Description: A look into the history of the mingling between the otherkin communities an plural community.
Date First Written: February 2014; Date Last Updated: June 2015
Date First Written: February 2014; Date Last Updated: June 2015
A History Of Multiples & Otherkin Together
Over the past few years, our multiple system has seen an increase in people mistakenly thinking that the topic of multiplicity and the topic of otherkin has only recently come to overlap. With the meaning of “recently” tending to refer to a time after 2007 or sometimes even later then that. (Or, at the very least, for the purposes of this essay we’ve decided that post-2007 seems to be a fairly common, inferred or otherwise, timeframe that people tend to be lean on in relation to this topic.) This essay will present what we have found from looking back into what remains in web achieves and long-lasting websites where these two phenomena (either by term or description) have been brought up together either in the online plural community or in the otherkin communities. However, sadly, not everything is ever achieved, specially such things as forums, plus we aren’t aware of an untold number of places that may or may not have helped in shedding light on this topic. Because of this, what is noted here may be only a sample of what has been. Also, just to note, in academic literature and resources on dissociative identity disorder there a fair bit of reference to nonhuman alters dating back many decades. These references are not included here due to this being more about communities interacting at times, but such references are out there nonetheless.
In September 1996, the WereCode was complied after some discussion on what it should contain. The WereCode, consisted of a string of characters and numbers which meant certain levels of involvement in certain internets or other things related to their group. A number of communities on the internet in the 90s used these codes as a short way of giving a lot of specific information without taking up a lot of space. The WereCode included categories like P for phenotype where one could note their species identity, T for transformation to note what kinds of shift the person experienced, H for Howls for how often they had attended one, R for religions to described what religion one was, and so on. Under the Transformation category, there was one kind of shifting marked as “ss” for the WereCode which was for “Spiritual shifting” which was defined as “A ‘totemistic’ shift: that is, an external spirit is channeled into your body.” [1] The process of allowing another spirit to control (or, front as the plural community would say) or partially control (or, co-front as the plural community would say) of the body is very familiar to multiples as is the regular experience of such. Information for the WereCode (which included the kind of shift called “spiritual shifting”) was added to The Resource FAQ for AHWw by KatmanDu in the February 1997 version.[2] This version would be archived on various sites such as the WereWeb during the early 2000s.[3]
On February 20th 1998, on Alt.horror.werewolves a thread was posted of someone attempting to define several different kinds of shifting and certain terms. Among the list of shifts included one shift called the “spirit shift.” The shift was stated as having “a variety of connotations or dictations... I use it such as this, a SS occurs when a spirit guide (SG) is involved. In this case, the SG is a separate entity from the individual involved. Now this could either mean that #1, the SG assumes control over the body (which could be considered a "Walk-In"). #2, Your SG leaves, and may be replaced by another (of the same or separate species).” [4] The topic of walk-ins, either by term and/or description, is rather well known in the plural community and the description of exchanging control over the body to another spirit for a time is referred to as a switch.
On February 22nd 1998 on Alt.horror.werewolves another thread was posted talking about in some detail over the topic of walk-ins and walk-outs. Walk-in being defined as when a spirit has/lives in a physical body yet is not the "original owner" and a walk-out being defined as when a spirit that once was the owner of a physical body left the body. The post though primarily focused on the topic of walk-ins only with no walk-outs. Disusing the topic of more than one spirit living within the same body. At one point the post noted the difference between “negative” walk-ins and “positive” walk-ins. Stating, “Positive WI's come into the body and can mutually share it with the original.” Then adding, “Ok, now for those that share the body with the original, one example of which is a "spirit guide." The mutual WI doesn't wish to harm the owner, but rather live with it, learning new things from the original, and also help the original live as fruitful a life as possible.” It was also stated, “Most of the time, the new "tenant's" living quarters are "furnished." That is to say, the memories, etc. of the original now belong to the WI.” [5] The idea of walk-ins (but no walk-outs) as well as both the “original owner” and walk-in working together in the body is pretty well known in the plural community. Also, the act of sharing memories as one’s own sounds is also fairly common among multiples.
