recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Pansexual

**Pansexuality** is the sexual attraction toward people regardless of their sex or gender identity. Since gender or sex are not determining factors in who a pansexual person is attracted to, some pansexuals might call themselves *gender-blind*, therefore rejecting the gender binary.

## Etymology

The term "pansexual" is derived from the Greek prefix *pan-*, meaning "all" or "every". like the term “omnisexual” is from a word with the same meaning

## Community

Pansexual & Panromantic Awareness Day is internationally celebrated on May 24.

### Flag

The pansexual pride flag was designed by Jasper V in 2010. It consists of three horizontal stripes: a magenta stripe at the top, a strong gold yellow stripe in the center, and a light cerulean stripe at the bottom.

Jasper V stated on their Twitter that the pride flag's meanings were intended as follows: "Pink and blue, because of their gendered traditions, and yellow, a generally non-gendered colour, to represent nonbinary folks etc." The meaning of the colors, however, is debated. Some say that the pink stands for attraction to women, yellow for attraction to non-binary or gender non-conforming individuals, and blue for attraction to men. Others say that the blue, pink, and yellow stand for those who *identify* as men, women, and non-binary people, respectively.
(Therian) Berserker Shift

**Berserker Shift (Modern Origins) / Feral Shift:** is the more commonly known version of the term and has recently been used by the Therian community. The vital difference between above and below definitions being that the Norse variant implies that a Berserker shift can be a voluntary decision, whereas the Feral Shift version implies that it is purely involuntary. Because of this latter definition, it is often seen as controversial and an unhealthy behaviour. These shifts include strong emotions such as anger that pushes away the human side, including human empathy and logical decision making. It is generally not supported by the Therian community due to its dangerous nature. It is very rarely experienced by anyone in the Therian community, and thus rarely discussed.

**Berserker Shift (Norse Origins):** occurs when a person has the "ability to induce a state of possession by his kindred beast, acquiring its strength, fearlessness, and fury." Trances and altered states of consciousness are methods to enter a berserk shift, most commonly used by warriors for the purpose of going into battle. **This is arguably not related to Therianthropy.** There are discussions around the term on AHWW throughout the 1990's, but most were to explain the term's origins in Norse mythology and explain that emotions, anger, and rage are human traits.
Abrosexual

**Abrosexual** people experience their sexual orientation as fluid and/or changing over time. Although other kinds of fluidity may involve changes in the genders someone is attracted to, abrosexuality involves someone's entire orientation changing over time. The intensity of their attractions may change as well. There is no set schedule experienced by all abrosexual people; it may fluctuate between hours, days, weeks, months, or even years for their orientations to change. Some abrosexual individuals do have their own fixed patterns or schedules, but not all. Some may be fluid between a few orientations, while others are fluid between several.

Because abrosexual people can sometimes be asexual, abrosexuality can fall under the asexual spectrum. It also falls under the multisexuality umbrella, which includes people who are romantically or sexuality attracted to multiple genders.

## Etymology

The prefix "abro-" comes from the Greek *habrós*, meaning "graceful" or "delicate". This symbolizes the movement and changing nature of people who are abrosexual.

### History

*Document the community's most important history, including facts such as key events, breakthroughs in improving the community's well being and rights, or historical figures known to belong to the community.*

### Flag

According to several online sources, Mod Chad created the abrosexual flag in 2015 following a request from an anonymous Tumblr user who wanted to represent their sexuality with the “typical five color flags that fades from #46D294 to white to #EE1766.” However, both the term and the flag are also thought to have originated in 2013 on DeviantArt, which later gained traction on Tumblr.

The meaning behind the colors of the flag is unknown, but people have speculated that green represents a queer attraction, the fade to white is for the in-between stage of attraction shifting, and pink is for the actual shift itself. Furthermore, the colors match that of a watermelon, which could be a fun pun on the fluidity of the orientation.

### Distinction

#### Pansexual

Pansexual refers to someone who experiences attraction to all genders, and gender does not play a role in their attraction. Abrosexuality is different from pansexuality because of its changing nature. A person who is abrosexual may, at times, be pansexual, but at other times they may be heterosexual or asexual. Their sexual orientation is in flux. People who are pansexual are attracted to all people no matter their gender or sexuality.

### Controversy

*Optional section: If this topic has been the subject of any controversies, detail them in this section. For example, it could explain outdated or disputed terms, disagreements about how this identity is defined, identity-phobic discourse around popular flags, or other conflicts.*

### Perceptions and discrimination

Many times, when abrosexual people come out, they’re expected to prove that their sexuality, experience of oppression, gender, and love is genuine and authentic rather than just a ‘phase.’
Ceterosexual

**Ceterosexual**, also known as **skoliosexual** or **allotroposexual,** refers to sexual attraction to non-binary and/or potentially binary transgender people, sometimes exclusively. People who are ceterosexual may or may not be attracted to cisgender individuals, especially those who break gender roles, though this definition is disputed.

## Etymology

The prefix *skolio-* means "crooked" or "bent".

The *cetero*– in ceterosexual is based on the Latin *ceterus*, meaning "the other, the rest". The sense of "other" in ceterosexual is meant to include people whose gender identity does not fit into the male/female binary.

