Litter Boxes In Schools
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Starting in 2021, a false rumor alleged that certain North American schools were providing
litter box A litter box, also known as a sandbox, cat box, litter tray, cat pan, potty, pot, or litter pan, is an indoor feces and urine collection box for cats, as well as Domestic rabbit, rabbits, ferrets, miniature pigs, small dogs, and other pets that ...
es in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", or who participate in the furry,
otherkin Otherkin is a subculture of people who identify as partially or entirely nonhuman. Some otherkin believe their identity derives from non-physical spiritual phenomena, such as having a nonhuman soul or reincarnation. Some otherkin give non-spi ...
or therian subcultures. Various American
conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...
and
right-wing Right-wing politics is the range of political ideologies that view certain social orders and hierarchies as inevitable, natural, normal, or desirable, typically supporting this position based on natural law, economics, authority, property ...
politicians and media personalities promoted the hoax in response to several school districts enacting protections for
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
students. Many news outlets, fact-checking websites, and academic researchers have debunked such claims. Further, officials from every school named by those promoting the hoax have verified that the accusations are false. The claims have been described as
internet trolling In slang, a troll is a person who posts deliberately offensive or provocative messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a internet forum, forum, a chat room, an Multiplayer video game, online video game) or who performs similar be ...
,
fearmongering Fearmongering, or scaremongering, is the act of exploiting feelings of fear by using exaggerated rumors of impending danger, usually for personal gain. Theory According to evolutionary anthropology and evolutionary biology, humans have a strong ...
, and anti-transgender rhetoric. The hoax was reported in
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
, Canada in October 2021. It was initially thought to be a joke; however, it had to be formally disavowed as misinformation circulated on social media. Rumors spread to other Canadian provinces and schools. In the United States, popular media coverage of the hoax originally revolved around a school in
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
in December 2021; however, the rumors spread to schools in several other states. Ahead of the
2022 elections The following elections were scheduled to occur in 2022. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world. * 2022 United Nations Security Council election * 2022 national electoral calendar * 2022 local e ...
, several prominent American politicians and media personalities spread the hoax, including Representatives
Marjorie Taylor Greene Marjorie Taylor Greene ( Taylor; born May 27, 1974), sometimes referred to by her initials MTG, is an American far-rightSources describing Greene as "far-right" include: * * * * * * * * * * * politician, businesswoman, and cons ...
of Georgia and
Lauren Boebert Lauren Opal Boebert ( ; ; born December 19, 1986) is an American politician, businesswoman, and gun rights activist serving as the U.S. representative for beginning in 2025, having previously represented from 2021 to 2025. From 2013 to 202 ...
of Colorado, Minnesota Republican gubernatorial nominee Scott Jensen, Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee
Heidi Ganahl Heidi Ganahl (born September 9, 1966) is an American businesswoman, entrepreneur, author, and formerly an elected member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents. She is the founder and former CEO of Camp Bow Wow, an international pet care ...
, retired brigadier general and New Hampshire Republican US Senate nominee Don Bolduc, podcast host
Joe Rogan Joseph James Rogan (born August 11, 1967) is an American podcaster, Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. He hosts The Joe Rogan Experience, ''The Joe Rogan Experience'', which is o ...
(who later clarified there was no "proof that they put a litter box" in a particular school), Chaya Raichik of
Libs of TikTok Libs of TikTok is a handle for various far-right and anti-LGBT social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik ( ), a former real estate agent. Raichik uses the accounts to repost content created by left-wing and LGBT people on TikTok or othe ...
, and Christian talk show host Bill Cunningham. Several parents of school-age children have amplified the hoax on social media websites such as
Facebook Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
. The hoax spread in North America largely as backlash against recognition of
gender variance Gender nonconformity or gender variance is gender expression by an individual whose behavior, mannerisms, and/or appearance does not match masculine or feminine gender norms. A person can be gender-nonconforming regardless of their gender identity ...
in schools. In 2023, the hoax was repeated in Australia, Britain and New Zealand. Some conservative politicians and activists argued that protections for
LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...
students in schools had "gone too far" and that litter box accommodations are what they might lead to next, despite there being no confirmed instances of schools providing litter boxes for students to defecate or urinate in, or planning to do so.