These two posts were both made by the same person who helped maintain both Were.net and Shifters.org who claimed the terms and definitions had been created through discussions on both Pshift IRC channel, a channel originally created to talk about the idea of physical shifting, and later on the Pshift Mailing List as well.[6] Some of information from these two posts, here in this essay specifically paying attention to only use of spirit shifting and walk-ins, would later go on to be used and added to some in various places online over the years. These places include it being added to Were.net on December 24th 1999, Shifters.org as late as January 12th 2001, The Therianthropy Resource some time during the mid 2000s, Therianthropes.com in the mid 2000s, and perhaps others. [7][8]
On May 3rd 1999, the Yahoo Group and mailing list called, Otherkind-Hosts: Nonhumans In The System was created and quickly became active in discussion. The group description included, “Discussions between and about people who have more than one mind per body, of which one or more is not entirely human. Whilst the list is open to multiples of all varieties, be aware that most of the list members are also Otherkin. This list is also for exploring the differences in different types of multiplicity, and is also appropriate for people who are "one person" who just want to understand people who have more than one mind/spirit/soul/whatever in them.” This Yahoo Group was very active between 1999 to 2005 and had over a hundred and fifty members.[9]
September 1999 is the earliest known date the website KinHost was certainly online based on internet achieved. (The oldest date on the website’s update page is September 24th 1999.) The long lasting website, KinHost, is website created by the multiple system called the Crisses. The website over the years has included a number of resources and links related to the otherkin community and on the topic of multiplicity. Not notably in the realm of multiple systems with otherkin members.[10]
On December 24th 1999 a page on the website Were.net called “WereBreed aka Types of Weres” was updated. The page was meant to try to note the different ways some people experienced things that they defined as personally being part of their experiences as a were. Trying to note some of the experiences or claimed experiences some weres reported. One such kind of were described on the page included those described as “those with ‘weresides’ that are ‘separate’ from the human persona. They generally experience M-shifts regularly, sometimes not recalling what goes on during the m-shift. These weres recognize their animal-side, know it exists, but would remain mentally separate (similar to MPD).” MPD, of course, being multiple personality disorder as it as finally called and now called dissociative identity disorder. Not recalling certain periods of time being one of the criteria for MPD/DID back then and still to this day within the DSM. Its unknown if the version before the update still included this information.[11]
On January 1st 2000, the Crisses created the FAQ called “Otherkin & Awakening FAQ v 3.0 Beta (1/1/2K).” The FAQ included information on other kin that was relevant at the time and included information on “otherkin hosts.” # [12] This same FAQ was also hosted on Astraea’s Web.[13]
On Jul 26th 2000 on Topica a mailing list was created as part of the website Dark Personalities. The description of the mailing list included, “This is a mailing list for the dark personalities in multiples (Multiple Personality Disorder or MPD, though most of us avoid such labels). […] This list is for you if you have a cast of unusual characters in your system, such as vampires, demons, fae, elves, animals, witches - you name it - since people in multiple systems aren't necessarily human.” The use of the term “otherkin” was not used though the term was known by the creator of mailing list and website given the terms use in the terminology section on the website.[14]
On February 8th 2001, The Crisses released their 4th version of their Otherkin FAQ on their website KinHost. The FAQ included information on some views on otherkin of the time and included information on “otherkin multiples” (a term meaning a multiple system with a notable number of otherkin members). [15]
On the same day, The Crisses released a new FAQ called “Otherkin Multiple FAQ Beta 2/8/01.” The FAQ included information on multiples and on multiples with otherkin members.[16]
Sometime before March 7th 2001, as that is the earliest date the Wayback Machine has for the link, a guest essay was posted on Dark Personalities called “Trans-Speciesed” created by Tser of the Consortium. The essay began with talking about how people in many multiples systems might not be the same gender as their physical body and thus are transgender, but then went on to go into how some members of multiple systems can also be a species other than their physical body. The essay was of a member of a multiple who was a dragon who discovered the early draconic community through alt.fan.dragons and then from there the general concept of otherkin. At one point the author stated, “Heck... almost everything Otherkin go through is so akin to many Multiples' experience. I can't even list all the parallels.” The author went on to reference their continued involvement in the draconic community such as on Draconic.com as well as being the creator of a fairly large and active mailing list for draconics.[17]
On the website Dark Personalities, the website on multiplicity created sometime in 1998, under Terminology the word otherkin was included. The Wayback Machine’s earliest record is marked for May 19th 2001. Then the website defined otherkin as “People in a multiple system who are not human. Often they are walk-ins, claiming to be older than the body in which they reside, and having physical traits very different from the body itself. Multiples are often hosts to otherkin.”[18] Given the website had some focused on members who were nonhuman, yet they defined otherkin only in spiritual terms, suggested this website and its mailing list may have made a distinction between nonhuman members in a multiple system who were nonhuman and whose existence was spiritual and nonhuman members whose existence was psychological.