The *allotropo-* in allotroposexual is based on the Greek words for "different" and "mode of life."

## Community

### History

The term "skoliosexual" was coined by DeviantArt user Nelde. Mentions of cetero as an alternative to skolio began to emerge in 2015, due to the origin of the prefix *skolio*-.

### Flag

Several flags have been proposed. The first proposed flag was created by DeviantArt user SavvyRed on October 14, 2013. Yellow represents being non-binary or the attraction to non-binary people, green represents other genders such as bigender and genderqueer, and both white and black represents "neutral genderlessness", such as agender or a questioning gender identity. The lavender heart represents "love outside the gender norms".

However, due to an aversion, the most popular alternative removes the heart.

### Distinction

#### Bisexuality

Bisexuality is the sexual attraction to two or more genders, but it does not necessarily entail attraction to non-binary people. However, a bisexual person can be attracted to non-binary and to cisgender people. People can primarily identify as ceterosexual as well as bisexual, and vice versa.

### Controversy

The term "skoliosexual" was derived from a word meaning bent or crooked. People who prefer "ceterosexual" believe the use of the prefix *skolio-* implies skoliosexuals, non-binary individuals, or both are wrong or "twisted".

Some trans people have said the term is or may become a fetishizing term that is interchangeable with "chaser", and that it is only positive when non-binary people use it themselves. A related belief is that only non-binary people should identify themselves with this term. Others dispute this and say that the term involves both sexual and romantic attraction, while a fetish is less likely to involve wholistic attraction to the person rather than only sexual.

Some people consider the term's inclusion of attraction to binary trans people as othering, as it defines trans men and women by them being trans, instead of as their gender.

### Perceptions and discrimination

Because of the concern that cisgender people may identify with this label to fetishize trans individuals, the term is often considered restricted to non-binary people.
Aeslink

An Aeslink is A person who has chosen a nonhuman identity in a purely aesthetical manner. Aeslinks adopt an aesthetic which ties to their linktype. For example, if they link with Angels they may invest in Angelcore fashion. In case their linktype is a fictional character, they may dye their hair the same color(s) and/or wear clothing that matches that character's overall aesthetic. It can also be a non-physical expression of their linktype's aesthetic such as managing a blog suiting their linktype's aesthetic.

If you know more about this please expand this article!
Mythkin

Mythkin is a subcategory of otherkin revolving identifying as something/someone found in mythology. Any mythical creature/being, being from legend/folklore, or being from religious backgrounds or ancient records can be considered a possible basis for mythkin (**but are not limited to the previously listed**.)

While this label is not widely known, the kins and kiths are more prominent in the otherkin community. Mythkins can identify as anything from unicorns, merpersons, dragons, khajiit, elves, fae, demons, sea serpents, centaurs, and other related or subtypes of creatures **but are not limited to the types listed above.** One who has kin(s) related to mythology or folklore may not use this label or may use similar labels to describe their experience.

Mythkin, while under the otherkin umbrella, are **not** identical to fictionkin. “As someone who is mythkin, I don't like it when someone associates my identity with fictionkin. There's a huge difference between having a soul from a creature in a legend (especially since my identity is based in my religious beliefs) and identifying as a specific character or race from a modern work of fiction.” Describes an anonymous user on the Tumblr blog Let Out Your Anger. Mythkin are as valid as any other kintype and in no way making fun of alterhumans. Please keep in mind to be kind, what may seem odd to you may be normal to others.
(Therian) Dream Shift

**Dream Shift** **(DS or d-shift)** occurs when an individual is partially or entirely an animal within a dream while the physical body remains unchanged. The dream might also include the transformation into the animal. A dream shift can occur in both lucid and non-lucid statesThis usually covers a variety of experiences, although generally speaking if a person accepts oneself as an animal while dreaming, it can be qualified as a dream-shift. This, in turn, can sometimes lead to emotional stress strong enough to interrupt a dream (person wakes up unexpectedly).

This is a common type of shift that is often discussed in the community. Seeing or sensing oneself as an animal during a dream was taking place in the earliest days of the community as Alt.horror.werewolves was transitioning from a group about werewolf fiction to a group for people who intrinsically identified as nonhuman creatures.
Multisexual

**Multisexual** is an umbrella term that refers to anyone whose sexual orientation involves attraction to more than one gender. It can include individuals who are bisexual, pansexual, omnisexual, polysexual, and more. It may also be used as a standalone identity term by some people who do not use labels. Multisexual is the opposite of monosexual. When referred to as a spectrum, it may be called the **multiple-attraction spectrum** or **multisexual spectrum** (abbreviated as **m-spec**)
(Therian) Bilocation Shift

**Bilocation Shift (Bi) -** occurs when a Therianthrope appears in two locations simultaneously, with the double appearing in the form of the therioside. Unlike an astral shift this occurs in the physical plane.   The double can appear to be solid and physical or ghostly. Different accounts say that the double can or can not interact with people and objects. This could depend on the individual's amount of practice or power.

This shift was first being discussed on AHWW around 1999.  Bilocation is a rare shift that is not experienced or discussed very often within the community.

Bilocation is an ancient phenomenon which is considered to be a psychic ability. There is no scientific evidence that bilocation is real. Cases are usually anecdotal reports that can not be verified.

