. Howling, running around on all fours, sniffing other humans, and other wolf-mimicking behaviors, on the other hand, is both a set of active things, and things that others must go out of their way to leave the "wolf's" presence if they wish to avoid them. Such cantering about, especially if it is paired with an "I do not care at all about the way others feel about my actions" attitude, would be very likely to qualify as a disturbance of the peace if the "wolf" is an adult. If it is a child, like Blah's sister, I would expect distinct adult disapproval and warnings not to continue that behavior.

The reason howling at people is fucked up is the same reason that yelling anything at anyone is fucked up, it has nothing to do with the girl pretending to be a wolf. Its about assaulting their ears with loud noise not making them feel awkward. There are laws against noise pollution but there aren't too many about just being a weirdo. Teaching someone to be respectful of others and teaching them not to make people "uncomfortable" because of one's mannerisms are different.

So...which is it? Should she consider, or ignore, the feelings of others about her behavior? You cannot respect others if you don't care about what they think and feel. Now, perhaps you were speaking imprecisely before, and did not intend to imply a total "I care not one whit for ANYTHING others think," and actually meant something else--but, at least from your prior words, it was not easy to tell what, exactly, that was. Even trying to structure it myself, I run into the problem of making it completely trivial: "I don't care about the unwarranted criticism of others." Well, yeah--but then you get into the issue of defining "warranted." Even "I don't care what others think as long as I'm respectful." But then, "being respectful" needs to be defined--and I find it very unlikely that most people would count "running around howling and otherwise behaving like a wolf" as "respectful" behavior.

Why is everyone being such a bummer? If people can't handle some little girl pretending to be a wolf that's their problem not hers! Of course people are going to think you're weird but who cares?

As for why she might wish to care: Well, it could drive away friends, who simply find it worrying. Also, you seem to be assuming (from the above statements) that she will be completely respectful of others' space and comfort, which is not guaranteed (particularly since she is a child). Actual animals, after all, don't really understand the concept. As I said earlier, it's also possible that she could use this idea ("I'm not a human, I'm a wolf!") to try to avoid responsibility for her actions ("I'm a wolf, I'm a messy eater!" or "Wolves don't wipe their muddy paws on the mat." or "What's wrong with peeing in the street? Dogs do it all the time!") Finally, again as I've stated before, she could be doing this purely as an attempt to make people pay more attention to her, sort of analogous to throwing a temper tantrum or intentionally misbehaving to attract adult attention. Her telling all her school friends is certainly not conclusive evidence there, but it doesn't inspire confidence either.

All of these things could contribute to unhealthy behaviors in the future, and thus one might wish to encourage her to stop. Also, even if the behavior itself stops, sometimes reputations can long outlast their origins, and could lead to difficulties later in life--lost opportunities.

My first post was intended as tongue-in-cheek so I'm sorry if I offended anyone,

Apology accepted (not that I was actually "offended," I just appreciate you saying this). For future reference, your words came across as "you guys are soulless and totalitarian, crushing everything beautiful and good about a child." A pretty serious, and somewhat angry-sounding, message. If you meant it as tongue-in-cheek, I'm afraid it sounded vindictive and judgmental instead (sort of ironic, given that your goal seems to be to fight judgmental behavior).

but I'd really like to reference this post from a long time ago: http://serenesforest.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=54866

TL;DR Some kid wants help with bullying and quite a few people offer advice that is strategy to make the bullies stop, as opposed to strategies to get over the bullying. I feel like there is quite a bit of "get her to stop so she doesn't get bullied" in this forum which is insane to me.

Okay, gonna stop you there. There are some important differences to consider. First: you're comparing things to do about actual, current bullying, with concerns about potential, future problems interacting with others. The former is, "I am currently being subjected to violence." The obvious answer to that is to try to stop the violence, not learn to endure it--though it also helps to develop healthy coping strategies when there isn't anything you can do to stop the violence (in the immediate future, anyway). The other is telling someone, "The thing you are doing will not be appreciated by others, and may be a reason why people choose to dislike you when they otherwise would not." It's reminding someone that their actions have consequences, that in addition to being responsible for how you feel about yourself, you're responsible for how you act toward others. It is not "avoid inviting people to bully you," and instead, "think about how your actions affect the feelings of others," or...in other words...think about whether your wolf play-acting is respectful of the people around you.

A weird guy is a weird guy and while I absolutely agree that people ought to know how to interact with adults in a professional/academic setting, there's no reason to force them to be like that. Some people find happiness in odd ways. My uncle was a drug addict and alcoholic for almost his entire life and finally found real happiness in almost complete isolation. He lives only with animals and sees other people only a few times a week but he loves it.

