nichelink: a newly coined niche relationship/relationship dynamic that differs from social norms, but is consensual and aware of potential risks.

differ from the norm: this is flexible and vague on purpose. see the ‘examples’ section.

probably niche: niche, probably not many people will identify as this, it’s just now been invented and posted on tumblr dot com, but it’s still a valid want and identity label.

aware of potential risks: this is inspired by the kink phrase Risk-aware consensual kink or risk-accepted consensual kink (RACK), and it means that everyone in the relationship is silently nodding and acknowledging there might be risks. you don’t have to prove yourself to others on this, don’t feel expected to tell everyone your personal business on how you’re managing this risk, because it’s not their relationship…

consensual: this is inspired by the kink phrase Consensual non-consent. basically it means that everyone in the relationship agreed to have the relationship play out a certain way, and the relationship may play out (maybe in a sort of roleplay-like fashion) like it’s non consensual, but everyone in the relationship is both expecting this to happen and still has the ultimate say on if things need to 100% stop or if it’s time for them to leave the relationship.

newly coined: i want to make it clear that existing relationship dynamics shouldn’t be shoved into this label because that feels disrespectful to those existing words, so essentially this means that existing words for it didn’t 100% describe this dynamic, so you can’t just say xyz thing is actually this term. (however, if you find one of these describes something you've already been doing for years, it's perfectly fine to start identifying with this of course.)

examples:

relationship where one person is treated as if they are an object owned by the other/s in the relationship

relationship where one person is treated as if they are a deity, and the other/s in the relationship are their followers

relationship where one person is treated as if they are a pet owned by the other/s in the relationship

relationship where one person is treated as if they are a child adopted by the other/s in the relationship

relationship where one person is transforming the other/s in the relationship into something

labels under this umbrella have a Ratings System.

All-Ages: a label that is suitable for all ages.

16+: a label that would be best if it was only used by people 16 years or older (bodily). this doesn’t mean that it’s NSFW or something, but should be used when the term has something pretty intense or serious about it which probably shouldn’t be practiced with younger people. all terms under this umbrella that involve identity modification or training are inherently 16+.

18+: a label that is inherently not suitable for people under 18 years (bodily).

grammar:

nichelinking: the state of being in this kind of relationship with someone else. “we’re nichelinking,” “we might start nichelinking”

nichelink: 1) the specific terms themself. “i coined a nichelink,” “definition: an all-ages nichelink where you…” 2) the relationship itself. “our nichelink,” “his last nichelink”

nichelinker: someone who participates in nichelinking.

there is currently no word for having a nichelink-related crush on someone, suggestions welcome.

inspirations

neurowiry

relationship anarchy

roleplay

found family tropes

desirdae

dissomei

my own personal experience of becoming someone’s “dad” - i made a friend in high school who i came out as transgender too, and then as a joke based on how people in the undertale fandom called toriel “mom,” we began referring to me as my friend’s “dad.” this joke stuck and then started genuinely being a serious part of our friendship. reflecting on this made me realize that there’s actually lots of relationships in life that’re similar, where you refer to each other as something unusual and it feels like it changes the entire status of your friendship. i liked the idea of making a word someone can use for this kind of friendship/relationship if they wanted.

i did a lot of writing about what this term means and can be used for and it ended up being long so you can read it on this page. (updated 1/10) here are some of the faq questions (but not all, so please read that page):

is this a k*nk thing?

no, it’s not intended to be. there are plenty of nichelink terms usable by anyone at any age. however if you’re an adult and you find a term appealing and start to use it because of k*nk things, more power to you, go right ahead.

is this anti r*dqueer?

i don’t find it makes sense to say that something that isn’t a stance term/blankqueer term is anti this or pro that. but this term was inspired by r*dqueer “consensual abuse” relationships, and i did start working on this because i saw that there were a lot of people who craved a specific relationship dynamic or way of being treated who felt like they couldn’t get that outside of the r*dqueer community, so i wanted to make a risk-aware and safer alternative that is not attached to a harmful community known for abuse, transphobia, racism, etc.

if you crave being treated a certain way, yes even in a “harmed” way, this term is welcome to you.

can i coin my own?

not yet. i’m still working out the kinks (🥁✨) on definitions and guidelines. i also have a big list of terms i’d like to coin for it. you can send me a request at least.

can i post this term on…

wiki/term definition sites: yes, and you don't have to ask, but i would like to be informed.