*See also:* Shift (Therianthropic)
It is important to note that there is no proof of auras, astral travel, or out of body experiences. We do need to be aware that there are alternative explanations to astral, aura, spiritual, and bilocation shifting. They may not necessarily be spiritual in nature, but could be explained by ordinary events. Astral shifts could be the result of our brains trying to process the surroundings and the effects of sensory fatigue, a well documented effect which is at work in those able to perceive common optical illusions. Seeing auras or outlines around people and objects can simply be due to eye fatigue and other perceptual processes.
Les Générations

Les Générations sont au nombre de **sept** et permettent de classifier les personnages selon leur année de naissance. Elles ont pour principal repère la génération *Originals*, qui correspond à la génération des personnages qui ont été créé au début de la rencontre de la TFF.

## Liste des générations

* **SILENT GENERATION :** environ 1925-1950
* **GREAT-GEN :** enfants des Silent Generation - environ 1950-1975
* **REBORN :** enfants des Great-Gen - environ 1975-1990
* **ORIGINALS :** enfants des Reborn - environ 1990-2020
* **NEXT-GEN :** enfants des Originals - environ 2020-2050
* **NEW ORIGINS :** enfants des Next-Gen - environ 2050-2075
* **GENESIS :** enfants des New Origins - environ 2075-2100

## Déterminer une génération

On peut ***déterminer la génération*** d'un OC de deux façons :

***I.** L'AFFILIATION*

Exemple : Un enfant d'Originals est un Next-Gen.

***II.** LA DATE*

Exemple : Un OC né en 2055 est un New Origins.

Généralement, ces deux méthodes permettent de trouver la même génération. Mais parfois, il y a des erreurs, quand des OC ont des enfants très jeunes ou très vieux.
Gay men

**Gay men** are men with an enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to other men. This article is separated from that of the umbrella term gay to focus specifically on this combined sexual orientation and gender due to the extensively documented culture and history of gay men.

## Etymology

By the 1960s, gay men had taken to the term "gay" to refer to their own sexual identity, and by today's standards, it is the acceptable way to refer to homosexual men.

The term "uranian" was once used to describe gay men. It was coined by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs, who used the term in this context in his collection, *Forschungen über das Räthsel der mannmännlichen Liebe*. However, uranian became associated with paederastic poetry between the 1870s and 1930s, with "paederastic" meaning "relationships between adult men and pubescent or adolescent boys". Uranian is now considered a problematic term for gay man.

Vincian is one of the more modern proposed terms. It was derived from Leonardo da Vinci by the Tumblr user bivirgil in June 2018, who wanted to create a term and a flag for gay men that would be distinct from the umbrella term Achillean. It has been called a male equivalent to lesbian since at least June 27th, 2021.
Graysexual

**Gray-asexual**, also known as **graysexual** or **gray-A**, is an asexual identity characterized as being "in between" asexual and allosexual; that is, being asexual while also able to experience, or have experienced previously, sexual attraction. People who identify as gray-asexual may experience sexual attraction that is uncommon for the individual, may only be directed toward specific people, occurs infrequently, at low intensity, or in an ambiguous way. The term is often included in the asexual spectrum.

## Etymology

Preceded by earlier discussion of "semisexuality," the term "gray-a" was first used in a 2006 Asexual Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) thread of the same name by AVEN user KSpaz, who dedicated a thread to the "fuzziness" in between asexual and allosexual. The term "gray area" is often used to refer to an ill-defined situation wherein the rules are not clear or unknown.

## Community

The term gray-asexual has become one of the most common ace identity terms after asexuality itself. In the 2019 Ace Community Census, gray-asexuals made up about 10% of ace respondents.

### Flag

Gray-asexuals are represented by the gray stripe in the asexual community flag, which was created collaboratively within the community in 2010. A flag specifically for gray-asexuality was created by Milith Rusignuolo and uploaded to Wikimedia Commons on June 21, 2013. For this flag, purple represents asexuality, white represents allosexuality, and gray represents the transition between asexuality and allosexuality, which in turn is meant to represent the infrequent or low feelings of sexuality that grayasexual people may feel.

### Distinction

#### Asexual

Although gray-asexuality is on the asexual spectrum, it is different from asexuality itself. Asexual people do not experience sexual attraction, whereas gray-asexual people may feel sexual attraction in particular situations.

### Perceptions and discrimination

According to the 2019 Ace Community Survey Report, 10.9% of all 10,648 self-selected participants identified as gray-asexual. This was the most popular response behind asexual (67.9%). Gray-asexual people were just as likely to be questioning as asexual-identified people, and less likely to be questioning than demisexual-identified people.
Pomosexual

**Pomosexuality** is defined as refusing, avoiding, or not fitting any sexual orientation label in terms of conventional labels or classifications, such as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, or labels on the Asexual or Aromantic spectrums. It challenges categorizations in favor of largely unmapped possibility and the intense charge that comes with transgression. Some Pomosexual people may be Queer or Questioning, and others may not be.

The romantic equivalent of a Pomosexual is Pomoromantic.

## Community

Pomosexuality challenges assumptions held within and about the LGBT+ community, as well as assumptions about what it means to be queer. It is intended to react against these assumptions in the same way that in the art world postmodernism was a reaction against modernism.