Some people find socialization difficult, or tiring, and need a degree of separation. Most, however, do not--we are a social species by nature, and have been since we were tree shrews. I agree that it is unkind to force someone, such as your uncle, to engage in social activities they don't want to do. But it is also unkind to allow a child to do a thing she doesn't understand as inappropriate or disrespectful of others, that can be a disturbance of the peace if performed by an adult. If she is, in fact, respectful of the boundaries of others while doing this, then (as I said originally) the best thing to do is ignore it--because, in all likelihood, she won't continue doing it forever. If she is not respectful, then you tell her such--and that she needs to learn to be.

I obviously have no idea whats really going on with ole Op's sister especially as I only have second hand information, but if I had to guess I would put my money on a little awkward girl acting like a little awkward girl, and that she is probably going to grow out of it. But the idea that someone needs to grow out of that behavior is absolutely absurd. No, you aren't going to live a normal life if your hobbies include running around pretending to be an animal. Yes, you can absolutely take up on your hobby of running around pretending to be an animal in ways that shouldn't bother anyone else and live a perfectly happy and productive life.

I'm...not convinced about the "perfectly happy and productive life" thing. Yes, some people may be able to do that. They are not, however, the norm. I would call them outliers, actually. And people need to be aware of that--before they get stuck in a rut they can't escape from.

[georgetruman]

Dude for real this is common sense. If the girl is running around getting all up in peoples shit she should probably stop. If she is keeping her ass out of other people's business and they still have an opinion about it they can take their opinion and shove it. There are no laws against running around on all fours, or howling (though she probably needs to howl quietly!) but I'm pretty sure there are laws against sniffing people.

If someone gets offended by a girl walking around on all fours and sniffing the ground, git gud. If someone gets offended because the girl is shouting in public and sniffing people, they should probably get her to stop. Nobody is going to argue you on that.

All I am asking is what are you doing if you tell someone that they need to stop their behavior just because it isn't "social norm"? A lot of people have a lot of different ideas about social norm and I think its smart to be subjective about it. Explaining why people might be uncomfortable with your howling and sniffing them is just a bit different - that is more about empathy. It has less to do with how people feel about your kid and more about how your kid is making people feel.

Do you need to tell your kid that she can't pretend? - or - Do you need to tell your kid that she can't sniff people?

Edited December 21, 2015 by georgetruman

[eclipse]

So If a man dressing as a woman makes me uncomfortable should I ask him to stop or should I get over it? The reason howling at people is fucked up is the same reason that yelling anything at anyone is fucked up, it has nothing to do with the girl pretending to be a wolf. Its about assaulting their ears with loud noise not making them feel awkward. There are laws against noise pollution but there aren't too many about just being a weirdo. Teaching someone to be respectful of others and teaching them not to make people "uncomfortable" because of one's mannerisms are different.

You just compared cross-dressing to what OP's sister is doing.

I'm at a complete loss of words for the logical disconnect here.

Why is everyone being such a bummer? If people can't handle some little girl pretending to be a wolf that's their problem not hers! Of course people are going to think you're weird but who cares?

Y'know what else is socially unacceptable? Whining.

Everyone's gonna have a different opinion. Get over it or get out.

My first post was intended as tongue-in-cheek so I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but I'd really like to reference this post from a long time ago: http://serenesforest.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=54866

TL;DR Some kid wants help with bullying and quite a few people offer advice that is strategy to make the bullies stop, as opposed to strategies to get over the bullying. I feel like there is quite a bit of "get her to stop so she doesn't get bullied" in this forum which is insane to me. The only surefire way to protect yourself from bullying is to not let bullying affect you. You guys can bet your asses that I, just like everyone I know, have been the subject of disparaging remarks and disrespect and if I can get over it and not let it affect me, anyone can. You have very little control over how others will feel about you but you have full control over how you feel about yourself.

Rather than repeat what the white tiger a bit above me said, I'm just going to tell you to read that.

A weird guy is a weird guy and while I absolutely agree that people ought to know how to interact with adults in a professional/academic setting, there's no reason to force them to be like that. Some people find happiness in odd ways. My uncle was a drug addict and alcoholic for almost his entire life and finally found real happiness in almost complete isolation. He lives only with animals and sees other people only a few times a week but he loves it.

Once again, you're arguing in favor of the self over the feelings of others. The two must be in balance (where "others" is "the general public" in this scenario), which means that howling like a wolf in public is a no-no.

If she wants to do that in her room when no one else is home. . .that's still weird, but at least it's out of the public eye.

I obviously have no idea whats really going on with ole Op's sister especially as I only have second hand information, but if I had to guess I would put my money on a little awkward girl acting like a little awkward girl, and that she is probably going to grow out of it. But the idea that someone needs to grow out of that behavior is absolutely absurd. No, you aren't going to live a normal life if your hobbies include running around pretending to be an animal. Yes, you can absolutely take up on your hobby of running around pretending to be an animal in ways that shouldn't bother anyone else and live a perfectly happy and productive life.