pinterest/other social medias: no, never, i'm not comfortable with someone else posting my term for me. go ahead.

additional symbol from here.

vampire+vampire hunter 🔗

a 16+ nichelink term for relationships/a relationship dynamic where one (or more) users take on the role of a "vampire", & the other/others take on the role of a "vampire hunter". this is a specific form of hunter+hunted nichelink.

some reasons for being in/wanting to be in this relationship dynamic include, but aren't limited to:

the vampire being a vampire for alterhuman, nonhuman, &/or plural reasons.

the vampire hunter being a vampire hunter for alterhuman, nonhuman, &/or plural reasons.

the vampire experiencing attraction types such as adrenamour, bountial, huntfectus, pyrumano, sanguffectis, sanguineros, tuxitian, &/or vamporaffectis.

the vampire hunter experiencing attraction types such as adrenamour, donoraffectis, huntfectus, huntosic, &/or tuxitian.

the vampire being a sanguiverse vampire, a vampire species, vampirecoded, vampipsese, &/or vampiregender.

the vampire hunter being genderbountyhunter, genderhunter, hunteric, hunter occuden, hunter role, permahunter, vampire hunter occuden, &/or vampirehuntergender.

see also: vampire+blood donor nichelink.

master+slave nichelink.

An 18+ nichelink relationship/dynamic where one person takes on the role of the master and the other/s take the role of the slave. made with the consensual kink in mind.

i am sorry if this post comes off rude, i'm not sure how to rewrite it to fix that, so please understand this is more intended as... a chance for me to ramble about all of these neolabels i love, and how they differ or relate to nichelinking.

what a nichelink is: a specifically coined and described term for a relationship dynamic which is atypical but completely consensual and aware of risks. includes things like object+owner, parent+child, pet+owner, etc. each label includes an age rating as part of the definition.

worth noting that not just any atypical relationship = nichelink. a nichelink should really be a specific description of what it entails

a nichelink =/= an orientation. a nichelink doesn't go in the category of "bisexual, lesbian, etc." it is a relationship dynamic. it goes in the category of "queerplatonic relationship, mother and child, best friends, etc." it's also in the umbrella of sociarchy. (please do not otherwise decide for yourself how to categorize nichelinking without my consent btw. it doesn't fit under any coined term unless i say it does.)

a nichelink is not the same as these, but they are similar, and someone may even start a nichelink BECAUSE they are one of these things:

xLx/gLG: x-loving-x, or gender-loving-gender is a way to describe yourself and the gender/s you are attracted to in a way that isn't an orientation term (-sexual, -romantic, etc). examples would be wlw (woman-loving-woman), mlm (man-loving-man). this has evolved to be used for non-gender terms sometimes, but i don't see it as often as the term below.

x4x: i think this originates with the term "t4t" (trans for trans). indicates that you are in a relationship with, prioritize in/only have relationships with, someone of a specific type. this also evolved to go beyond gender, so you will see for example "dog4cat."

relationship anarchy: the application of anarchist principles to interpersonal relationships. Its values include autonomy, anti-hierarchical practices, anti-normativity, and community interdependence. RA is explicitly anti-amatonormative and anti-mononormative and is commonly, but not always, non-monogamous.This is distinct from polyamory, solo poly, swinging, and other forms of “dating”, which may include structures such as amatonormativity, hierarchy of intimate relationships, and autonomy-limiting rules. It has also been interpreted as a new paradigm in which closeness and autonomy are no longer considered to create dilemmas within a relationship. (definition stolen from wikipedia)

non-rose, tertiary attraction, or fragarian attraction: an umbrella term that refers to types of attraction besides romantic/sexual or physical/emotional. examples include attraction that revolves around making food for other people/wanting to do so, attraction centered around a desire for possession/control/dependence, or attraction that is present between comrades fighting for the same cause/idea. to see more examples and find terms that may fit you, try @tertiary-attraction-archive.

alteraffectis, nonhuman attraction: an umbrella term/label system for tertiary attraction that humans aren't supposed to be able to feel. aimed at alterhumans/alterbeings. examples include the way a wild animal feels towards a person that has "tamed" them in some way, or how a snake feels towards the sunlight it basks in. to see more examples and find terms that may fit you, see @alteraffectis.

platonic non-conforming: "an opt-in umbrella term for relationships and people who do not conform to societal expectations of platonic affection or attraction. this can include a wide variety of experiences and relationships, so it's up to oneself to decide if platonic non-conforming fits you!"