### History

Pomosexuality was coined in 1997 by writers, Carol Queen and Lawrence Schimel in their book *PoMoSexuals: Challenging Assumptions About Gender and Sexuality*. This book draws on similarities to the postmodernism art movement in its exploration of the emergence of Pomosexuality. It suggests that the beauty of postmodernism – and of Pomosexuality – can't be appreciated without looking at its roots in modernism.

### Flag

The Pomosexual flag was created in July 2016 by Tumblr user pride-color-schemes. Shades of pretty pink and white are what define the Pomosexual pride flag.
Animal-hearted

**Animal-hearted:** when a person identifies as human but has a strong "*connection with*" or feels a "relation with" an animal. The term was coined on *The Daemon Forum*. It's definition was clarified by a member named Teddy on October 26, 2009.

"I identify ***WITH*** wolves." does not have the same meaning as "I identify ***AS*** a wolf." Being a Therian is more than "really liking" an animal. Liking a creature a lot does not equal an identity as that creature. Some people may use the term **Kith**. The equivalent term in the Otherkin community is **Other-hearted.**

To use the term correctly, a person who feels close to deer would say, "I am deer-hearted."

There is a thread on AHWW from January 15, 1997 in which someone who claimed to "ABSOULUTLY ADORE WEREWOLVES AND WOLVES" asked if they were "wolfhearted".  The term animal-heart was discussed more thoroughly and came into common use between 2009 and 2010.
Otherkin

**Otherkin** (**otherkind**) are those who identify as not entirely human on a non-physical level.

The difference between otherkin and therianthropy is kintypes (theriotype), which can be generally described as mythological, e.g.: dragons, fae (magical creatures), angels, demons, satyrs, and others.

As with therians, the identity someone identifies as is considered to be involuntary.
Choicekin

**Choicekin** is a term used for someone who 'chose' to be otherkin. This term is often misunderstood, as many otherkin individuals argue that you cannot choose a kintype; however, there are many metaphysical explanations as to why this may happen.

’A voluntary type of identity where someone chooses to become something (animal, mythical, or fictional). It was an active choice to begin with, but after it’s become cemented in your identity you don’t have to maintain it. It’s become a kintype, and can’t really be “dropped”. It also can’t be changed, and at some point you could get kin memories from this kintype.’ - plurgai on Tumblr, unknown date.

For one, someone who is choicekin may say that, through spiritual connection, they latched onto a species or being until their spirit merged with said being. An example of this would be someone who spiritually connected with parrots until they felt that their own spirit had shifted and/or merged with a parrots spirit.

Here are other ways one may explain their choicekin identities:

* One may say they had past lives, and chose to merge with the spirits of the past, and wouldn't have had otherkin experiences unless they made this choice.
* One may choose to find a creature or object to be imprinted on, thus choosing their otherkin identity.
* One may choose to bond their soul/spirit to another soul/spirit or to a presence, thus altering their humanity, and choosing their otherkin identity.

Once one has chosen to be otherkin, it is hard to take it back or change their minds. This choice is typically permanent, and usually cannot be removed or dropped; however, there are exceptions.

When one can drop their kintype, it usually is a hard and draining process. For example, if one chooses to bond their soul/spirit to something, they may be able to break that bond; however, it would likely take a lot of effort, energy, and time. Because of this, it is uncommon to remove one's kintype.

It is important to note that most choicekin individuals cannot drop their kintype, even with effort, and that the act of dropping a kintype is not common amongst the choicekin community.

If one's choicekin identity and gender overlap, they may call themself choicekingender.
Fraysexual

**Fraysexual** or **ignotasexual** describe individuals who experience sexual attraction to those whom they do not know very well. For some fraysexual people, they may initially be attracted to another person; however, they find that their sexual attraction fades over time, particularly as an emotional connection is formed. Some fraysexual people have described their sexuality as an "imbalance of morals" that prevents them from being able to engage in sexual acts with any other person close to them. Fraysexuality has been considered by some to be the "opposite" of demisexuality.
Otherlink

**Otherlink** is similar to **Copinglink** in that it refers to a person who has voluntarily chosen a nonhuman identity, but for reasons other than coping.  Otherlinks are also known as **'linkers**. Their chosen nonhuman identity is called their **linktype,** or **'type** for short**.**

Linktypes have one or more purposes, which is why an Otherlink may change linktypes over time if the purpose(s) the linktype fulfilled has been accomplished or the need for it faded.

"It can be deeply integral to a person, or something fleeting that comes and goes. While hypothetically a 'link can be "dropped," it's more often that someone changes and evolves their link to better suit them than drop the identity entirely, which can be difficult depending on how integral the identity is to a person. "

- Nonhumanity and Nonsense, by Wix; an administrator of Alt+H

The term was coined by several people in the Alt+H Discord server in January 2018.

> "'Otherlink' is a word that was coined in discussions of voluntary identities that weren’t constructed or chosen strictly for coping reasons, or for those who felt like the ‘coping’ part of the name undermined the identity or “broke the immersion” of some of it, so to speak.
>
>

> So it’s a more generalized form of “copinglink,” in short. One that includes copinglinks but doesn’t necessitate that an identity be a coping-based one." - Victim of Changes, 26 January 2018
>
>

There exist many otherlink labels such as ;

Copinglink/C'linker : A person who has chosen a nonhuman identity as a coping mechanism.