On December 19 2001 a person called Andrew posted a werecard on alt.horror.werewolves. In the were card they state they have Multiple Personality Disorder and that the alters present are animals, though filling the werecard with information related to the alters in place of his phenotypes, etc. The alters mentioned induced a falcon, a wolf, a panther, and a dragon.[19]
On Livejournal there is a community called Otherkin which was created on March 4th 2001. Two of the Livejounral community’s tags relate to multiples, one being “soulbonding/headmates” with one use and the other being “multiples” with seven uses. The earliest use of the “soulbonding/headmates” tag being January 20th 2005 and the earlier users of the “multiples” tag being May 19th 2003, May 25th 2003, and June 4th 2003. With one of the posts using the “multiples” tag sparking a discussion on links to websites on multiplicity which included darkpersonalites.com (a rather important and actives multiples website during the early to mid 2000s) and kinhost.org.[20]
In the glossary section Astraea’s Web, a resource on and for multiples which dates back to the late 90s, included the term “otherkin” in the oldest achieve of the website from the Wayback Machine. The oldest achieve being from January 11th 2003 and described otherkin as “People in a multiple system who are not human. Often they are walk-ins. May have physical traits very different from the body itself, and may resemble mythological beings. Many multiples have a few otherkin in their system.” The term was expanded upon sometime before April 7th 2004 as that achieve stated otherkin as being “People who feel they do not possess human souls, but are rather an animal, someone from another planet, or a supernatural spirit (like a fairy) born into a human body. A sort of changeling. Some people in multiple systems may be otherkin. Often they are walk-ins. May perceive themselves as having physical traits very different from the body's.”[21]
On October 14th 2004, someone cross posted a discussion on two groups on Livejournal, “otherkin” and “multiplicity.” The poster was interested in how and when otherkin and multiplicity intercept in both communities, and also brought up the topic of “walk-ins” from the context of both communities.[22]
On Livejournal, a community called “_kinnecting_” was created on January 30th 2004 though the group was last active as of February 24th 2005. In the groups interests the words “host,” “hosting,” “multiplicity,” and “walkin” were included various terms more geared to otherkin such as “therianthrope,” “angelkin,” “were,” and so on.[23]
On the earliest archive on the dictionary of terms on Otherkin.net by the Wayback Machine, which begins at February 20th 2004 the terms “host,” “multiple,” “split,” and “walk-in” were included. The webpage has it marked that the dictionary was last updated on February 5th 2004 and had been first created on June 5th 2000, though when any of the terms had been added between those times is unknown. The dictionary defined multiple as being "Someone with more than one mind in a single body." The definition for the term split included "Someone who, for whatever reason (but usually severe trauma at an early age) shattered or split into two or more minds (two seems rare, four to six moderately common, and there are cases of over a hundred). In the case of a split, all the minds belong in the body and many choose to reintegrate when the trauma is healed (but not always)."[24]
On March 15th 2004, the Livejournal community called Polyamorous Otherkin with Multiple Personalities under “_poly_kin_host.” The group never grew very large or active, however, the group description included definitions for polyamorous relationships, otherkin, and multiplicity stating that the community was meant for people in fit the description of all three terms.[25]
In July 27th 2004, the Livejournal community called Fuzzymultiples was created. The group description included, “Everywhere you will find communities of purely human multiples. This is not one of them. We are here to create a safe place for those of us whose system members aren't all human.” The description also added, “This is not entirely a therianthopy community. This is not about having a wereside, this is a safe haven for multiples whose system members are not all human.” With the tags of the community focused on both multiple and therian community terms.[26]
Sometime before August 31 2004, a website called The Nothing Network had a webpage called Multiple Otherkin. The website was a personal website of Foci, a multiple system with several nonhuman members. The webpage discussed multiple systems with otherkin members and the acceptance of multiples by otherkin verses acceptance of otherkin by multiples.[27]
On May 5th 2005 the Otherkin entry on Wikipedia had the sentences, “ The otherkin community also has a relatively high proportion of multiple personalities, who may have internal personalities with different otherkin types, and may include walk-ins amongst their number.” included.[28]
Two of the websites/webpages linked to from Otherkin.net includes “Multiplicity: The Missing Manual” and another “Otherkin Multiple FAQ” which are describes as resources on both multiplicity and otherkin while the latter specifically having a focus on otherkin who are a part of a multiple system. The former link was added on November 30th 2005 and the latter was added on January 12th 2006.[29] These links remain on Otherkin.net even to this day.
