Limiting 'Kin Types

In recent years, the amount of 'kin types an individual presents with has gone from the traditional 1-2, and expanded
to well over 6+. In some cases, individuals are claiming dozens of various 'kin types and changing them often. Differentiating between dozens of 'kin types cannot be an easy task for someone trying to figure themselves out.

While this is not wrong, per se, it is the view of OKP that limiting how many 'kin types an individual lists in their profile to a more conservative number will hopefully cause the individual to better question their individual experiences and help integrate the new member into our community..

Therefore, please limit the number of 'kin types you present here to three for clarity's sake, thank you.

As much as I try to avoid weighing in negatively on someone else's experiences, I was invited to a discord server earlier in the year where someone was advertising they had literally 116 kintypes. They were primarily characters from tv series, movies, games, books. It seemed like a lot, probably because it is. They even kept a website with a list, including info on what they're from, to update them all periodically. That same person, who is older than me, basically called my kintype just an original character which seemed quite belittling.

I have heard it mentioned elsewhere that the number of people identifying as 3+ kintypes has been going up and up since the mid 2010s. It does get confusing when there is a lot of different kintypes someone has. My personal experience has only ever been 1 and it has never changed for me.

I think for some people they might not be quite sure about their kintype, they are still figuring out between a few different species that feel familiar to them and that's fine. No point locking something down if you're unsure and there's no big rush really. Even if someone gets it wrong they can let people know later. Trying to keep the number they list down to 3 might be helpful to have people focus on what they do feel closest to rather than just putting everything down. I don't know, as I've said, it isn't something I've experienced myself. I'm not trying to put people down here or insult anyone, just throwing my 2 cents in at this point.

I guess I’ll toss in my chips too, as someone who has ‘multiple’ in a way….

I primarily see myself as a dog. Even when I’m in a mood and sluggishly 80% human, that dog-bound side is just there. The dog teeth and ears hardly ever leave.

Of course there are other aspects of myself (Cervidae, and an abstract, glittery cosmic/water essence which may not be a type, but an ingrained expression—both that weave into it like a hybrid creature) I wouldn’t quite claim yet that either are kintypes. Start with three, and patiently explore to truly understand how they fit together. See if it sticks. You might find that three is actually just one, ore none at all, and thats perfectly ok. Limiting lists to batches isn’t about policing people’s identities—it’s about giving those identities the respect and deep study they actually deserve. You can't deeply respect 10+ things at once or quickly; you can only skim the surface. Ask if anyone has had more than one over time and how that changed for them.

The deer traits and other shifts are there, but it still better to carefully investigate them instead of rushing to add it to the list. I think if we just say we are them, we never sit and think deeply about it, or give ourselves enough time to really know.

(2026-08-01 16:22)Aarden Wrote:  That same person, who is older than me, basically called my kintype just an original character which seemed quite belittling.

I have heard it mentioned elsewhere that the number of people identifying as 3+ kintypes has been going up and up since the mid 2010s. It does get confusing when there is a lot of different kintypes someone has.

…116? I can imagine some would contradict each other… were they all the same genre?

Not to say it’s wrong, but it seems really hard to manage and in a small way ‘study’. As a person who loves to examine and think through things, missing information from 116 kin types would drive me to paranoia… I can see more than three, but only if they tie into each other, or attempting to narrow it down to specifics. But it’s really hard to learn things, throughly for 6+ INDIVIDUAL things. It’s near impossible to regularly come back to 6+ over a year or less, while adding (kin/therio-types specifically). So things like this are best examined in batches… limiting them at a time are a very good idea.

However, calling your kintype (species?) an OC is belittling, I think, as if it’s a figment of imagination, in which it’s absolutely not…

As a note though: Prior to the 2010s, most identities were spiritually (and sometimes mentally) based and focused on mythic/elemental creatures (dragons, elves etc) or animals (therians). Many realized they could resonate strongly with multiple distinct characters from various media franchises rather than just one past-life soul or such. Again not wrong per se, but it contributed a bit. And the rise of fast internet was around that time. Fast media doesn’t allow us to reflect for long. For many it’s was their starting point, and didn’t have a foundation to build on yet.

