*kin is not a gender. Being kin is not like being trans

nagathewhiteserpent:

fromfiction:

I’d like to make a couple things clear before I begin. First off, I’m transgender, and my fiancee is a transwoman. Secondly, most fictionkin (according to informal polls and anecdotal evidence) are transgender/on the trans-spectrum. Thirdly, this post is aimed at educating those outside of the kin community, and those new to it, not those who already understand the distinction.

With that in mind:

• fictionkin/otherkin is not about gender.
  
• a kintype is not a gender
  
• otherkin as a whole are not ‘trans-species’

Similarities between being kin and being transgender

• *both experience a mismatch in their physical body versus their mental/spiritual perception of themselves
• *both experience anguish due to internal conflicts between body and mind/soul

Differences between being kin and being transgender

• *kin may experience memories and flashbacks to their other lives, transpeople do not
• *trans people experience systematic oppression, kin do not
• *transpeople are forced pre-transition to constantly dress, speak and act in a way incongruent with their identity, kin are not
• *transpeople are stigmatized by places of employment, and entire governments, kin are not.
• *transpeople are forced to jump through medical and legal hoops to have their identities recognized, kin are not
• Transpeople are expected to present as their chosen gender all the time, kin are not.
• *gender is a fundamental societal marker that is visible to people at all times, kintype is not.

• A kintype does not affect someone’s pronouns or gender identity as a whole.
• Kin are not claiming to be oppressed the way transpeople are
• Kin do not invade trans spaces on kin terms.

Being kin and transgender are separate.

As a transwoman (the fiancé mentioned actually!) I wholeheartedly agree. Being kin, and being teams are two very different things! And as someone who is both it boggles me that they’re so often compared! The pain of being policed , harassed, and emotionally bullied for my gender, and the pain of lifetime schisms and memories are WORLDS APART