Plurality (identity)


A plural identity is used by people who think they have more than one person in their body. Plural spaces exist online. Some examples of this are blogging sites or discord. Plural people often say they are a "system". These people may be called "headmates", "systemmates", and sometimes "alters". Yet, some people think that "alters" and "parts" say they are not real.[1][2][3] Some words are from queer spaces. A good example of this is "coming out of the closet".[4] Some people say they are animals or non-human. This is also called being otherkin.[5] Some other plural people are transgender.[6] Another group within plurality is autistic. Christensen thinks this is due to trauma.[7]

Plurality is a term that includes:

  • A person who identifies as plural.
  • People with conditions like disociative identity disorder or Other and unspecified dissociative disorders
  • Tulpas, identities based on certain practices relating to spirits. It is generally hard work to make one[8]

The term "multiplicity" is used within clinical psychology. It is also used by plural people to describe the experience of being multiple. In research, plurality is typically associated with dissociative identity disorder and other things. Although, some plural people say that plurality is not discorded. For this, some of them say that their identities and its experiences are soothing.

Origins and characteristics

Internet spaces for plural people started early in the Internet's history.[9] A plural mark and words around it first came from mailing lists in the 10 years around 1980.[10] However, more plural spaces where made in the 10 years around 1990.[11] 23,000 people agreed to Plurality being a word for people who have a plural mark in 2018. Emily Christensen wrote "[sic] history was made when people grouped up like they had not before."[12]

Plural identities and words that go along side of it became a thing in the 1900s.[10] After that, online plural communities became more of a thing.[11] By 2001, online groups dedicated to plurality showed up.[12] Plurality was voted in during 2018 because more than 23,000 people agreed to it. In response to this, Emily Christensen said that this event was historic.[12] A year later, plurality was introduced to two new words.[13] People have connected plurality to tulpamancy. They did this because of the similarities to Multiplicity. Plural people group up online on places like discord.[10][11][9]

Plural spaces exist on the internet through web writing places. These may be LiveJournal, Tumblr,[1][14] and more later TikTok, Reddit, and Youtube.[15][16] People with a plural mark often say they are a "system" of more then one person in their body. These people may be called "headmates", "systemates", and sometimes "alters",[17][18][19] though some with a plural mark consider terms like "alter" and "part" to say they are not full people.[2][5] Some "headmates" are not human.[20] This is also known as being Otherkin.[21]

Plural people

Other websites

References

  1. 1 2 Riesman, Abraham (29 March 2019). "The Best Cartoonist You've Never Read Is Eight Different People". Vulture. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  2. 1 2 Parry, Sarah; Eve, Zarah; Myers, Gemma (21 July 2022). "Exploring the Utility and Personal Relevance of Co-Produced Multiplicity Resources with Young People". Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma. 15 (2): 427–439. doi:10.1007/s40653-021-00377-7. ISSN 1936-1521. PMC 9120276. PMID 35600531.
  3. ↑ Pierre, Joe (February 13, 2023). "Enacted Identities: Multiplicity, Plurality, and Tulpamancy". Psychology Today. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Eve, Zarah (28 May 2024). Exploring emerging multiplicity and psychosocial functioning: a constructivist grounded theory study (doctoral thesis). Manchester Metropolitan University. Archived from the original on 20 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  5. 1 2 Schechter, Elizabeth (March 2024). "Introducing Plurals" (PDF). Journal of Cognition and Neuroethics. 9 (2): 95–141.
  6. ↑ Schechter, Elizabeth (March 2024). "Introducing Plurals" (PDF). Journal of Cognition and Neuroethics. 9 (2): 95–141.
  7. ↑ Christensen, Emily M. (1 June 2022). "The online community: DID and plurality". European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 6 (2) 100257. doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100257. ISSN 2468-7499.
  8. ↑ Telfer, Tori (2015-05-11). "Are Multiple Personalities Always a Disorder?". VICE. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  9. 1 2 Pierre, Joe (February 13, 2023). "Enacted Identities: Multiplicity, Plurality, and Tulpamancy". Psychology Today. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Telfer, Tori (11 May 2015). "Are Multiple Personalities Always a Disorder?". Vice. Archived from the original on 13 August 2024. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  11. 1 2 3 Schechter, Elizabeth (March 2024). "Introducing Plurals" (PDF). Journal of Cognition and Neuroethics. 9 (2): 95–141.
  12. 1 2 3 Christensen, Emily M. (1 June 2022). "The online community: DID and plurality". European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 6 (2) 100257. doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100257. ISSN 2468-7499.
  13. ↑ Hoek, Liorah; Hengel, Louis van den; Nistelrooij, Inge van; Schippers, Alice (2024-12-29). "Performing Plurality: Meet the Alters Vlogs on YouTube as Breeding Grounds for Epistemic Justice". TMG Journal for Media History. 27 (2): 1–36. doi:10.18146/tmg.896.
  14. ↑ ""Multiple Systems" versus Dissociative Identity Disorder: Life-Style or Mental Illness?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2014.
  15. ↑ Riesman, Abraham (29 March 2019). "The Best Cartoonist You've Never Read Is Eight Different People". Vulture. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  16. ↑ ""Multiple Systems" versus Dissociative Identity Disorder: Life-Style or Mental Illness?" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 November 2014.
  17. ↑ Riesman, Abraham (29 March 2019). "The Best Cartoonist You've Never Read Is Eight Different People". Vulture. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  18. ↑ Parry, Sarah; Eve, Zarah; Myers, Gemma (21 July 2022). "Exploring the Utility and Personal Relevance of Co-Produced Multiplicity Resources with Young People". Journal of Child & Adolescent Trauma. 15 (2): 427–439. doi:10.1007/s40653-021-00377-7. ISSN 1936-1521. PMC 9120276. PMID 35600531.
  19. ↑ Pierre, Joe (February 13, 2023). "Enacted Identities: Multiplicity, Plurality, and Tulpamancy". Psychology Today. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. ↑ Christensen, Emily M. (1 June 2022). "The online community: DID and plurality". European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation. 6 (2) 100257. doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2021.100257. ISSN 2468-7499.
  21. ↑ "Otherkin are the internet's punchline. They're also our future". The Daily Dot. 25 September 2020. Archived from the original on 20 November 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
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