I just learned of this. I'm not sure I get it but maybe someone knows better and can explain. https://broadly.vice.com/en_us/article/i-look-at-a-cloud-and-i-see-it-as-me-the-people-who-identify-as-objects
Yes, I've heard of it. Basically, as Social Justice Warriors (feminists, race activists, LGBT, etc) keep pushing closer to achieving all of their goals, other people want a piece of the cult-of-identity pie. I mean, if you can decide what gender you want your driver's licence to say, why can't you also decide what species? If I were to take a stab at it, I'd say that otherkin range from people who are harmlessly whimsical or artsy (kind of like cosplayers) to people who have genuine, severe mental illnesses such as dissociative identity disorder. For that reason, it's probably hard to generalize them.
Well that's an interesting thing. There is an intersection of personal liberty and public policy. So what if I identify as a cat? As long as I go to work, pay my bills and don't hurt anybody why should it matter that I feel I possess the soul of a cat? But if I want a marriage license to marry a cat, have my driver's license reflect my cathood or otherwise have the government acknowledge that I am, in fact, a cat then we start crossing that line into the realm where we have a public interest in safety and in keeping our records straight. I suppose one thing I'd say about driver's licenses is that species is not on there. I can't say why. But I'd venture that it is assumed that only a human would have a driver's license. I'm also unaware of my gender being useful on there. I can't say why but I would imagine that including gender was just another data point for verifying that the person in front of you is, in fact, the person listed on the ID. This was probably especially important back when the ID didn't have a picture. But even with a picture if an ID says you're a 6'00 tall, white, blonde and blue eyed man and you are actually a 5'2", African American woman with no hair and green eyes that would tip us off that maybe the ID doesn't belong to that person. But can gender actually be used to identify people in some situations? I know a woman. She identifies as a woman. She has a "girl name." But she dresses in clothing commonly associated with men and has a matching haircut. People routinely mistake her for a man. Do we, as a society, say that she must wear tapered women's jeans? Pass a law that says she must have shoulder length hair? Of course not. She's free to wear men's clothes. She's likely much freer to wear men's clothing than a man is to wear women's clothes. So how, exactly, does that "F" on her Driver's License actually help anyone? Sounds to me like it would just cause more confusion than was necessary. That's the logistics of the fight. That's without even getting into gender identity. When I apply for a job I might very well be asked to fill out an affirmative action survey. I self-identify race, gender, veteran status and whether I have a disability. I can legally fill out that form saying I am a hispanic woman with a disability even though none of those things are objectively true. There are people who identify as Native American based on nothing more than the fact that their mother told them that they have some distant ancestor who was probably Native American. I knew one guy who always selected "Other" because he is Greek-American and felt that he was in a separate category from all of the choices offered. We, as a society, are OK with that self-identification. We don't use that self-identification on any official documents and so it's a non-issue. So is the problem the self-identification or the inclusion on official identification of information that really doesn't need to be there? Seems to be like any other thing. There are people who are really into Ancient Egypt. For some that means reading a lot of books and having a lot of art that reminds you of Ancient Egypt. For others it means turning your living room into a shrine to Osiris. For one who is mentally ill that might mean thinking you are Osiris. Unless you start hurting people, yourself or start being generally unable to care for yourself you are pretty much left to your own devices. That line between quirky and insane isn't really as blurry as it appears on television.
I've been retired for 23 years- since age 50. I have nothing but free time. Let's see -- what kind of otherkin could I be? I know -- a BAR FIGHT! Suits my personality. :smile: J.
Everyone gets a voice. Sometimes you might not agree with what you're hearing. Or, in my case, not really care what you are hearing...but they get a voice.
