The rise of the litter box rumor shows the power of false claims that start on social media to shape political discourse. Most furries create for themselves an anthropomorphized animal character (fursona) with whom they identify and can function as an avatar within the community, the website says. It's a hoax to discredit trans youth, says one LGBTQ+ advocate. It started with a comment at a school board meeting, which was later amplified by a Michigan state Republican leader, and culminated with a school superintendent explaining that, no, there were no litter boxes on school grounds for students to use if they identified as furries. Mr. Sharrow did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday. "To date, nobody has been able to show that there is a law for the average American citizen working day in and day out to pay an income tax.". 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. go to the park or an animal shelter and maybe youll be adopted! Well, all kinds of people go to conferences; sometimes they have sex there. A source close to the family said: "No one seems to have a protocol for . Occams Razor would indicate she was just chasing clicks. 5:55 Rumours about litter boxes in schools for students identifying as cats are false, Norbert Carpenter tells CBC News: Compass host Steve Bruce Litter boxes will not be put in schools on. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools.. Nebraska's Bruce Bostelman apologises for repeating rumor that schools accommodating children who self-identify as cats Associated Press Tue 29 Mar 2022 10.47 EDT First published on Tue 29 Mar . Washington, DC The one thing thats certain, however, is that cats dont deserve to be in the middle of this mess. On the October 11 episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Spotify podcast, Rogan claimed that a school "had to install a litter box in the girls room because there is a girl who's a furry, who. Its not your fault the misinformation is pervasive. And though school districts have issued statements debunking the story multiple times, some social media posts are still spreading the erroneous information. Furries dont identify as animals; they identify with animals. Since insurance wont cover vet visits, and I doubt most vets want to participate in the Im a cat delusion, Im thinking their options are limited to doctors. Co-founder of Furscience, Courtney Plante, told Reuters, Furries are fans, just like any other fan group, adding, Furries are no more likely to think that theyre animals than sport fans are to think that theyre their favorite teams quarterback.. Yet almost a year on, politicians are still repeating the furry claim. We did not find any credible news reports that support the claim. Your email address will not be published. Then an image circulated online of a chicken-breast permission slip. These rumors put us at risk of being hurt or bullied.. Rogan hasnt been the only person to make such litter box claims. Schools are not putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate children, as months of unfounded rumors have claimed. READ MORE:Democrats spend millions in ads to boost GOP hardliners against moderates. Have them investigate and collect real evidence on what is really occurring. Here in Colorado a hot debate took centre stage a couple of weeks ago with a local media station preparing to do a newscast about kids in grade and middle schools who go to school dressed as animals and only meow, hiss or bark during school, the claim is that kids are now identifying as animals. 33701 Oregons close governors race is a referendum on Portland, No, American schools are not encouraging pupils to identify as cats, The growth of the cicerone shows how craft beer is thriving, Florida Democrats have taken to calling Republicans socialist, Californians may tax the rich more to subsidise electric cars, The blow-up with Saudi Arabia reveals a new American strategic weakness, California: Do Not Sell My Personal Information, Republicans intensify their assault on city governments, Americas states are pursuing their own foreign policies, Conservative Americans are building a parallel economy. Partisans do not just disagree with their political opponentsthey despise them. A doctor at the Mayo Clinic is misdiagnosing pregnancies of Trump supporters so they have abortions. You live your way and if nobody gets hurt, then let them live their way. ", USDA is predicting egg prices will be $12 a dozen by fall 2022.. The school district called that blogs story completely inaccurate and not something it would permit. Nearly two out of five said the opposing party is downright evil. Once one group has decided the other is evil, fantasies about their behaviour follow. But this post tells a story that simply didn't happen. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Categories: AC, Community, New Jersey News, South Jersey News. Most people wouldnt wear this kind of fan paraphernalia to work or a job interview, and some wouldnt wear it at all. A member of the public who spoke at the meeting, Lisa Hansen, says in the video that she was informed by someone the day before the meeting that litter boxes had been added to the unisex bathrooms for students who identify as cats., I was stunned, Ms. Hansen says in the video. Any cats involved? In fact, he didnt give too many more details beyond what you can see in the video accompanying the following tweet: So essentially all Rogan left you with was this happened at my-friends-wifes-school. Two weeks ago a Republican candidate for governor in Colorado said she had received over 100 messages from parents about furries in schools. Another GOP nominee Scott Jensenaskedduring a campaign stop, Why do we have litter boxes in some of the school districts so kids can pee in them, because they identify as a furry?. The reality of living in a hateful world is. You may opt-out by. Be a serious parent or parents. However, our Midland PS stakeholders may be confused about a false message/accusation that has resurfaced this week and is gaining traction in the social media realm.. The fandom is centered around an interest in anthropomorphism, or human characteristics given to animals, according to Sharon Roberts, co-founder of a furry research group called Furscience. This mental habit afflicts Democrats too. There is a real subculture of people known as furries, a community of children and adults who roleplay as anthropomorphized animal characters. We did not find any credible news reports that support the claim. Even putting litter boxes in the bathrooms in some schools? If they feel they are cats, they should stay home, get a liscense and a rabies shot and use their back yard or litter box. The Murder of Jaye Potter Mintz Feb 23, 1987 Leland N.C. Feline humor, news and stories about the ongoing adventures of Buddy the Cat. A furry. A private school in Australia is reportedly supporting a young "non-verbal" student identifying as a cat. Like our page to get updates throughout the day on our latest debunks, Fact Check-Photographs do not show a U.S. student who wanted to identify as a cat, Fact check: No, a Michigan public school did not provide litter boxes for students identifying as cats, Fact check: Wisconsin school district debunks claim that it has a 'furry protocol', 20-Year-Old Woman Claims She Is A Cat Born In The Wrong Body, Born in the wrong species // Fdt i feil art, 'I was born in the wrong species': Woman who says she's a CAT trapped in a human body hisses at dogs, hates water and claims she can even see better at night. The Herald Sun reports the "phenomenally bright" child has been allowed to assume the identity, with the behaviour linked to the 'furries' subculture that has been adopted by some teen circles. So how did Rogan find out about all of this and what evidence did he provide to support this story? GOP Nominee Heidi Ganahl insisted in severalrecent interviewsthat students were dressing and identifying as cats, whilst disrupting class, and the states schools were tolerating it. Having a fursona doesnt mean that a furry owns a fursuit (a mascot-like outfit), and only 15 to 25 per cent of furries have them. They didn't get a trip to see the school. While sex can certainly be a part of the furry fandom, the majority of furries are motivated by reasons of social belonging, not sexual motivations. Author lied. Reuters has sought comment from Stockton, who has provided no evidence to support her claim. During a legislative hearing last month in Tennessee, two Republican state lawmakersdiscussedthe growing crisis of public schools providing litter boxes for children who identify as cats, and claimed it is happening across the state. To a person not steeped in the culture war battles over gender identity that have engulfed school districts nationwide, its the kind of claim that would sound bizarre and confusing and, from high-profile GOP members, authoritative. Some social media users are sharing a photo they claim shows a student who identifies as a cat. Many kids learn in different ways - some are more visual while others absorb information better if they read about it, but everyone learns best when they are comfortable and at ease, and for one teen in Australia, that means acting like a cat.. It is bizarre for sure. And they are purring instead of answering questions and they miaow and the teachers are not allowed to question it because its considered a queer identity., Walsh responds: The teachers have to affirm them as a cat? People have sex and furries are people. I am thankful for the parent, educator, *and* student pushback against these looney tunes folks who legitimately think that there are sandboxes in classrooms for students who "identify as cats" and that teachers are trying to turn kids gay. In January the superintendent of Midland Public Schools in Michigan, where the rumour began, addressed community members on Facebook: Let me be clear in this communication. And have policies ensuring no one mocks them? Despite these risk factors and some who fear ostracism for their interests, furries well-being, self-esteem, life satisfaction, relationship quality and happiness are the same as non-furries. In one of the images, she appears to be crawling on her hands and knees. It shouldnt be too difficult to investigate. School districts in Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska have debunked claims that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. A Michigan school superintendent debunked the rumor after a video from a December school board meeting resurfaced in which a speaker airs concerns about students who identify as cats.. So now we are seeing kids that are identifying as animals going to school, she says. As for this particular subject, I have thoroughly looked into the viral stories about schools accommodating students who identify as cats, and theyve all turned out to be rumors or hoaxes. Furries are bullied at almost twice the rates of non-furries, and our forthcoming research indicates that four to 15 per