The environment also popularized concepts like kinfluidity (where different identities fluctuate in intensity) and coping-kin (identifying as a creature or character to process psychological trauma). Again, all of these words, can be helpful for introspection (new worlds can help…), but as people felt freer to explore and accumulate multiple aspects of their internal self rather than searching for one single definitive soul, it slightly went from

‘who/what you are+’

to

‘parts of and/or aspects of you’.

Language changed, too.

(2026-07-29 13:14)elinox Wrote:  …limiting how many 'kin types an individual lists in their profile to a more conservative number will hopefully cause the individual to better question their individual experiences…

Well that actually makes a lot if sense! (Note: Elinox, I feel I might have rambled at bit, and have a question in regards to this, should I… move (a part of) this to off-topic or otherkin-general? I don’t want to accidentally up end this well thought out sentiment of limiting types portrayed here. I feel a already have a bit, not sure if what I said tied in well)

Thought I’d add…

Some things just click and complete us. Others we get stuck on and grow fond of, but wasn’t a core piece; it's okay to let the fragments just exist without rushing to stamp a label on them.

We hate being defined by a single trait, yet we often do the same to ourselves—judging our separate fragments before seeing the whole picture. We should take the time to gently understand each part of our story, rather than assigning importance to pieces we haven't yet learned to understand.

(2026-08-01 21:02)Emi Callisto Wrote:  Well that actually makes a lot if sense! (Note: Elinox, I feel I might have rambled at bit, and have a question in regards to this, should I… move (a part of) this to off-topic or otherkin-general? I don’t want to accidentally up end this well thought out sentiment of limiting types portrayed here. I feel a already have a bit, not sure if what I said tied in well)

Nope, you're all good. Thanks for your insights.

(2026-08-01 21:02)Emi Callisto Wrote:  …116? I can imagine some would contradict each other… were they all the same genre?

From what I remember they were a huge range of things including ones diametrically opposed like, I can't remember if it was Sauron from lord of the rings, but Frodo was on the list. Complete opposite ends of the morality spectrum though. And no, very wide range of genres too.

I'm not in the business of telling people what they can and can't do, but it does... confuse me, when people have 7 million kintypes, given the (what feels like) lifetime of thought I've put into my own spirituality.

I feel like FOMO is a large part of it, but who am I to say that. I'm sure I exhibit actions that express FOMO too. None of us are immune.

Still, it makes sense to focus on a smaller group of kintypes, I think. Makes it easier to delineate between spirituality and just... light roleplay.

(2026-08-06 15:16)flizardgirl Wrote:  I'm not in the business of telling people what they can and can't do, but it does... confuse me, when people have 7 million kintypes, given the (what feels like) lifetime of thought I've put into my own spirituality.

I feel like FOMO is a large part of it, but who am I to say that. I'm sure I exhibit actions that express FOMO too. None of us are immune.

Still, it makes sense to focus on a smaller group of kintypes, I think. Makes it easier to delineate between spirituality and just... light roleplay.

Thanks for your input. We don't tell people what they can and can't believe about themselves. We're just hoping that by limiting 'kin types, people put more thought into claiming so many.

I always kinda go "....really?" at those really long lists. Maybe you've been all these things in past lives or whatever, sure, I have no idea. But are they really all here-and-now with equal intensity and strength of identity to one another to all be kintypes? Surely some are more prominent or core than others?

(2026-08-07 5:13)Arethinn Wrote:  I always kinda go "....really?" at those really long lists. Maybe you've been all these things in past lives or whatever, sure, I have no idea. But are they really all here-and-now with equal intensity and strength of identity to one another to all be kintypes? Surely some are more prominent or core than others?

Exactly! Perhaps there are SOME people out there who have many 'kin types they can keep straight, but it does not seem likely for MOST people.

(2026-08-07 12:53)elinox Wrote:  

(2026-08-07 5:13)Arethinn Wrote:  I always kinda go "....really?" at those really long lists. Maybe you've been all these things in past lives or whatever, sure, I have no idea. But are they really all here-and-now with equal intensity and strength of identity to one another to all be kintypes? Surely some are more prominent or core than others?

Exactly! Perhaps there are SOME people out there who have many 'kin types they can keep straight, but it does not seem likely for MOST people.

As someone with a large number of 'types, I can confirm it can be a lot, but I do very much exist LOL. It's less of a list and more of a map at this point. I'm luckily comfortable enough with gillmen to let that be my "main" 'type, but if that weren't the case, we'd all be in store for quite the list and this rule would very much cause trouble for me.