And here you contradict yourself.

The minute she opens her mouth is the minute she draws negative attention to herself, and by extension, starts bothering people. Furthermore, she's a thirteen-year-old girl, and finding her identity is a lot more normal than Just Being Weird. If she wants to find an identity, that's fine. But trying to show her OMG SPECIAL self, especially in public, isn't a particularly healthy way of doing so. Being persistently weird will lead to problems later on, and trying to rebel against others who try to tell her that (another teenage thing) is asking for a life of grief.

I don't hang around people that make me feel uncomfortable, and I imagine it's the same for most others out there in the world.

Unless you have something really profound to reply, I'm probably not going to respond. I've got better things to do with my time than talk about why breaking social norms is a really bad idea.

[Phoenix Wright]

The problem is that she's thirteen. The time to grow out of it has come. I would hope that my friends would be concerned for me if I started to act strange.

i feel the opposite. 13 is when kids start doing all this weird stuff. you're being too harsh

[georgetruman]

And here you contradict yourself.

The minute she opens her mouth is the minute she draws negative attention to herself, and by extension, starts bothering people. Furthermore, she's a thirteen-year-old girl, and finding her identity is a lot more normal than Just Being Weird. If she wants to find an identity, that's fine. But trying to show her OMG SPECIAL self, especially in public, isn't a particularly healthy way of doing so. Being persistently weird will lead to problems later on, and trying to rebel against others who try to tell her that (another teenage thing) is asking for a life of grief.

I don't hang around people that make me feel uncomfortable, and I imagine it's the same for most others out there in the world.

Unless you have something really profound to reply, I'm probably not going to respond. I've got better things to do with my time than talk about why breaking social norms is a really bad idea.

That's not a contradiction. What I am saying is that drawing "negative" attention to yourself and doing something to legitimately bother people are two different things. That is why I brought up transgender-ism. Transgender-ism makes people uncomfortable, but that doesn't make it "wrong". People wearing turbans make some people uncomfortable, again that doesn't make wearing turbans "wrong". Sitting next to someone on the bus after you work out but before you take a shower will make people uncomfortable, and I think that is "wrong". I think that is wrong because there is really nothing you can do to stop smelling the foul odor except breathing through your mouth like a god damned knuckle-dragger.

Obviously you don't hang around people that make you uncomfortable. But not everyone gets uncomfortable at the same things. There are a lot of communities that embrace goofy people, like Portland.

There is nothing profound about any of this. If op's sister wants friends that feel uncomfortable when she acts like a wolf, then she won't act like a wolf around them. If the little girls friends don't want to hang around her based on what she does in her free time, away from any of them, then they should fuck right off!

[Tryhard]

There's a reason transgenderism was brought up before in order to differentiate between them. If someone is uncomfortable with another person because of their preconceptions of gender identity established and proven by scientific research or their clothing choices, forbid, they are likely a bigot. Any identity or mental (if that) classification for otherkin is not currently widely recognized by scientific research. I don't see how you can come close to equating the two. There is a clear distinction of being a certain type of person (how do you "act" transgender?) and acting in a way that makes people uncomfortable. Especially in a way that could disturb other people.

No-one so far is agreeing with you, and that might be a little telling. You can say she should tell her friends that don't want to hang with her howling in public or whatever to fuck off, and then it's likely she will have very little or any. If she's happy with that, all power to her, but most people are not.

Edited December 22, 2015 by Tryhard

[georgetruman]

^ The world would be a sad place indeed if people were weak minded enough to be swayed by whether others agree with them or not!

A trans gender person is a dude (XY) "pretending" to be a lady (XX), or vice versa. Hes not acting "transgender" hes acting like the societal norm of a member of the opposite sex. I don't accept transgender people because I understand that "gender" is a spectrum and a byproduct of society like some hippie goon, I accept transgender people because they have the right to do their thing. I know I'm not the most concise but I feel like I am conveying my overall point fairly clearly and that my point is fairly relevant.

I've never heard the term "otherkin" before this thread and frankly, I find it hilarious. Its a kid with a way overactive imagination and little regard for what other people find normal just doing his/her thing. You can call her an "otherkin", or you can call her a goofball. But why do you have to ruin her fun just because everyone else has a stick up their ass?

The friends a kid gets when they don't worry about other people's impressions of them (when they don't place their self esteem in the hands of others) are the kind of friends that I'd personally like to have. I don't know about you guys, but I like to be able to act however I want in front of my friends. I don't like worrying about what I have to say and the friends I've made are like minded. Obviously I try my best to be respectful but my friends usually only take offense to pretty reasonable things (lying, cheating, mean remarks, etc).