Funlink/F'linker : A person who has chosen a nonhuman identity for fun.

Supportlink/S'linker : A person who has chosen a nonhuman identity to feel a necessary emotional support which allows them to enter a specific mindset. For example, a supportlink may identify as a fictional character known for being brave, in order to feel more brave and act accordingly.

Aeslink : A person who has chosen a nonhuman identity in a purely aesthetical manner. Aeslinks adopt an aesthetic which ties to their linktype. For example, if they link with Angels they may invest in Angelcore fashion. In case their linktype is a fictional character, they may dye their hair the same color(s) and/or wear clothing that matches that character's overall aesthetic. It can also be a non-physical expression of their linktype's aesthetic such as managing a blog suiting their linktype's aesthetic.
(Therian) Astral Shift

**Astral Shift (ALS)** occurs when the astral body separates from the physical body, travels to the astral plane (spirit world) and shifts to the form of a nonhuman animal.   There is no physical change of the shifter.

This is considered an out-of-body experience (OBE). This is a spiritual related shift that requires the belief in the existence of souls or a form of consciousness called an astral body. This is related to astral projection, and the idea of astral travel is ancient and occurs in multiple cultures.

Some consider the astral plane to be a higher plane of consciousness, and it can take practice to learn how to achieve this shift unless one is naturally inclined. Astral Shifting can occur during sleep, with the aid of spiritual trance, meditation, or induced through hypnotic means such as self-hypnosis.

Astral Shifting was being discussed on AHWW in 1994/1995 or sooner.  However, it's a less common shift that is not mentioned as often as shifts like mental and phantom.

Not all astral shifts will be related to Therianthropy. Some people may practice this ability for other purposes such as Shamanic work and spiritual healing.

It is important to note that there is no proof of auras, astral travel, or out of body experiences. We do need to be aware that there are alternative explanations to astral, aura, spiritual, and bilocation shifting. They may not necessarily be spiritual in nature, but could be explained by ordinary events. Astral shifts could be the result of our brains trying to process the surroundings and the effects of sensory fatigue, a well documented effect which is at work in those able to perceive common optical illusions. Seeing auras or outlines around people and objects can simply be due to eye fatigue and other perceptual processes.
Contherianthropy

**Contherianthropy (contherianthrope or contherian)** is one of the sub-categories of Therianthropy. These Therians do not experience mental shifts, but are always in a state of both theriotype and human at the same time (passive).

> "I bring forth then contherianthropy, adding 'con', from Latin 'contas', meaning unchanging. The unchanging is that of the single mixed agent and it's continuous perception. This then gives the single mixed agents a category, instead of a twisted definition of the parent." Joshua Lion Templin, 1997.
>
>

> "In the case of the contherianthropes, the agent (soul or brain) is singular, with sections or routines that mix the values of human and animal. This then allows the contherianthrope a singular perception of the world .. with no shifting. But this is vastly more complex to define than a therianthrope's. Like the separation of the therianthropes, contherianthropy is a realization of a finer melding of two dissimilar value systems, again, human and animal." Joshua Lion Templin, 1997.
>
>
Copinglink

**Copinglink**, or **C'Linker,** is a person who knowingly creates a non-human persona as a coping mechanism. This term was coined by **Who-Is-Page** around September 2015 on Tumblr.

> I came up with the term around 6 months ago. It was/is meant to replace “copingkin” (as in, people who knowingly created coping mechanisms identifying with/as something, so I suppose there’s your definition) as “copingkin” implies some form of otherkin, which…it isn’t. The coping part is meant to signify the coping mechanism, obviously, and the “link” part is just meant to show an association and connection between the person and whatever their created mechanism ties them to.
>
>

A person who was a **Copinglink** could also be a Therian or Otherkin at the same time as long as the theriotype or kintype was an unconscious identity that was not chosen. A person could also be Other-hearted while being a **Copinglink**.

## Official Definition

**Copinglink, n.** (Tumblr comm.; Coined by Who-is-Page/Stormygio) [E. *coping*referencing to the early use of “copingkin” + E. *link* create or imply a connection between. Pl. Copinglinks.]

1. A non-human identity (or in some cases, relation) which is consciously created. The creator is able to change and pick who/what they identify as/with as need dictates. This identity can be created by anyone, and thus, is not dictated by one’s mental health.
2. A consciously created coping mechanism which centers around knowingly, willingly, and actively identifying as (or in some cases, with) the user’s choice of a non-human entity.
3. (2017) A (fictitious) human identity which is taken on as consciously created coping mechanism.

Syn. Coping-link, C-link Also see: C’linker, Linktype (?)
Metaverse Wiki

# **Welcome to the Cringe Wiki!**

If you've ever been called cringe then this is the wiki for you! This wiki has all the thing Society has deemed 'Cringe'. This wiki has stuff from the early 2000s, Scene Stuff, Furries, Therians, Emojicons, and more!