Some time before August 21st 2006 the website called Therianthropes United at therianthropes.com as created.[30] Among the Theories section was various different thoughts on how therianthropy could exist which had been listed at the time the website had been created. Of them included “The Possession Theory,” “The Dual Souls/Walk-In Theory,” “The Soul Splitting Theory,” and “The Dissociation Theory.” With the first two referencing more than one spirit in a body, the one after referring to one soul split into many pieces, and the latter relating to dissociative identity disorder directly as to causing therianthropic experiences.[31]
In November 29th 2006, the Livejournal community called Pluralkin was created and was titled “Multiple and Plural Otherkin and Therianthropes.” With the community description stating it was “a place for people who are otherkin and therian” as well as being part of a multiple system, a soulbonder/soulbond, and/or channeler.[32]
On April 20th 2007, A Field Guide To Otherkin by Lupa was published. To help create the book the author had used quotes from answers to a survey she had passed out online with the total responds used by the time the book was published being 131.[33] The survey began on September 13th 2005 to October 1st 2006.[34] Within the book, the topic of multiplicity and walk-ins as brought up in nearly a dozen pages and Lupa noted in her data that 7 multiple systems took part in the survey.[35] With Lupa stating at one point on the matter, “They’re not always Otherkin, as both have folks who are entirely human. There is a sizeable portion of the ‘kin community, though, who attribute their being Other to being walk-ins and/or multiples.”[36] Between 73 and 79 the topic of both walk-ins and multiplicity was discussed with some discussion on how being such can effect one’s otherkinity such as how one awakens or how one experiences things.[37]
So, those are some times in which both multiples and otherkin have been brought up together in some sense or another before 2007. There are likely more times then that, but not we have some across at this time. Those websites that we have found point to a fairly long history of both the otherkin community and multiple community having some amount of overlap and interaction of members, overlap in experience in places, and so on. These two communities and/or the ideas of either have a history of being referenced together from time to time or instances were both are effecting the same people. The presence of either in the other is not merely a recent event.
Sources:
[1] Blackfang, “Proposal: WereCode v.05,” alt.horror.werevolves, September 26 1996, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/alt.horror.werewolves/1cYEm0yfZZM [accessed February 10 2014].
[2] KatmanDu, “Resource FAQ ver. 97.1 Part 3,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 4 1997, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/werecode|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/WhR-D9XXIGM/rZ7YiTt4oQ0J (accessed January 18, 2014).
[3] Utlah, “AHWW Resource FAQ,” WereWeb, http://web.archive.org/web/20011218084041/http://www.swampfox.demon.co.uk/utlah/werenet/rscefaq.html (accessed February 18 2014).
[4] “Shifting FAQ, post #1 Terms,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 20 1998, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/%22walk-in%22|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/4eKKI9YBX6Q/SYHhodfzaHQJ (accessed January 18, 2014).
[5] “Shifting FAQ post #3 Walk-ins, Walk-Outs, and Walk-in's Disease,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 22 1998,
https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/%22walk-in%22|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/euBZUpihYro/d0pKpcgPG5wJ (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[6] Pinky, "A Little Introduction," December 24, 1999, Were.net, http://web.archive.org/web/20001004034700/http://www.were.net/~pinky/faqintro.html (accessed January 16, 2014).
[7] “Were.net,” Wayback Machine. http://web.archive.org/web/20020226005820/http://www.were.net/~pinky/pinkyessays.html (accessed January 18, 2014).
[8] “Shifters.org,” Wayback Machine. http://web.archive.org/web/20010709235122/http://www.shifters.org/shifting/types.shtml (accessed January 18, 2014).
[9] “Otherkind-Hosts,” Yahoo Groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/otherkind-hosts/info (accessed January 18, 2014).
[10] “KinHost.org,” Web Achieve. http://web.archive.org/web/20010224081603/http://kinhost.org/updates.html(accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[11] “Were.net,” Wayback Machine. http://web.archive.org/web/20001004034817/http://www.were.net/~pinky/werebreeds.html (accessed Januanry 29, 2014).
[12] “Otherkin & Awakening FAQ v 3.0 Beta (1/1/2K),” Kinhost.org though Wayback Machine, http://web.archive.org/web/20010306024754/http://kinhost.org/res/Otherfaqold.html [accessed September 22 2014].
[13] “Otherkin & Awakening FAQ v 3.0 Beta (1/1/2K),” Astraeasweb.net though Wayback Machine, http://www.astraeasweb.net/plural/cris-otherkinfaq-old.html
[accessed September 22 2014].
[14] “Dark Personalities,” Topica. https://web.archive.org/web/20001213095000/http://www.topica.com/lists/darkpersonalities (accessed Januanry 20, 2014).
[15] “Otherkin FAQ v4.0.1 (2/8/01),” KinHost.org though Wayback Machine, February 23 2001, http://web.archive.org/web/20010223132336/http://kinhost.org/res/Otherfaq.html#7_3 [accessed September 22 2014].
[16] “Otherkin Multiple FAQ Beta 2/8/01.” KinHost.org through Wayback Machine, February 8 2001, http://web.archive.org/web/20010223215604/http://kinhost.org/res/Multiplefaq.html (accessed September 22 2014).
[17] “Trans-Speciesed,” Dark Personalities. https://web.archive.org/web/20010307182351/http://www.darkpersonalities.com/rants/entries/consortium.htm (accessed Januanry 20, 2014).
[18] “Terminology,” Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20010519115202/http://darkpersonalities.com/terminology.htm (accessed January 19, 2014).