cent are on the autism spectrum. Kakkar's research, published this month, also pointed to the "inadequacy" of fact-checker interventions to deter that subset from spreading false news. Im sure you can appreciate the difference between internet bullshittery and a legitimate, verified instance of a school district making allowances for furries or putting litter boxes in school bathrooms. As the number of people identifying as trans and nonbinary has increased in recent years, particularly among young people, so has the amount of anti-LGBTQ legislation from conservative politicians. Thats hearsay. @igrullonpaz, Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? The Jefferson County school district disputed Ganahls claims and said its dress code prohibits costumes at school. The idea has, naturally, been repeated by Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. But thats beyond the scope of this blog, which is to celebrate cats, have a laugh and occasionally put the spotlight on animal welfare. Schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate kids who identify as furries. At least 20 conservative candidates and elected officials have claimed this year that K-12 schools are placing litter boxes on campus or making other accommodations for students who identify as cats, according to an NBC News review of public statements. Do you watch the news everyday? A school district in Chandler, a town outside Phoenix, adopted a new policy based on the state law which some parents interpreted as too conservative, says Lindsay Love, a school-board member. She said when she has worn part of her fur suit to school, I dont act like an animal, or think that I am one.. This whole furry thing has just got me. Associated Press, "Wisconsin school district does not have furry protocol," April 6, 2022, Associated Press, "Nebraska lawmaker apologizes for debunked litter box claim," March 29, 2022, Des Moines Register, "Carroll Community School District superintendent: No litter boxes in schools," Feb. 10, 2022, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "Furries eating out of dog bowls at school? I was told by a teacher friend in Georgia that this is true in her state as well. If you really think that schools are providing litter boxes and allowing kids to take dumps in them in an unsanitary manner, why not contact public health officials? A man in Minneapolis claimed his van had been set on fire and graffitied with Biden 2020 and blm because he was flying a Trump 2020 flag. I read that a comedian joked how he asks to be regarded with the possessive pronoun there, because he identifies as a place. On the October 11 episode of his Joe Rogan Experience Spotify podcast, Rogan claimed that a school [+] had to install a litter box in the girls room because there is a girl who's a furry, who identifies as an animal. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images). However, its worth noting there are many marginalized statuses within the furry community. Kari Lake, a Republican candidate for governor, featured the parents in a campaign ad. Speaking of no boundaries, these days there seems to be no boundaries as to what personalities and politicians can claim on podcasts, radio, TV, social media, and other platforms without providing hard evidence versus hardly no evidence. She added: As part of my research, Ive interviewed many therians. Despite Hubbard'sclaim that the person picturedis non-verbal, the woman can be heardspeakingin a 2016 Norweigan mediainterviewabout her identity. In its most distilled form, furries are a group of people who formed a community or fandom because they have a common interest in anthropomorphic media, friendships and social inclusion. In other words, if you removed all the sexual content, there would still be a furry fandom. School districts in several states have debunked the claim that they are providing litter boxes in bathrooms. Catalina Lauf, a Republican congressional nominee in Illinois, tweeted this month that schoolchildren were using litter boxes in her state. Suggests root canals are linked to breast cancer. Reuters asked Michael Bronski, professor of women, gender and sexuality at Harvard, whether identifying as an animal was a protected queer identity. Copyright The Economist Newspaper Limited 2023. PEMBROKE, Ontario (LifeSiteNews) The vice chair of the Renfrew County District School Board in Ontario has told LifeSiteNews that the rumors of children "identifying" as animals in some of the. But as of right now, I have not been able to verify a single one of the claims. A teacher was seemingly asking for parents permission for pupils to use chicken breasts in a culinary class. 20006, Florida Im not a furry, and I once held erroneous views of furries, too. Many of these assertions claim that schools have or are in the process of having litter boxes placed in schools.. East Bay Regional Park District Cat Killings, Felines Blast Humans For Cultural Appropriation: You Cant Identify As A Cat! Pain In The Bud, Les flins sen prennent aux humains pour leur appropriation culturelle : Vous ne pouvez pas vous identifier en tant que chat ! ' she said in the TikTok video. Her campaign oddly declined to answer questions about Ganahls claims, but inone interviewwith a local Fox affiliate, she suggested theres a lot of this going on in Jefferson County. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. In April, three Republican lawmakers in Minnesota took turns during floor debate discussing rumors theyd heard about children identifying as cats at school, cutting holes in uniforms for tails and possibly using litter boxes. "In our research, we have found certain conservatives -- those low on conscientiousness are driven by the need to create division, disorder and confusion when it comes to sharing of fake news," Kakkar told AFP. This is not actually true. Similarly, youve got to take Rogans story with a litter box full of salt until he provides more specifics that can allow everyone to actually double-check what he had said. Please! If you do not have enough common sense to see through this bullshite you should not be voting on the very principal that you lack a proper number of brain cells in between those ears. In an Oct. 19, 2021, Facebook post, the Public Schools Branch of Prince Edward Island said that for several months it had fielded calls, been sent emails and been pointed to numerous social media posts that make broad sweeping assertions regarding students who identify as cats. ", READ MORE:Trump reserves millions in ads in key states ahead of midterm elections. Required fields are marked *. Tim Kraayenbrink, a Republican Iowa state senator, said at a forum in May that local schools had been required to put cat litter boxes in the bathroom for furries to use, as he discussed schools that allow transgender students to use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. In his statement, Mr. Sharrow debunked the rumor as categorically false. shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook. Many parents and teachers have confided in me privately about the madness thats happening pertaining to this trend, Lauf told NBC News in an email. No wonder they get confused, self conscious, low self esteem, and a lot more negative issues. Theyre all just like yours: A friend of a friend says it happened in their daughters district, or a teacher friend said she heard a school put a litter box in a bathroom. The claims made by [Stockton] about the prevalence and social respectability of therianthropy are not supported by any of the social scientific research that has been done on the topic, by our team or by others, said Fein. From abortion to book bans, critical race theory and transgender rights, much political rhetoric in the run-up to the mid-term elections in the United States has centered around culture war issues. However, most furries' fursonas are wild and mythical animals , such as foxes, wolves and unicorns or hybrid species, such as a kangaroo-dragon. One analysis of congressional candidates' Facebook posts by the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics found that Republican candidates in this year's midterms shared more links to unreliable news sources than they did in 2020. Conservative politicians have long been accused of amplifying false narratives -- from former president Donald Trump's false claim that the 2020 election was stolen to Covid-19 misinformation and the QAnon conspiracy theory. Where did you get your info. "This is a young lady who is exceptional (sic) bright, her family petitioned the school board for right to 'identify as a cat," reads part of a Sept. 23 Facebook post featuring the images. Or speak. In Michigan, a school superintendent also sent an email to parents to say the claim was false, after a parent stated it publicly at a school board meeting that garnered more than 80,000 views on YouTube. Harmful misinformation about furries is running rampant on social media and even being promoted to some school boards. Fabricated culture wars help nobody. But the speed with which this idea became mainstream illustrates how social media can confirm partisans wildest ideas about the other side, as well as how hard such fantasies are to dislodge once they have taken hold. There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. There are websites that claim there is a catgender movement, but that is a different thing. A Nebraska state lawmaker publicly repeated the claim then apologized when he learned it wasnt true. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.). ", The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof. Accountability is not a crime.. The rumor has been spreading persistently, but was unfounded each time: An Iowa superintendent sent a letter to parents to dispel the myth. But Rogan did not give the actual names of the people involved or the name of the school or the location of the school. Fluoride.. According to Furscience, a website run by a multidisciplinary team of scientists studying furry fandom, furry describes a diverse community of fans, artists, writers, gamers, and role players.. - pattesdechat.com, Another Viral Story Claims A Student Identifies As A Cat Pain In The Bud, Cat On The Street: What Do You Think About Humans Identifying As Felines? . Your email address will not be published. Research also indicates that a fursona can help facilitate interactions with others and result in more social confidence. In fact, later in the episode, Gabbard said, There are no boundaries anymore to which Rogan responded with, Right. The story was picked up by several widely-read sites, included in Tucker Carlsons daily newsletter, and reshared on prominent Twitter accounts in addition to going viral on Facebook. "And as long as we're in a period of time where identity and culture are such salient political cleavages in US society, we are going to continue to see politicians latching on to outlandish claims to demonstrate what side they are on in the culture wars. Humans can find intimate connections when they gather, but its not usually the reason they engaged in the activity. March 3, 2022. Excessive aluminum in the brain. Happy birthday to Nano, and hopefully hell have many more! Everyone has a separate reality. Which is precicley what happened here in Colorado. Only rumor. Your email address will not be published. Regarding the Norwegian woman, that one startled me as I have a cat named Nano. Partisan fantasies are also a gift to grifters. Get on board or better yet bail ship and drown. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook. "The legislators who continue to parrot these debunked stories are most likely doing so because they believe doing so is politically expedient, regardless of whether they believe it or not," Joshua A. Tucker, professor of politics and co-director of the New York University's Center for Social Media and Politics, told the AFP news agency. I cant stay in the same classroom as that cat! Beyond Republican politicians and officials, plenty of social media users have latched onto the rumor, most notably on Facebook and TikTok. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! Mr. Sharrow, the superintendent, citing a backdrop of this divisive/contentious world in which we currently find ourselves, urged parents to contact him if rumors like this surfaced again. She is a co-founder of the International Anthropomorphic Research Project/Furscience. The Michigan incident started when a mom of kids at the Midland School District, about 130 miles northwest of Detroit, spoke at a school board meeting about a rumor which she took as fact alleging the school was accommodating furries by providing litter boxes in unisex bathrooms. Its only used to kind of sensationalize untruth, and to harm our community, in particular our transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive youth, said Nadine Bridges, executive director of One Colorado, an LGBTQ rights organization, when asked about the litter box rumors. Looks like a number of politicians have been littering the airwaves with such furry-ious assertions. 2 min read August 22, 2022 - 4:43PM A private school in Melbourne is reportedly supporting a year eight, non-verbal student in identifying as a cat. According to the Herald Sun, the girl identifies as a cat and the private school she attends allows her to be non-verbal and act feline, so long as it . A Facebook post. The postfrom Peggy Hubbard, who lost a recentIllinois Republican U.S. Senate primary, implies a connection to a U.S. school district, but the pictures don't show an American public school student or anything recent. But the vast majority of them still identify as humans, while sometimes adopting an animal-like persona and engaging in short-term roleplay, according to furries and experts, one of whom noted that there are no litter boxes at furry conventions. I start looking on the ground, through the fourth roweverythings good. University of Waterloo provides funding as a member of The Conversation CA-FR. Psychology professor Elizabeth Fein, who also researches furries and therians, told Reuters: While therians recognize they have human bodies, they might also feel they have the reincarnated soul of a wolf, or that they have a sense of affinity with cats that is so deep that they are on some level a cat themselves. Proof would be a letter home to parents, a notice on a district website, a copy of a school policy, that sort of thing. I dont want to lose readers by wading into a political landmine field, but most importantly I dont want anyone to feel unwelcome on this site. And today I am equally stunned and a little bit upset well, not a little bit, a lot of bit upset. I recently heard someone say that there are students in the Twin Falls city school system identifying as animals. Not to say that a teacher cannot lose control of a classroom from time to time, but not in these circumstances. Ben Collins covers disinformation, extremism and the internet for NBC News. I didnt realize theyre still making new episodes of Family Guy. Lisa Hansen asked other parents to join her to do some investigating into the policy, Im all for creativity and imagination, but when someone lives in a fantasy world and expects other people to go along with it, I have a problem with that, Hansen told the Midland school board. Thats the case for furries, too. In 2017, a poll by Nathan Kalmoe of Louisiana State University and Lilliana Mason of the University of Maryland found that 55% of respondents believe that people in the opposing party are a serious threat to the country. Is this another push to get religion back into schools? "She is non verbal and she crawls around making cat like noises and the school is perfectly fine with this behavior? Top image: A 20-year-old Norwegian woman who identifies as a cat. There is documentation of bull sharks in the Great Lakes. READ MORE:Biden compares Republican ideology to 'semi-fascism'. Reuters has fact checked claims around furries in U.S. schools in the past and found no evidence of them disrupting classrooms or schools developing a policy of including them as a formal identity (here) and (here) and (here). There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats. This thing has gotten out of control with politicians just wanting to have a talking point, said John McDonald, former director of campus safety at Jefferson County schools, whos now a school security consultant. Either she was paid to lie by the democrats about this TRUE movement by the democrat back kids movement to get special privledges ) like LBGTQ and BLM followers .. Hi John: Im a guy and I make no money from this site other than through ads, which I only enabled a month ago. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. A harmless TV show is not evil. No, furries don't get litter boxes in school bathrooms | Is This Legit? Do School Kids Identify As Animals? Were a small group of interdisciplinary professors who have studied furries and other fan groups for more than 15 years. And during a legislative hearing last month in Tennessee, two Republican state lawmakers discussed the growing crisis of public schools providing litter boxes for children who identify as cats, and claimed its happening across the state. The subculture of furries refers to people who dress up or roleplay as animal characters. It would be like trying to have sex wearing a winter coat inside a spacesuit. The teachers in the school and the school itself should have said no to the parent., At a Mesa County Republican Women luncheon, U.S Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) asserted that They are [+] putting litter boxes in schools for people who identify as cats. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images). Hansens claims were picked up and reshared by a state GOP chairwoman, Meshawn Maddock, who warned Parent heroes will TAKE BACK our schools in a Facebook post. A picture of the permission slip circulated on social media. It's much better. The wave of misinformation reflects discontent among many conservatives around how the concepts and politics ofgender identityare rapidly shifting. The inclusive nature of the furry fandom means that, for many furries, its a safe place where they can be their most authentic selves. I think I will be cat all my life.. So schools are literal zoos now.. La guanbana es considerada como la quimioterapia natural. I like bringing them because its a way to show my creative outlet and something to talk to my friends about. A po-faced official from the district described it as a misinterpretation of district policy. Do your research. But are litter boxes an integral part of the furry fandom? Bronski agreed that children identifying as animals and disrupting classrooms was not a genuine phenomenon. A reaction from another user calling for schools to stop admitting furries to schools brought in over 1 million views. For most people furries included these arent exactly conditions that put them in the mood.. If youre on the right, youre might argue that some schools have gone so overboard with political correctness, its not a stretch to imagine privileges conferred on the allegedly cat-identified. And it has not stopped some politicians from picking up these claims and using them to alarm people by saying that this is where protections for LGBTQ students will lead. It's more about the complexity of neural connections. Would you like to contribute as an editor or a writer on our site? In December 2021, a litter box rumour began to circulate in Michigan after a parent told a school board meeting she was stunned to hear that schools had litter boxes in unisex bathrooms for. Last month, Brendan Shea, a Republican and member of the Ohio State Board of Education, introduced a resolution to oppose civil rights protections for LGBTQ students. Like, you want your house to smell like human pee? Yeah, if this were indeed happening, then youd think the local health department might have an issue with such arrangements. As he argued for the resolution in a public meeting, Shea said, Weve literally got kids who think theyre cats and dogs using litter boxes in classrooms. Shea did not respond to requests for comment. It is absolutely disgusting to use our nations youth in such a twisted political plot and ploy. Theres no such thing as a litter box at a furry convention.. 30 tons of lost ammonium nitrate on a California-bound train suggest an orchestrated conspiracy. NBC News found one example of a school district keeping cat litter on campuses for students to use but it had nothing to do with accommodating children who identify as animals. Ms Wray and other parents are suing the Greenburgs back. Stay on top of American politics with Checks and Balance, our weekly subscriber-only newsletter, which examines the state of American democracy and the issues that matter to voters. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up. Heidi Ganahl, the Republican candidate for governor of Colorado, claims that student "furries" are identifying as cats in over 30 different schools in the state. Go to the fifth roweverybodys there. Some Republicans hate that we allow for some to identify as something other than the sex they were born as. Excuse me? El atacante en Uvalde, Texas estaba en Estados Unidos ilegalmente. Most of us, we know and understand the subculture of furries yes, many of which actually do not believe that they are animals they believe that they are human beings who like to dress as animals when the occasion calls for it, but kids dressing and acting as animals? Many feel a pervasive sense of discomfort with their own human bodies.. The teen identifies as a cat and wants to be treated as such. oh, dont forget to stock up on cat food as human food isnt really good for them. Furious I would even use that word., Ms. Hansen says in the video that there is an agenda that is being pushed through our schools is just my opinion but somewhat nefarious when it comes to some of the activities., She goes on to say that this is a nationwide