We *mostly* accept everyone here! If you have typ!n6 qu!4ks (Typing Quirks)? That's fine!You're a Furry or Therian? That's Fine! Infact the creator of this Wiki is a Therian! So You're welcome! Autistic? That's Fine! Pages with bright or Triggering pictures with have a warning! You're Welcome! Scene? That's fine! That aesthetic is so cool! Use Emoticons? You like gacha or your a gacha creator? Gacha is cool! You're Welcome! Part of Lgbtqia+? Thats okay! The Owner is wiki is Agender, Pansexual, And Aromantic! You use xenopronouns/neopronouns or xenogenders? That's Fine! You are welcome here and valid! You're young? That's completely fine! You're welcome on this wiki!

## People we don't allow

**People we don't allow**

* Anti-Xenos
* Racist
* Abelists
* Sexists
* Mysogenists
* Homophobes
* Transphobes
* Pedos
* Zoophiles

## Pages on Therians

* Therianthropy
* (Therian) Vocals
* (Therian) How to 'Hunt'
* Theriotype
* Cladotherianthropy
* Contherianthropy
* Suntherianthropy
* Vacillant Therianthropy
* (Therian) Cameo Shift
* (Therian) Perception Shift
* (Therian) Envisage / Self-image Shift
* (Therian) Mental Shift
* (Therian) Involuntary Shift
* (Therian) Emotional Shift
* (Therian) Voluntary Shift
* (Therian) Shadow Shift
* (Therian) Aura Shift
* (Therian) Astral Shift
* (Therian) Phantom Shift
* Theriomythic

## Pages on Kins, Links, Fix, & Hearted

* Otherkin
* Kintype
* Other-hearted
* Animal-hearted
* Copinglink
* Otherlink
* Funlink
* Supportlink
* Aeslink
* Fictionkin
* Adaptkin
* Conceptkin
* Polykin
* Mythkin
* Autokin
* Choicekin
* Shapekin
* Otherfix

## Pages on Sexualities

* Asexual
* Demisexual
* Lesbian
* Gay men
* Bisexual
* Polysexual
* Pansexual
* Omnisexual
* Abrosexual
* Allosexual
* Androsexual
* Sapphic
* Achillean
* Diamoric
* Ceterosexual
* Gynesexual
* Fraysexual
* Lithosexual
* Graysexual
* Multisexual
* Monosexual
* Polyamorous
* Pomosexual
* Toric
* Trixic
* Quadrisian
* Orbisian
* Cupiosexual
* Autosexual
* Apothisexual
* Aegosexual
Suntherianthropy

**Suntherianthropy (Suntherianthrope or Suntherian)** pronounced "soontherianthropy" was a term invented by WordWolf on April 18th, 2005. It was not a community coined term. Instead WordWolf created the term to describe his own personal experiences. The terms Suntherianthropy and Suntherian are interchangeable.

WordWolf defined a suntherian as

> "a therian whose therioside (primary or sole therioside) is integrated into his[their] baseline personality. However, that integration does not prevent him/her[them] from having minor fluctuations of mood that feel slightly more animal, or slightly less animal. He/she[They] can feel them both at the same time, human and animal. He/she[They] can not mental shift into his/her[their] base theriotype (whether primary or sole)."
>
>

This is different from the accepted meaning of Contherian in that a contherian is always in a state between shifted and non-shifted. And many members of the community prefer to use the community coined term Vacillant Therianthropy instead. (Note that Vacillant Therians do have mental shifts.)
(Therian) Spiritual Shift

**Spiritual Shift (S):** occurs when the spirit takes on the form or shape of the therioside while the physical body remains unchanged. The experience has been described as: *"A spirit shift is also the merging of the two (or more) "sides" of a therian's own spiritual makeup. For example, if a therian is a human and a wolf, the merging into an "anthro-wolf" form would be a spirit shift."* This is also described as being similar to astral or aura shifting, but some people may feel this shift occur naturally within or around themselves in the physical plane without needing to visit the astral plane.

Spiritual shifts can be experienced along with other types of shifts such as mental and phantom. They seem to be an uncommon type of shift. This could be due to the belief that the soul or spirit is always in the shape or form of the animal. Discussions about this type of shift clearly appear in Alt.horror.werewolves in 1996 or earlier.

A similar experience can occur due to having a bond with a spirit guide. Guides can also make us feel shifty or lend animalistic traits to the person they are communicating with, so always take that into consideration as well.
(Therian) Involuntary Shift

An Involuntary Shifts occur when the person is shocked or something triggers them into a Shift. This normally happens when the person gets hurt, in the canine case they may run around whimpering in pain or howling. A person with a feline theriotype may leap like a cat and hisses when something startles him/her, it is quite silly to watch but interesting at the same time; that is an example of an involuntary shift. Children normally begin to feel involuntary shifts when they are first discovering there therio-type, as they get older they normally have more control over their shifts.

## Causes

It may occur when they are angered, shocked, or another emotion triggers them into a Shift.  For example, if one is enraged by someone else, their theriotype may show and convert their mind into an animal-like state, making them growl, hiss, etc, and react as their theriotype would.

