PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Explanation of where the old term 'hunker down' came from. Jan 27, 2022. Its a TikTok meme, Dunn said. Three school-age furries told NBC News they have at times dressed up at school, typically wearing just part of their full costume such as a mask or gloves that look like paws, but theyd never heard of any furry ever asking for a litter box., NBC News talked with Kymera, a 14-year-old from Colorado who said she considers being a furry is just a hobby, akin to being a mascot., I have never once heard a furry say they want to use a litter box, Kymera said. Copyright 2022 WILX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Don't threaten. [6], In May 2022, during a televised debate on a bill in the Nebraska legislature, the Republican state senator Bruce Bostelman claimed that "schools are wanting to put litter boxes in the schools" for students who were furries. According to experts, furries primarily consider their expression as a fandom done for fun, not an official identity, contrary to the claims made in this video circulating online. [98], Several news media and fact-checking organizations have debunked the claims that schools were providing litter boxes to students to use in restrooms as unsubstantiated. Im staying calm, but Im not happy about it, she said. No, neither Lamoille Union High School nor any other school in Lamoille County is providing litter boxes in school bathrooms for the use of students who Notice the language that some of these politicians use, he told me. Brent Campbell, the chief communications and external relations officer for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools said that the WSFCS does not use cat litter in any form in the schools or bathrooms. School board proposes banning furries after rumors of litter boxes in schools spread LGBTQNation 10/25/2022 A school board in North Carolina considered a proposal Be truthful. [7] Rumors sparked public outcry and calls for administrative action from concerned parents,[38] with a school board in Statesville, North Carolina proposing a formal ban on animal costumes. The current misrepresentation of furriesthat they simply want to be animals and are sexual deviantsdates back decades. [a][8] In October 2022, in response to a letter that was sent to local media, administrators for the Renfrew County District School Board or Renfrew County Catholic District School Board in Ontario issued statements that their schools "do not have, and have never had, litter boxes in any of our elementary or secondary sites". Send me updates about Slate special offers. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. For some of these folks, its enjoyable to do things those animals would do - bark, or growl, or rough-house play in an animalistic way. [22], Ben Cost of the conservative tabloid newspaper New York Post said while explaining the history of the Michigan rumors that, "It's load of kitty litter. Among those who had promoted the hoax and prevailed in their races included the incumbents U.S. Fursonas can be a safe, functional way for furries to explore who they are as people, including their gender identity and sexual orientation. Harmful misinformation about furries is running rampant on social media and even being promoted to some school boards. [10] James Factora, a writer with LGBT news website Them, compared the litter box hoax to 2020 United States election conspiracy theories, stating, "The tactic of repeating a completely baseless lie until it becomes widely accepted as truth has become perhaps the most emblematic rhetorical strategy of the GOP. "[112], Education Minnesota said that the internet hoax "appears to be an attempt to discredit school policies intended to make schools safe and welcoming for students". Also in March, a recording of a Republican Nebraska state senator decrying school administrators wanting to put litter boxes in the bathrooms for kids who dress up as animals went viral, and the lawmaker had to apologize after his claim was debunked. 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. [115], Many of the prominent American politicians seeking public office who promoted the hoax were defeated in the 2022 elections. [11][12][13][14], The hoax was reported in Prince Edward Island in October 2021 and initially thought to be a joke, but had to be formally disavowed as misinformation circulated on social media. [27] LGBTQA identity is substantially over-represented among furries compared to the general population. Senator J.D. 10 Insomniac132 1 yr. ago The BIW furriesthe Students will be able to get haircuts and talk weekly with mentors. WebWinston-Salem's Burke Street Pizza is still serving up slices. Schools scramble to get ahead of 'furry' internet hoax", "Students in local schools identify as animals but no litter boxes exist", "Lambton school trustee candidate buys into urban myth of students "presenting as cats", "There are no human-size litter boxes in CCRCE schools", "Midland Public Schools December 2021 Board of Education Meeting", "Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? In 2002, a short MTV documentary aired that made furries seem like people merely interested in ribald group sex, and users on the influential Something Awful forums piggybacked off such perceptions to smear furries as pedophiles and zoophiles. You can cancel at any time. Rumors persist: Kids arent using litter boxes, school officials say, Morrisville Walgreens to close amid state scrutiny, Elmore resident, Stowe High grad dies in ski accident, Why Vermont can evict Vail from Mount Mansfield, Neighbors protest alternative cell tower location, Student challenges educator for Lamoille South school board, Lamoille County Sheriffs Department statistics, Feb. 10-16, Students cry foul on college cuts to programs, Early morning fire on Spear Street totals new housing development. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The enabling of this behavior is [helping] people with legitimate mental health issues get applause instead of the medical help they truly need. Please try again. 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. Ask SAM: Are there really litter boxes in school restrooms? After the rumors spread widely in schools and on social media, the Public Schools Branch denied claims of litter boxes, with the director of the school district saying "It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate". [51][52] The superintendent for the school district of Midland Public Schools described the claims as false, stating "There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement [] There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools". [62], In April 2022, a satirical post of a fake e-mail went viral, claiming that Kokomo High School in Indiana was allowing students identifying as animals to have "special accommodations and certain privileges", including litter boxes in bathrooms. Join our group of dedicated readers today Plan a magical wedding day in Vermont, whether ablaze with fall color, capped with snow, or lush with the green of summer. The fandom provides a social network for its members, and furries can benefit tremendously from these friendships. [74] Ganahl criticized schools that allowed students to dress up as cats, but she did not claim schools were providing litter boxes. Thank you for reading! Im not a furry, and I once held erroneous views of furries, too. According To WILX, Midland Public Schools was accused of installing litter boxes in the restrooms for students to use. "It seemed to me like it was a backlash against some of the progressive things that our schools are doing, and we would have many that would say this is rooted in hate and transphobia and homophobia and that message needs to be clear, it's not acceptable. Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. No, neither Lamoille Union High School nor any other school in Lamoille County is providing litter boxes in school bathrooms for the use of students who identify as furries, a term for those interested in dressing up as anthropomorphized animals. So how did the rumor explode into mainstream consciousness, like bad diarrhea from a diet of concern trolling and right-wing blogs? Period. "[5], Jensen's campaign declined media requests to substantiate the litter box claim, which the Minnesota Department of Education and several school districts refuted. State finds issues with public records, open meetings and handling of contract for lawyer, Diamondback to open lunch spot in Innovation Quarter. Then they hear these rumors about furries and see their kids watching these videos., Old lies and false impressions die hard, and other forms of discrimination tend to reemerge in moments when LGBTQ people are targeted by lawmakers and media personalities. ", "How the conservative parents' rights movement fueled by LGBTQ backlash is shaping Heidi Ganahl's campaign", "Book Ban Efforts Spread Across the U.S.", "Debunked School Restroom Litter Box Claims Resurface With New Year", "Roseburg Public Schools responds to 'furry' controversy", "Meade County schools deal with unusual situation: Students dressing and acting like cats", "Fact check: No, a Michigan public school did not provide litter boxes for students identifying as cats", "Claim about litter boxes in New York school is unfounded", "Colorado School District Providing Kitty Litter Buckets for Kids to Use the Bathroom During Lockdowns", "JeffCo schools have emergency buckets where people can pee during lockdowns", "Litter boxes for students in bathrooms? No - obviously, at least to me, it is completely a fabrication. Winston-Salem police closed Burke Street for several hours this morning as detectives investigate the second killing there in as many months. [56][57], In March 2022, a conservative commentator promoted claims that the Waunakee School District in Wisconsin had a "furry protocol" specifying the rules for furries, including being "allowed to dress in their choice of furry costumes" and "choose not to run in gym class but instead sit at the feet of their teacher and lick their paws". 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. Its not your fault the misinformation is pervasive. Legitimate concerns can help our school community grow, whereas these sorts of rumors really hurt our school community, she said. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Two Things: Victim's family not surprised by no show; hospital wars in Greensboro and money well spent, Rural Hall officials violated state law, audit finds. Sometimes they dress up in full costumes (known as fursuits), designed to look like anthropomorphic characters theyve imagined. [33][34] High rates of suicide and suicidal ideation among transgender youth were also cause for concern. [42] Later in the same month, two Republican lawmakers in the Minnesota House of Representatives, Steve Drazkowski and Tim Miller, repeated debunked stories about schools providing litter boxes in a debate about a statewide student survey. A SCHOOL in Michigan has bizarrely been accused by outraged parents of installing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identify as cats and dogs. High 39F. Monique Curet , PolitiFact. Vance from Ohio and U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, while U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado had a narrow lead in her race that had not been called several weeks after the November 8 election. I want to be sure that our school is providing the community with opportunities to engage with us. Deputies in Davidson County rushed to help a 69-year-old man they'd found unresponsive in his house following a welfare check. School districts do have an absorbent material they use to clean up, but its not cat litter. Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools, After Truth: Disinformation and the Cost of Fake News, COVID-19 misinformation in the Philippines, Historical distortion regarding Ferdinand Marcos, Disinformation in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Media censorship and disinformation during the Gezi Park protests, Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Litter_boxes_in_schools_hoax&oldid=1141965866, LGBT-related controversies in the United States, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 20:18. Research also indicates that a fursona can help facilitate interactions with others and result in more social confidence. Restaurant is celebrating its 20th anniversary. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. [100] Two fact-checking assessment by Reuters, in July 2022 and again in October 2022, concluded that there was no evidence that schools were officially recognizing the animal expressions of students participating in the furry fandom trend or accommodating students with litter boxes. Winds light and variable. ", "Conservatives Are Obsessed With This Lie About Students Identifying as Furries", "Folklorist: Sky View High School litter box rumor follows pattern of 'urban legends', "Opinion | America Is Being Consumed by a Moral Panic Over Trans People", "Culture wars take center stage in Tudor Dixon's education proposals", "Trans athletes, book bans: How school elections became political battlefields", "Did Salem-Keizer allow a student who identifies as a cat to bring a litter box to school? Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., #100, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. J.B. Answer: The IRS and N.C. Department of Revenue have the forms available on their websites and they can be printed them out from your home computer. Jan. 25, 2022. West Meadows Townhome Homeowners Association, Paragliders soar past second highest mountain in the world, Venus may have 'evolving' surface, constantly changing due to subsurface bubbling, Millions at Risk of Slipping Into Poverty as COVID-Era SNAP Benefits Set to End, More than 300 words have been added to the English dictionary. Read more about our fact-checking work here . ", "School district denies litter boxes for students identifying as 'furries', "Herald Sun story about schoolgirl identifying as a cat goes viral but lacks evidence", "Local Opinion: Kids get schooled in politics", "School litter box fever will not die in Iowa", "ICYMI NBC: 20+ Politicians Promote Bizarre Claim That Youth Are Identifying as Cats", "Jensen spreads false rumor about Minnesota's LGBTQ+ youth", "School installs litter boxes and promises more cat-friendly policies after increase in 'feline-identifying' students", "John Oliver Exposes GOP's Most 'Heartbreakingly Stupid' Anti-Trans Talking Point", "Debunking, rebuttals didn't stop claim about litter boxes in schools from spreading before midterms", "These Candidates Pushed 2022's Dumbest ConspiracySchoolkids Using Litter BoxesAnd Many (But Not All) Lost Big", "Lindsey Graham Says Midterm Elections Are 'Definitely Not a Republican Wave, That's for Darn Sure', 9 questions about furries you were too embarrassed to ask, Fur-mongering: Fake news about children 'identifying' as animals is the latest stunt being pushed by so-called parental rights advocates, Colorado GOP Governor Candidate Latest To Fall For Student 'Furries' HoaxHere's How Many Others Have Been Duped, The 'Litter Box in Schools' Lie Is a Litmus Test for Idiots, What are 'furries?' However, its worth noting there are many marginalized statuses within the furry community. [102][103], Elizabeth Brown from Reason suggested the litter box rumors became popular due to "lin[ing] up perfectly with conservative fears about transgender and non-binary students". But first, Winston-Salem officials are documenting its history. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. "There are no litter boxes in our schools. Lamoille South Unified Union Superintendent Ryan Heraty has heard the rumors too. Photo illustration by Slate. All contents 2023 The Slate Group LLC. In late October, Don Bolduc, the Republican U.S. Senate nominee in New Hampshire, claimed schools were offering litter boxes for students who identified as cats Answering the question, 'Are Star Trek fans Trekkies or Trekkers?'. [113] Television show host John Oliver debunked litter box claims on the episode of Last Week Tonight that aired on October 24, 2022. 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