[19] DrewRumsey, “Were Card,” alt.horror.werewolves, December 19 2001, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/%22multiple$20personality%22|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/UdpO7bVl5sQ/f_ivwctYDXsJ (accessed June 1 2015).
[20] “The Otherkin Community - Tags,” Otherkin. http://otherkin.livejournal.com/tag/ (accessed January 18, 2014).
[21] “Astraea’s Web Glossary,” Wayback Machine https://web.archive.org/web/20040407093102/http://www.astraeasweb.net/plural/glossary.html (accessed January 18, 2014).
[22] Morgil Lomion, “Multiples and Other kin (x-posted),” Otherkin, Livejournal, http://otherkin.livejournal.com/314537.html (accessed June 1, 2015).
[23] “_Kinnecting_,” Kinnecting LJ. http://community.livejournal.com/_kinnecting_/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[24] “Dictionary,” Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20040220014341/http://www.otherkin.net/articles/dict.html (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[25] “Polygamous Otherkin With Multiple Personalities,” Poly_kin_host_. http://community.livejournal.com/_poly_kin_host_/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[26] “Fuzzy Multiplicity,” Fuzzy Multiples. http://fuzzymultiples.livejournal.com/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[27] “The Nothing Network,” Wayback Machine, August 31 2004, https://web.archive.org/web/20040831013149/http://echthros.thehellsing.org/others.php?page=otherhost [accessed August 29 2014].
[28] Otherkin: Revision History,” Wikipedia, May 5 2005, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Otherkin&oldid=13267292 (accessed October 20th 2014).
[29] “Overlap,” Otherkin.net. http://web.archive.org/web/20070705043056/http://www.otherkin.net/community/links/Overlap.html (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[30] “Therianthropes United,” Wayback Machine, August 21 2006, http://web.archive.org/web/20060821222833/http://www.therianthropes.com/ (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[31] “Theories,” Therianthropes United, therianthropes.com/therianthropy_theories.htm (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[32] “Multiple and Plural Otherkin And Therianthropes,” Pluralkin. http://pluralkin.livejournal.com/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[33] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 285.
[34] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 306.
[35] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 286.
[36] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 25-26.
[37] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 73-79.
In September 1996, the WereCode was complied after some discussion on what it should contain. The WereCode, consisted of a string of characters and numbers which meant certain levels of involvement in certain internets or other things related to their group. A number of communities on the internet in the 90s used these codes as a short way of giving a lot of specific information without taking up a lot of space. The WereCode included categories like P for phenotype where one could note their species identity, T for transformation to note what kinds of shift the person experienced, H for Howls for how often they had attended one, R for religions to described what religion one was, and so on. Under the Transformation category, there was one kind of shifting marked as “ss” for the WereCode which was for “Spiritual shifting” which was defined as “A ‘totemistic’ shift: that is, an external spirit is channeled into your body.” [1] The process of allowing another spirit to control (or, front as the plural community would say) or partially control (or, co-front as the plural community would say) of the body is very familiar to multiples as is the regular experience of such. Information for the WereCode (which included the kind of shift called “spiritual shifting”) was added to The Resource FAQ for AHWw by KatmanDu in the February 1997 version.[2] This version would be archived on various sites such as the WereWeb during the early 2000s.[3]
On February 20th 1998, on Alt.horror.werewolves a thread was posted of someone attempting to define several different kinds of shifting and certain terms. Among the list of shifts included one shift called the “spirit shift.” The shift was stated as having “a variety of connotations or dictations... I use it such as this, a SS occurs when a spirit guide (SG) is involved. In this case, the SG is a separate entity from the individual involved. Now this could either mean that #1, the SG assumes control over the body (which could be considered a "Walk-In"). #2, Your SG leaves, and may be replaced by another (of the same or separate species).” [4] The topic of walk-ins, either by term and/or description, is rather well known in the plural community and the description of exchanging control over the body to another spirit for a time is referred to as a switch.
On February 22nd 1998 on Alt.horror.werewolves another thread was posted talking about in some detail over the topic of walk-ins and walk-outs. Walk-in being defined as when a spirit has/lives in a physical body yet is not the "original owner" and a walk-out being defined as when a spirit that once was the owner of a physical body left the body. The post though primarily focused on the topic of walk-ins only with no walk-outs. Disusing the topic of more than one spirit living within the same body. At one point the post noted the difference between “negative” walk-ins and “positive” walk-ins. Stating, “Positive WI's come into the body and can mutually share it with the original.” Then adding, “Ok, now for those that share the body with the original, one example of which is a "spirit guide." The mutual WI doesn't wish to harm the owner, but rather live with it, learning new things from the original, and also help the original live as fruitful a life as possible.” It was also stated, “Most of the time, the new "tenant's" living quarters are "furnished." That is to say, the memories, etc. of the original now belong to the WI.” [5] The idea of walk-ins (but no walk-outs) as well as both the “original owner” and walk-in working together in the body is pretty well known in the plural community. Also, the act of sharing memories as one’s own sounds is also fairly common among multiples.