## Association with youth

Children may feel shifts, as they involuntarily have theriotype habits show.  They may not realize it, of course.  This may be the cause of them having extreme animal-like qualities, instead of simple "playing" qualities that most children have just because they're kids.  Once they get older, those qualities may either decrease, or stay as an unnoticed habit.

## When it could happen

It can occur at any time and place, if emotions are raised high enough.  Trying to learn to control the involuntary Shifts may be helpful to prevent them from occuring out of your own control.
Allosexual

**Allosexual**, sometimes called **zedsexual**, is an umbrella term for people who are not asexual. Allosexual people regularly experience sexual attraction to others, whether or not they engage in sexual activity. It is possible to be allosexual but not alloromantic and vice versa. This term is not gender-specific and is typically used as a descriptor rather than a label that people identify as.

The term "allosexual" is used in LGBTQIA+ discourse to make clear that not being asexual does not make someone "normal" or the default state; sexuality is not a matter of being either asexual or "normal". However, the specific word has been criticized on semantic grounds and for possibly being rooted in clinical sexology, which has a history of erasing and oppressing asexual and aromantic people. "Zedsexual" has been used to emphasize sexuality as a spectrum from A to Z(ed).
Apothisexual

**Apothisexual**, which stems from the Greek root "apothisan" meaning 'repulsed', refers to someone who identifies as asexual and finds sex and/or sexual activity to be disgusting or uncomfortable. Individuals who use this term are affected by sex in the media to varying degrees, and may try to avoid its presence altogether. This term should not be confused with 'sex-negative', which means finding sex immoral.
Tal'sin Woods

## Description

Nestled in the northern reaches of "The Calm Lands", the Tal'sin Woods form a sprawling expanse of ancient and enchanting wilderness. To the west of this verdant realm, the Crossing Titans rise like ancient sentinels, their colossal peaks piercing the sky in awe-inspiring grandeur. The woods seem to follow the Titans closely, their foliage transitioning seamlessly into the foothills of these imposing mountains.

Within the depths of the Tal'sin Woods, nature's wonders unfold in a tapestry of beauty and mystery. Towering trees, their trunks adorned with moss and vines, stretch skyward in a race to touch the heavens. The intertwining branches create a verdant canopy that filters the sunlight into shifting patterns of dappled radiance, casting an enchanting glow upon the forest floor. Crystal-clear streams weave through the undergrowth, their gentle murmurs harmonizing with the melodies of songbirds and the soft rustling of leaves.

Amidst this serene backdrop, the road connecting Krenna and Jed'da winds its way through the heart of the woods, its well-trodden path revealing signs of travelers who have journeyed through the realm. Elven waystones, engraved with ancient symbols, mark the trail and guide wanderers along the route, ensuring they stay the course and remain protected by the spirits of the forest.

While the Tal'sin Woods exude an aura of tranquil beauty, they also conceal secrets as old as time itself. Hidden glades hold ancient altars where druids commune with the spirits of the land, and elusive fey folk dance in moonlit clearings. Deep within the heart of the woods lies the Whispering Pool, a mystical nexus said to grant visions of the past, present, and future to those deemed worthy by the spirits.

Journeying through the Tal'sin Woods is a venture into a realm where time seems to stand still, where the boundaries between the mundane and the magical blur, and where the true depths of its secrets remain shrouded in the embrace of nature's embrace.
Quadrisian

Proposed by the Tumblr user demisexual-yuri sometime in July 2017, with the definition given as: "any non-binary person who likes men, whether it's exclusively men or men and other genders. Quad meaning 'square' representing men. ONLY NON-BINARY PEOPLE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO USE THIS WORD. It's about celebrating non-binary people's love of men, which is an inherently queer (as in, non-straight) attraction due to being outside of the binary, and therefore NB exclusive." It was compared to the non-diamoric terms achillean or men loving men (MLM).
(Therian) Aura Shift

**Aura Shift (AS**) occurs when the shape or form of an auric field or life energy field changes to that of the theriotype. This is a spiritual related shift in that it requires the belief in auras which are considered paranormal.

A Therian may also experience a partial or full mental shift along with an aura shift.

Discussions on AHWW were clearly including this type of shift as early as 1996. However, this is a less common shift that we don't see mentioned very often in the community today.

It is important to note that there is no proof of auras, astral travel, or out of body experiences. We do need to be aware that there are alternative explanations to astral, aura, spiritual, and bilocation shifting. They may not necessarily be spiritual in nature, but could be explained by ordinary events. Astral shifts could be the result of our brains trying to process the surroundings and the effects of sensory fatigue, a well documented effect which is at work in those able to perceive common optical illusions. Seeing auras or outlines around people and objects can simply be due to eye fatigue and other perceptual processes.
(Therian) Shadow Shift

**Shadow Shift (SW):** occurs when the Therianthrope sees the animal form around his/herself as a transparent apparition or when the appearance seems to change. This is an illusionary change that mostly happens in low, dim lighting. This shift is not necessarily a supernatural phenomenon, and it could be explained rationally, such as due to eye fatigue. The person's attitude, posturing, making animal sounds, can give off the image of a physical change, but this is not a physical shift.