issue, adding, Im all for creativity and imagination, but when someone lives in a fantasy world and expects other people to go along with it, I have a problem with that.. Anything is possible and I cant disprove a negative. The post quickly went viral, racking up nearly 860,000 video views on Twitter. Its the same for furries. The schools superintendent, Michael Sharrow, was forced to do damage control with a public statement, telling parents its a source of disappointment that I felt the necessity to communicate this message to you., There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation, Sharrow wrote. As the video circulated, the Midland superintendent issued a statement to clarify Hansens claim was false. One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. Whats most provocative about this hoax is how it turns on two key wedge issues for conservatives: educational accommodations and gender nonconformity, said Joan Donovan, research director of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University and co-author of Meme Wars: The Untold Story of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America.. However, misunderstanding furries was mainstream long before it became political. Contrary to Stocktons claims, identifying as an animal is not a protected characteristic in U.S. law. Many people think that furries dress up as animals. Some things in life, like cats, are too good to be muddied by Americas toxic ideological wars. Furries are people with an interest in anthropomorphism, who may create their own alternative animal personality known as a fursona. For more information, see the International Anthropomorphic Research Project, also known as Furscience, a group of interdisciplinary professors who have researched anthropomorphic identities for more than 15 years and studied over 40,000 furries (furscience.com/whats-a-furry/). Reuters, Sept. 8, Fact Check-Photographs do not show a U.S. student who wanted to 'identify as a cat. Associate professor, Social Development Studies, University of Waterloo. In the same way that cosplayers typically dont believe they are actually Spiderman, furries dont think they are their fursonas. I dont take a political position and will not, as its important for all cat lovers to feel comfortable reading the site and participating in discussions. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. We did not find any credible news reports that say schools are providing litter boxes. Republican Lauren Boebert, from Coloradowarnedthat educators are putting litter boxes in schools for people who identify as cats.. Cant even google interprete for you. The spread of rumors about litter boxes has grown alongside other extreme and baseless rhetoric accusing LGBTQ people and educators of grooming children through lessons and policies on gender and sexuality. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission the following characteristics are protected from discrimination: Race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age (40 or older), disability and genetic information. For more see (here) and (here). In 2021 Arizona became one of only five states to require parents to opt their children into sex education, rather than automatically enrolling them as is the case in most states. A furry. ", The post was flagged as part of Facebooks efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. NBC News spoke to three school-age furries who have posted on TikTok about the experience of being a furry at school. ! American journalist Jack Posobiec was arrested at World Economic Forum., The Uvalde, Texas, mass shooter was an illegal alien., The blue, pink, and white colors in the progress pride flag represent pedophiles, "The European Union is now warning pregnant women not to get the COVID-19 vaccine due to the possibility of infertility and miscarriage., Photos show Elon Musk and his company are in the final stages of making a Robot Wife., "Every study has shown that when work requirements are tied to federal safety-net programs, it puts more people to work., The U.S. "takes 87% of all the prescription medications in the world. 02 Jun 2023 11:06:31 The Michigan Republican Party did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday, and Ms. Maddock could not be reached. Ive actually made new friends at school because of it, Dayna said in an email. USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment. Even putting litter boxes in the bathrooms in some schools? Good question! Alternatively have them DNA tested. Follow us on Facebook! He is going on 16 years old this year, and has been with us a long time. Sharon E. Roberts, an associate professor of social development studies at the University of Waterloo in Canada and a founder of Furscience, said in an email on Saturday that she could not comment specifically about the Michigan school because she was not familiar with the situation. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. And such an identity would not be protected by law.. Have y'all heard about this?" The post was later edited to add, "I have no litter box proof.. The false claim that children who identify as cats are using litter boxes in school bathrooms has spread across the internet since at least December, when a member of the public brought it up at a . Prior to the litter box rumours, furries were seen as sexual deviants an idea that was reinforced by popular media that emphasized the sensational over facts. 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