These two posts were both made by the same person who helped maintain both Were.net and Shifters.org who claimed the terms and definitions had been created through discussions on both Pshift IRC channel, a channel originally created to talk about the idea of physical shifting, and later on the Pshift Mailing List as well.[6] Some of information from these two posts, here in this essay specifically paying attention to only use of spirit shifting and walk-ins, would later go on to be used and added to some in various places online over the years. These places include it being added to Were.net on December 24th 1999, Shifters.org as late as January 12th 2001, The Therianthropy Resource some time during the mid 2000s, Therianthropes.com in the mid 2000s, and perhaps others. [7][8]
On May 3rd 1999, the Yahoo Group and mailing list called, Otherkind-Hosts: Nonhumans In The System was created and quickly became active in discussion. The group description included, “Discussions between and about people who have more than one mind per body, of which one or more is not entirely human. Whilst the list is open to multiples of all varieties, be aware that most of the list members are also Otherkin. This list is also for exploring the differences in different types of multiplicity, and is also appropriate for people who are "one person" who just want to understand people who have more than one mind/spirit/soul/whatever in them.” This Yahoo Group was very active between 1999 to 2005 and had over a hundred and fifty members.[9]
September 1999 is the earliest known date the website KinHost was certainly online based on internet achieved. (The oldest date on the website’s update page is September 24th 1999.) The long lasting website, KinHost, is website created by the multiple system called the Crisses. The website over the years has included a number of resources and links related to the otherkin community and on the topic of multiplicity. Not notably in the realm of multiple systems with otherkin members.[10]
On December 24th 1999 a page on the website Were.net called “WereBreed aka Types of Weres” was updated. The page was meant to try to note the different ways some people experienced things that they defined as personally being part of their experiences as a were. Trying to note some of the experiences or claimed experiences some weres reported. One such kind of were described on the page included those described as “those with ‘weresides’ that are ‘separate’ from the human persona. They generally experience M-shifts regularly, sometimes not recalling what goes on during the m-shift. These weres recognize their animal-side, know it exists, but would remain mentally separate (similar to MPD).” MPD, of course, being multiple personality disorder as it as finally called and now called dissociative identity disorder. Not recalling certain periods of time being one of the criteria for MPD/DID back then and still to this day within the DSM. Its unknown if the version before the update still included this information.[11]
On January 1st 2000, the Crisses created the FAQ called “Otherkin & Awakening FAQ v 3.0 Beta (1/1/2K).” The FAQ included information on other kin that was relevant at the time and included information on “otherkin hosts.” # [12] This same FAQ was also hosted on Astraea’s Web.[13]
On Jul 26th 2000 on Topica a mailing list was created as part of the website Dark Personalities. The description of the mailing list included, “This is a mailing list for the dark personalities in multiples (Multiple Personality Disorder or MPD, though most of us avoid such labels). […] This list is for you if you have a cast of unusual characters in your system, such as vampires, demons, fae, elves, animals, witches - you name it - since people in multiple systems aren't necessarily human.” The use of the term “otherkin” was not used though the term was known by the creator of mailing list and website given the terms use in the terminology section on the website.[14]
On February 8th 2001, The Crisses released their 4th version of their Otherkin FAQ on their website KinHost. The FAQ included information on some views on otherkin of the time and included information on “otherkin multiples” (a term meaning a multiple system with a notable number of otherkin members). [15]
On the same day, The Crisses released a new FAQ called “Otherkin Multiple FAQ Beta 2/8/01.” The FAQ included information on multiples and on multiples with otherkin members.[16]
Sometime before March 7th 2001, as that is the earliest date the Wayback Machine has for the link, a guest essay was posted on Dark Personalities called “Trans-Speciesed” created by Tser of the Consortium. The essay began with talking about how people in many multiples systems might not be the same gender as their physical body and thus are transgender, but then went on to go into how some members of multiple systems can also be a species other than their physical body. The essay was of a member of a multiple who was a dragon who discovered the early draconic community through alt.fan.dragons and then from there the general concept of otherkin. At one point the author stated, “Heck... almost everything Otherkin go through is so akin to many Multiples' experience. I can't even list all the parallels.” The author went on to reference their continued involvement in the draconic community such as on Draconic.com as well as being the creator of a fairly large and active mailing list for draconics.[17]
On the website Dark Personalities, the website on multiplicity created sometime in 1998, under Terminology the word otherkin was included. The Wayback Machine’s earliest record is marked for May 19th 2001. Then the website defined otherkin as “People in a multiple system who are not human. Often they are walk-ins, claiming to be older than the body in which they reside, and having physical traits very different from the body itself. Multiples are often hosts to otherkin.”[18] Given the website had some focused on members who were nonhuman, yet they defined otherkin only in spiritual terms, suggested this website and its mailing list may have made a distinction between nonhuman members in a multiple system who were nonhuman and whose existence was spiritual and nonhuman members whose existence was psychological.