shaping: "a temporary shift in identity/personality/etc. caused from a specific source. reshaping: "a more permanent shift in identity/personality/etc. caused from a specific source."

may also be useful to you if you like nichelinking, but i would say it's a little farther out in relation to nichelink:

neurowiry: "Wiretypes are broad categories that explain and inform a person’s psyche and development. They are expressed metaphorically through dynamics (predator/prey/lover/rebel/etc), things in nature (leaves/fog/beasts/planets/etc), forces (gravity/heat/etc) and so on. They encourage recognition and labeling of patterns within oneself. They are self-identities and not recommended for people under 16." direct inspiration for nichelink.

desirdae: a term for someone who wants/yearns/wishes to be/have something, including things that could be harmful, but explicitly with discouragement to avoid harmful transition. see @new-desirdaearchive. this term was a direct inspiration for nichelink. i saw many terms which at their core described how one wished to be treated. it wouldn't be accurate to use "transitioning" language here, but it is accurate to say that nichelinking is a transition-esque option for desirdae terms, so you can get dysphoria relief and feel validated.

dissomei: "A term that is specific for people with BIID, psychosis, being an alter that differs from the body, atypical dysphoria, etc. that causes them to have a disconnect in how they view their identity." see dissodic-archive. direct inspiration for nichelink as well. i saw many terms which at their core described how one wished to be treated and i saw the community had a lot of people who felt deeply sad that it would be hard to find a consensual and safe relationship where they could act that way. it wouldn't be accurate to use "transitioning" language, but it is accurate to say that nichelinking is a transition-esque option for dissodic terms, so you can get dysphoria relief and feel validated.

lovesona: "an alternative to -dere terms. meant to act as an english equivalent, with more nuance, and meant for real people instead of characters. it's also meant to be less restrictive. a lovesona is the persona one takes on when in love, similar to dere terms. a lovesona typically affects one's entire personality. it may also affect other parts of one's identity, such as gender, sexuality, etcetera, but this is not required."

animalurge: "a profound desire to embody various animal qualities, encompassing physical attributes like ears, tails, and instincts, as well as connections to the natural habitats where these animals reside. Individuals with Animalurge experience comfort and a sense of freedom when envisioning themselves with these animal qualities or as animals. These feelings can fluctuate in intensity and may be associated with a diverse array of animals. This term encapsulates a fusion of experiences often found in therianthropy, otherheartedness, and regression.

there are many term systems which are similar, but are specifically gender. if you're looking at something here and like the idea but wish it was in a gendered way, please see @identitysystemarchive or @radiomogai or my own archive @nichies-archive.

thank you for reading my infodump. leave a comment if i described any of these terms incorrectly.

i will tag a few blogs now, although i'm very sure you probably have the terms archived already, but everyone i'm tagging is okay with reblogging discussion and identity recs or i mentioned their terms a lot.

this post also includes a new and unique shortened definition of nichelink which is currently exclusive to this post. feel free to use/archive that in places.

Bonded Pair Nichelink: an All-Ages nichelink relationship/relationship dynamic are "a bonded pair" like a pair of cats, and/or want to emulate this.

"bonded pair" is a term for a pair of cats who have an unbreakable bond and will spend most of their lives together, grooming each other, cuddling each other, and having their emotional and possibly physical health impacted if separated. this relationship may include, but isn't limited to:

one or both identifying as cats in some way, such as petre or being introjects/kin/stel/etc

the people in the relationship bonding with each other to a very serious extent, perhaps in a way that feels like it cannot be described accurately any other way than the bond two cats in a bonded pair have

one or both of the people in the relationship being dissopet or similar terms

one or both using terms like felibond, felaffectis, protectifeliaffectis, cat xenintation, etc

nichelink coining page

see also: Cat+Dog Rivalry, Cat+Owner

Deity+Worshiper: a 16+ nichelink relationship dynamic where one person is the "deity" and the other/s are the "worshiper/s."