Shadow shifts were first discussed on AHWW in 1999. This is a rare shift that is not mentioned in the community very often.
Cladotherianthropy

**Cladotherianthropy (cladotherianthrope or cladotherian)** is a subcategory of Modern Therianthropy in which a Therian does not identify as a distinct species, but instead feels a broader identity encompassing an entire genus or family, such as Canis or Canidea, or a larger grouping. Cladotherianthropy was coined in 2003 by Mokele, a reptile cladotherian, on the therian forum called Awereness Forums."

> "I’m a reptilian cladotherian, a type of therianthropy which has only recently been described and named (see the essay section for more details).  It’s complicated, but the shortest explanation I can give is that while, like some other therians, my soul has two parts, human and non-human, in my case the non-human part is not species-specific, but rather the collective essence of the entire reptilian lineage.  So, while the part of my soul that is not human is a single animal-side, it has elements of everything Reptilia is, was, and potentially can be.  And if this sounds complicated from the reader’s perspective, imagine trying to figure it all out inside your head."
>
>

Cladotherian comes from the Greek words *klados* meaning “branch” and *therion* meaning “animal.” The *klados* prefix was originally chosen by Mokele because in scientific terms, a clade is a group of organisms believed to have evolved from a common ancestor, and all its lineal descendants, according to the principles of cladistics.
(Therian) Emotional Shift

**Emotional Shifting** occurs when a Therian shifts during a certain emotional state such as stress or anger. Usually occurs in conjunction with another type of shift. There is little information about this type of shift. It is not much different from a mental shift which can occur during any emotional state.

Shifting triggered by various emotions has been discussed since the beginning of the online community, on AHWW in the early 1990's.
Aegosexual

**Aegosexual**, also known less commonly as **anegosexual** and formerly referred to as **autochorissexual** ("autochoris" means "identity-less"), is a microlabel on the asexual spectrum that describes those who experience a disconnect between themselves and the subject of arousal. The contemporary term is made up of the prefix "a/an-" meaning 'not', "ego" for 'self', and 'sexual'. Hence, "aegosexual" or "anegosexual" literally means "sexual without self". Aegosexuals may have sexual fantasies, view sexual content, or masturbate, but typically feel little to no sexual attraction or desire to engage in sexual intercourse. Many aegosexuals fantasize about sex from a third-person perspective.
(Therian) Phantom Shift

A **phantom shift (ph-shift)** occurs when a Therian experiences **supernumerary phantom limbs** or a full phantom body of the theriotype, or it could be a cameo shift.

This is a phenomenon that refers to the sensation of having non-human body parts attached to the human body. Phantom shifts are most commonly reported as being wings, tails, muzzles, scales, claws, and fur.  While the vast majority of therians experience phantom limbs, a minority do not.

*See also:* Therianthropic Shifts
Some therians have noted that they have felt pain, itching or discomfort during phantom shifts. A number of therians state that they do not have phantom shifts, per se, but instead always feel their phantom limbs.

> "The specific ways in which these can be experienced varies vastly, but included amongst them are a diversity of levels of ‘realism’, some being very minor to some even being so intense that the phantom part feels almost entirely “real” regardless of the fact it is not physical. Some phantom parts are constant, but the ones referred to in this definition are those that are temporary and ‘shift’ in and out of occurrence. Other effects associated with some phantom parts include pain or discomfort in/on or associated with the phantom part, movement (voluntary or involuntary) of the phantom body part, and reactions to outside ‘real’ stimuli such as objects, sounds, movement of other things, and so forth." - *Project Shift*
>
>
Shapekin

Shapekin can refer to two things. The primary meaning is for conceptkin whose kintype is shapes, geometry, or a specific geometric shape. The secondary meaning is for otherkin and fictionkin whose kintype is a shape-headed or geometric species/character, especially one that is literally referred to as a shape. Shapekin of either kind can be any shape, and may feel a connection to their shape, or shapes in general.
Toric

Posted by the Tumblr user bigendering on July 20, 2017, with the definition given as: "used to describe a nonbinary person who is attracted to, interested in, or in a relationship with men/boys, exclusively or not. Toric can also be used to describe relationships between nonbinary people and men/boys." It was developed on a Discord server to be a multisexual-spectrum inclusive term for non-binary people.
Other-hearted

**Other-Hearted**, also synonymous with **Animal-Hearted**, is when an individual strongly identifies ***with*** a species of creature. It's more than a fascination or like of the creature, like in the furry fandom, but not quite to the point of being something you identify ***as***, like with a therian or otherkin. The creature you feel a connection with will replace the animal part of the phrase. For example, you identify strongly with dragons, you would be dragon-hearted.

There is a thread on AHWW from January 15, 1997 in which someone who claimed to "ABSOULUTLY ADORE WEREWOLVES AND WOLVES" asked if they were "wolfhearted".  The exact terms other-hearted and animal-hearted seem to have come into more common use around 2014 or 2015. Some people may use the term **Kith**.

## Other-hearted Symbol

Aestherians began developing the symbol in July 2017.  She had open discussion on Tumblr and the Therian Guide.   On August 6, 2017, Aestherians opened a poll for other-hearted to vote on the symbol.  On August 12, 2017, she announced the winning symbol.

> "The diamond symbolizes the ‘other’ in our hearts and the circle was mainly added for aesthetic, since it looked pretty barren without." - Aestherians Oct 17, 2017
>
>