On December 19 2001 a person called Andrew posted a werecard on alt.horror.werewolves. In the were card they state they have Multiple Personality Disorder and that the alters present are animals, though filling the werecard with information related to the alters in place of his phenotypes, etc. The alters mentioned induced a falcon, a wolf, a panther, and a dragon.[19]
On Livejournal there is a community called Otherkin which was created on March 4th 2001. Two of the Livejounral community’s tags relate to multiples, one being “soulbonding/headmates” with one use and the other being “multiples” with seven uses. The earliest use of the “soulbonding/headmates” tag being January 20th 2005 and the earlier users of the “multiples” tag being May 19th 2003, May 25th 2003, and June 4th 2003. With one of the posts using the “multiples” tag sparking a discussion on links to websites on multiplicity which included darkpersonalites.com (a rather important and actives multiples website during the early to mid 2000s) and kinhost.org.[20]
In the glossary section Astraea’s Web, a resource on and for multiples which dates back to the late 90s, included the term “otherkin” in the oldest achieve of the website from the Wayback Machine. The oldest achieve being from January 11th 2003 and described otherkin as “People in a multiple system who are not human. Often they are walk-ins. May have physical traits very different from the body itself, and may resemble mythological beings. Many multiples have a few otherkin in their system.” The term was expanded upon sometime before April 7th 2004 as that achieve stated otherkin as being “People who feel they do not possess human souls, but are rather an animal, someone from another planet, or a supernatural spirit (like a fairy) born into a human body. A sort of changeling. Some people in multiple systems may be otherkin. Often they are walk-ins. May perceive themselves as having physical traits very different from the body's.”[21]
On October 14th 2004, someone cross posted a discussion on two groups on Livejournal, “otherkin” and “multiplicity.” The poster was interested in how and when otherkin and multiplicity intercept in both communities, and also brought up the topic of “walk-ins” from the context of both communities.[22]
On Livejournal, a community called “_kinnecting_” was created on January 30th 2004 though the group was last active as of February 24th 2005. In the groups interests the words “host,” “hosting,” “multiplicity,” and “walkin” were included various terms more geared to otherkin such as “therianthrope,” “angelkin,” “were,” and so on.[23]
On the earliest archive on the dictionary of terms on Otherkin.net by the Wayback Machine, which begins at February 20th 2004 the terms “host,” “multiple,” “split,” and “walk-in” were included. The webpage has it marked that the dictionary was last updated on February 5th 2004 and had been first created on June 5th 2000, though when any of the terms had been added between those times is unknown. The dictionary defined multiple as being "Someone with more than one mind in a single body." The definition for the term split included "Someone who, for whatever reason (but usually severe trauma at an early age) shattered or split into two or more minds (two seems rare, four to six moderately common, and there are cases of over a hundred). In the case of a split, all the minds belong in the body and many choose to reintegrate when the trauma is healed (but not always)."[24]
On March 15th 2004, the Livejournal community called Polyamorous Otherkin with Multiple Personalities under “_poly_kin_host.” The group never grew very large or active, however, the group description included definitions for polyamorous relationships, otherkin, and multiplicity stating that the community was meant for people in fit the description of all three terms.[25]
In July 27th 2004, the Livejournal community called Fuzzymultiples was created. The group description included, “Everywhere you will find communities of purely human multiples. This is not one of them. We are here to create a safe place for those of us whose system members aren't all human.” The description also added, “This is not entirely a therianthopy community. This is not about having a wereside, this is a safe haven for multiples whose system members are not all human.” With the tags of the community focused on both multiple and therian community terms.[26]
Sometime before August 31 2004, a website called The Nothing Network had a webpage called Multiple Otherkin. The website was a personal website of Foci, a multiple system with several nonhuman members. The webpage discussed multiple systems with otherkin members and the acceptance of multiples by otherkin verses acceptance of otherkin by multiples.[27]
On May 5th 2005 the Otherkin entry on Wikipedia had the sentences, “ The otherkin community also has a relatively high proportion of multiple personalities, who may have internal personalities with different otherkin types, and may include walk-ins amongst their number.” included.[28]
Two of the websites/webpages linked to from Otherkin.net includes “Multiplicity: The Missing Manual” and another “Otherkin Multiple FAQ” which are describes as resources on both multiplicity and otherkin while the latter specifically having a focus on otherkin who are a part of a multiple system. The former link was added on November 30th 2005 and the latter was added on January 12th 2006.[29] These links remain on Otherkin.net even to this day.