("deity" can be replaced with "god" "goddess" "goddex" or whatever term that person prefers, and "worshiper" can be replaced with "follower" "believer" or whatever that person prefers/sees accurate.)

this may include, but is not limited to:

the worshiper showing reverence and adoration for the deity

the deity being an introject/alterhuman/etc of a deity and wanting to recreate the feeling of having followers

the deity being desirgod/goddess, desirdeity, dissodeity, or other dissodic or desirdae terms

the deity being desirharmfulgod/godess and the worshiper giving them an outlet to express those feelings in a lighthearted/roleplaying way, or otherwise

the worshiper being a recovering r*dqueer and/or f*lt member and the deity giving them a safer outlet to express their desire to 'worship' someone

neomythic or creartheist terms/practices, or a community of people who use one of them choosing a person to become the deity to 'worship'

colors were inspired by Pit from Kid Icarus Uprising.

nichelink coining

Nichegroup: A newly coined and mostly likely niche dynamic between a group of acquaintances that differs from social norms, but is consensual and aware of potential risks. It may come with specific predefined roles and tasks, or be casual. It's a sister term to nichelink.

compared to nichelink, this term is slightly more relaxed, because i want it to be accessible to both casual "haha our friend group is kind of like a cat colony" and to people like myself who crave a semi-organized specific dynamic where one person is dominant over others in their group. it still uses the age rating system that nichelink does, but i personally picture that most of the terms coined for this will end up with lower age ratings because of the room for relaxed and casual identification.

examples of nichegroups could be:

a cat colony

a pokemon team and their trainer

the programs on a computer

a warrior cats clan

other things which are specifically meant to be applied to a group of people/your group of friends if you took "our friend group is like [thing]" seriously

nichegroups can be serious like i just said, but they can also be more relaxed. it can be a whole Thing that your group agrees to, such as you deciding which person will have what role and having a discussion of what they can and cannot ask the others to do, or it may be more casual. either way, i suggest having a formal discussion, creating a contract, or having some other kind of guidance when you bring up to your group that you want to do this, so that everyone involved knows what it's going to entail, even if it only ends up being a simple "can we x?" "yeah sure" and that's it. nichegroups should not be done with implied consent.

some reasons people may use this term:

attraction types like drift attraction, pack, considatore, peculic, forms of social or platonic attraction, etc

lightheartedly deciding you'll treat your group like [insert thing]

desire for companionship with people who understand your [insert any identity that relates to being alterhuman, having atypical dysphoria, etc]

anything dysfirming, really.

grammar:

nichegrouping: the state of being in this kind of relationship with someone else. “we’re nichegrouping” “we might start nichegrouping since we're all dogkin”

nichegroup: 1) the specific terms themself. “i coined a nichegroup,” “definition: an all-ages nichegroup where…” 2) the relationship itself. “our nichegroup scheduled a party tomorrow,” “his last nichegroup broke up”

nichegrouper: someone who participates in nichegroupings or wishes to.

nichegroupies: the people in your nichegroup (general term, you can also just call them your groupies, friends, partners, or whatever word is used in the definition of a term, such as calling them "gems" in the definition later in this post)

nichegroups are titled as [thing] Nichegroup, but you can drop "nichegroup" when you're talking about it outside of the official title because this can make sentences really fucking long. here's an example:

Diamond Court Nichegroup: a 16+ relationship dynamic agreed upon in a group of people where one (or more) person(s) are the "diamond", and the others are the "gems" of their "court," akin to the relationship between a diamond and the gems in their court in Steven Universe.

this may include, but isn't limited to:

finding Diamond+Pearl nichelink appealing but choosing to do it in a group, and/or one member of the group also being in a Diamond+Pearl nichelink

the diamond "assigning" a specific gem type to the members of their court

tertiary or alteraffectis attraction terms like performer, bonding, evoic, oric, aish, loben, preisen, etc

people in the group using the gem presentation system, being gemhede, crysgema, etc

following diamonds devoted

the diamond dressing up the gems, shaping them, having the gems perform menial tasks for them, or having them entertain them when bored

the gems being recovering r*dqueers and/or f*lt members and the diamond giving them a safer outlet to express their desire to be influenced/changed/owned/etc

the gems wanting to be "owned" and "used" for any reason, really

the diamond making decrees of how the gems should behave, within reason

everyone can coin nichegroups, some nuance/info and post templates are under the cut:

Cannibal+Cannibalized: an 18+ nichelink relationship/relationship dynamic where one person is the "cannibal" and the other/s are the "cannibalized."

this may include, but is not limited to:

the people in the relationship relating to other dynamics such as Bugsnax+Consumer but not quite fitting them exactly

viewing the metaphor of consuming each other as ultimate devotion

non-rose/tertiary attraction like cannhenshin, cannteros, or anything else in the cannibalistic attraction spectrum

the people in the relationship being dissomei, desirdae, intusui, or similar terms

nichelink coining

these flags inspired mine somewhat: cannhenshin, cannimorial