The word “alterhuman” turns 12

On this September 26, 2026, the word “alterhuman” will turn twelve years old. It’s the most widely used opt-in umbrella term for otherkin, therians, and other alternatively human folks. It’s so widely used that many folks who use it aren’t aware of when or who it came from, or who it can include. Luckily, we still have that information. Lio of the Crossroads System @x-rds coined it in this post on September 26, 2014. At the time, Lio wrote under different names seen on that post, Malchior, username Phasmovore.Years after the word caught on, the coiner explained more about the intracommunity tensions that brought about the need to unite under this umbrella term, and about how it’s more than just another word for nonhuman. I’m posting this ahead of the date so you can arrange to have a happy alterhuman day on the 26th! I think that if alterhumans keep that date, then we’ll remember where the word came from and what it means. How do you celebrate it? That’s for you to invent. One good…