Otherkin refers to someone who involuntarily identifies partially or wholly as something non-human. For example, someone who is elfkin identifies as and considers themself to be an elf. There are many reasons why someone may identify as non-human in the otherkin sense, with explanations ranging from spiritual to psychological. Some common explanations include but are not limited to past lives, imprinting, or having a non-human soul. Otherkin and related identities, fall under the umbrella term alterhuman, which refers to a subjective identity that does not fit in the traditional definition of human. Some notable examples of alterhuman are therians, who identify as animals, otherhearted, who identify as humans that have a very close connection like family to something non-human, otherlinks, who choose an identity for various reasons, such as for coping, and fictionflickers, people who temporarily take on the identities or mindsets of fictional characters. Not all alterhuman identities are otherkin. An otherkin identity is neither a gender nor part of the LGBT+ umbrella, but may have to one's gender identity through being kingender or genderNH. For example, one may experience a non-human gender because of a non-human kintype.
