ive seen a few ppl saying that kinity is just stealing from native americans who have spiritual connections to animals (ppl who are actually native have told me this before), but native americans aren’t the only culture in the world to have spiritual connections to animals and are not the only ones who can claim that they are reincarnations of animals.
If actual Natives are misinformed and concerned about appropriation, I’d love to have dialogue with them. But considering I’m one of those non-Native Americans with animal spirituality in my culture, yeah, one might say I’m tired of them being used as a “reason” to discredit otherkin entirely. Unless an otherkin individual is using terms like totem animal when it’s not appropriate for them to (and oh boy, this def happens), then there’s nothing except “animals” as a similarity at all. And animals factor into spiritual practices worldwide, so, lol. Also consider the fact that many otherkin are Pagans, following paths open to them or forging their own.
It really discredits Native American peoples, to dilute their cultures and history and spiritual lives down to “connected to animals”, and all in the same vague way. It shows a total lack of understanding the diversity in them. As well as what otherkin is – since no two kin are going to have the same exact views. Even two people who believe they’re reincarnated animals an have different reasons for thinking this, and how it colors their personality and feelings for their practices (if applicable) will be unique.