Some time before August 21st 2006 the website called Therianthropes United at therianthropes.com as created.[30] Among the Theories section was various different thoughts on how therianthropy could exist which had been listed at the time the website had been created. Of them included “The Possession Theory,” “The Dual Souls/Walk-In Theory,” “The Soul Splitting Theory,” and “The Dissociation Theory.” With the first two referencing more than one spirit in a body, the one after referring to one soul split into many pieces, and the latter relating to dissociative identity disorder directly as to causing therianthropic experiences.[31]
In November 29th 2006, the Livejournal community called Pluralkin was created and was titled “Multiple and Plural Otherkin and Therianthropes.” With the community description stating it was “a place for people who are otherkin and therian” as well as being part of a multiple system, a soulbonder/soulbond, and/or channeler.[32]
On April 20th 2007, A Field Guide To Otherkin by Lupa was published. To help create the book the author had used quotes from answers to a survey she had passed out online with the total responds used by the time the book was published being 131.[33] The survey began on September 13th 2005 to October 1st 2006.[34] Within the book, the topic of multiplicity and walk-ins as brought up in nearly a dozen pages and Lupa noted in her data that 7 multiple systems took part in the survey.[35] With Lupa stating at one point on the matter, “They’re not always Otherkin, as both have folks who are entirely human. There is a sizeable portion of the ‘kin community, though, who attribute their being Other to being walk-ins and/or multiples.”[36] Between 73 and 79 the topic of both walk-ins and multiplicity was discussed with some discussion on how being such can effect one’s otherkinity such as how one awakens or how one experiences things.[37]
So, those are some times in which both multiples and otherkin have been brought up together in some sense or another before 2007. There are likely more times then that, but not we have some across at this time. Those websites that we have found point to a fairly long history of both the otherkin community and multiple community having some amount of overlap and interaction of members, overlap in experience in places, and so on. These two communities and/or the ideas of either have a history of being referenced together from time to time or instances were both are effecting the same people. The presence of either in the other is not merely a recent event.
Sources:
[1] Blackfang, “Proposal: WereCode v.05,” alt.horror.werevolves, September 26 1996, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/alt.horror.werewolves/1cYEm0yfZZM [accessed February 10 2014].
[2] KatmanDu, “Resource FAQ ver. 97.1 Part 3,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 4 1997, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/werecode|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/WhR-D9XXIGM/rZ7YiTt4oQ0J (accessed January 18, 2014).
[3] Utlah, “AHWW Resource FAQ,” WereWeb, http://web.archive.org/web/20011218084041/http://www.swampfox.demon.co.uk/utlah/werenet/rscefaq.html (accessed February 18 2014).
[4] “Shifting FAQ, post #1 Terms,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 20 1998, https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!searchin/alt.horror.werewolves/%22walk-in%22|sort:date/alt.horror.werewolves/4eKKI9YBX6Q/SYHhodfzaHQJ (accessed January 18, 2014).
[5] “Shifting FAQ post #3 Walk-ins, Walk-Outs, and Walk-in's Disease,” alt.horror.werewolves, February 22 1998,
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[16] “Otherkin Multiple FAQ Beta 2/8/01.” KinHost.org through Wayback Machine, February 8 2001, http://web.archive.org/web/20010223215604/http://kinhost.org/res/Multiplefaq.html (accessed September 22 2014).
[17] “Trans-Speciesed,” Dark Personalities. https://web.archive.org/web/20010307182351/http://www.darkpersonalities.com/rants/entries/consortium.htm (accessed Januanry 20, 2014).
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[24] “Dictionary,” Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20040220014341/http://www.otherkin.net/articles/dict.html (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
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[26] “Fuzzy Multiplicity,” Fuzzy Multiples. http://fuzzymultiples.livejournal.com/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[27] “The Nothing Network,” Wayback Machine, August 31 2004, https://web.archive.org/web/20040831013149/http://echthros.thehellsing.org/others.php?page=otherhost [accessed August 29 2014].
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[29] “Overlap,” Otherkin.net. http://web.archive.org/web/20070705043056/http://www.otherkin.net/community/links/Overlap.html (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[30] “Therianthropes United,” Wayback Machine, August 21 2006, http://web.archive.org/web/20060821222833/http://www.therianthropes.com/ (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[31] “Theories,” Therianthropes United, therianthropes.com/therianthropy_theories.htm (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[32] “Multiple and Plural Otherkin And Therianthropes,” Pluralkin. http://pluralkin.livejournal.com/profile (accessed Januanry 18, 2014).
[33] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 285.
[34] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 306.
[35] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 286.
[36] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 25-26.
[37] Lupa. A Field Guide To Otherkin. Stafford: Megalithica, 2007, 73-79.