Background

Furries The furry fandom is a subculture interested in anthropomorphic animal characters. Some examples of anthropomorphic attributes include exhibiting human intelligence and facial expressions, speaking, walking on two legs, and wearing clothes. The te ...
are a
subculture A subculture is a group of people within a culture, cultural society that differentiates itself from the values of the conservative, standard or dominant culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures ...
interested in
anthropomorphic Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology. Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics to ...
animal characters, with fandom members frequently often interacting with others through online roleplay, art,
conventions Convention may refer to: * Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct ** Treaty, an agreement in international law ** Convention (political norm), uncodified legal or political tradition * Convention (meeting) ...
and
cosplay Cosplay, a blend word of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and Fashion accessory, fashion accessories to represent a specific Character (arts), character. Cosplayers often i ...
. Many view the fandom solely as a hobby, and do not identify as or perceive themselves to be animals. Those that do may identify as
otherkin Otherkin is a subculture of people who identify as partially or entirely nonhuman. Some otherkin believe their identity derives from non-physical spiritual phenomena, such as having a nonhuman soul or reincarnation. Some otherkin give non-spi ...
or therian. While the fandom is popularly perceived as such, it is not innately sexual or
fetishistic A fetish is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular, a human-made object that has power over others. Essentially, fetishism is the attribution of inherent non-material value, or powers, to an object. Talismans and amulets ...
.
LGBTQIA+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group is ...
identity is substantially over-represented among furries compared to the general population. According to Lynn McNeill, a
folklorist Folklore studies (also known as folkloristics, tradition studies or folk life studies in the UK) is the academic discipline devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currency in the 1950s to distinguish the ac ...
at
Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...
, false rumors of furries using litter boxes date back to at least the early 2000s as satire, and became a recurring
urban legend Urban legend (sometimes modern legend, urban myth, or simply legend) is a genre of folklore concerning stories about an unusual (usually scary) or humorous event that many people believe to be true but largely are not. These legends can be e ...
. Sharon Roberts, a faculty member at
Renison University College Renison University College is an affiliated university college#Canada, university college of the University of Waterloo and located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Renison's campus is situated on the western border of University of Waterloo, Wate ...
and co-founder of a furry research group called Furscience, had not, in a decade of researching furry conventions, encountered any instances of furries using litter boxes. School boards in the late 2010s and early 2020s saw heightened controversy (described by some as a
moral panic A moral panic is a widespread feeling of fear that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society. It is "the process of arousing social concern over an issue", usually perpetuated by moral e ...
or
culture war A culture war is a form of cultural conflict (metaphorical " war") between different social groups who struggle to politically impose their own ideology (moral beliefs, humane virtues, and religious practices) upon mainstream society, or upon ...
) surrounding accommodations for
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
,
non-binary Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
, and otherwise
gender-variant Gender nonconformity or gender variance is gender expression by an individual whose behavior, mannerisms, and/or appearance does not match masculine or feminine gender norms. A person can be gender-nonconforming regardless of their gender ident ...
students, such as unisex restrooms, and allowing students to use bathrooms and participate on sports teams corresponding to their
gender identities Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent and consistent with the i ...
. High rates of suicide and
suicidal ideation Suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, is the thought process of having ideas or ruminations about the possibility of dying by suicide.World Health Organization, ''ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics'', ver. 09/2020MB26.A Suicidal i ...
among
transgender youth Transgender youth are children or adolescents who do not identify with the Sex assignment, sex they were assigned at birth. Because transgender youth are usually dependent on their parents for care, shelter, financial support, and other needs ...
were also cause for concern. In 2022, parents and advocacy groups across the U.S. made a concerted push to ban books from libraries, predominantly those discussing race, sexuality, and gender. In 2016, American radio show host
Michael L. Brown Michael L. Brown (born March 16, 1955) is an American radio host, author, apologist, activist, and proponent of Messianic Judaism, Christian Zionism, and the Charismatic Movement. His nationally syndicated radio show, ''The Line of Fire'', airs ...
wrote an opinion piece in ''
The Christian Post ''The Christian Post'' is an American non-denominational, conservative, evangelical Christian online newspaper. Based in Washington, D.C., it was founded in March 2004. News topics include the Church, ministries, missions, education, Christi ...
'' opposing to transgender accommodations and gender-affirming procedures, stating, "if we don't stop this downward slide, we might soon be required to provide litter boxes for people who identify as cats." Some conservative politicians and alt-right media commentators had used false litter box rumors to generate alarm about what accommodations for LGBTQIA+ students might lead to, and have falsely accused LGBT-inclusive educators of "child grooming". Throughout 2021 and 2022, online rumors of students dressing and acting like cats circulated, spurred on by prank videos. Rumors sparked public outcry and calls for administrative action from concerned parents, with a school board in
Statesville, North Carolina Statesville is a city in Iredell County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. The population was 28,419 at the time of the 2020 census. Statesville was established in 1789 by an act of the North Carolina Legislature. It is part ...
proposing a formal ban on animal costumes. In August 2021, a high school in
Meade County, Kentucky Meade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,003. Its county seat is Brandenburg. The county was founded December 17, 1823, and named for Captain James M. Meade, who was killed i ...
said that a small number of students had violated their existing dress code. There was no evidence, however, that any schools had provided litter boxes in restrooms to any students. The only known official instance of cat litter being placed in school classrooms for potential use by students was in the late 2010s by the Jefferson County Public School District in Colorado, where the 1999
Columbine High School massacre A school shooting and attempted bombing occurred on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado, United States. The perpetrators, twelfth-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, murdered 13 students and one teach ...
took place. Some teachers were given "go buckets" that contained cat litter to be used as a toilet in an emergency lockdown situation, such as during a
school shooting A school shooting is an Gun violence, armed attack at an educational institution, such as a primary school, secondary school, high school or university, involving the use of a firearm. Many school shootings are also categorized as mass shooti ...
.


Timeline


Canada

Unsubstantiated rumors surfaced in
Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island is an island Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. While it is the smallest province by land area and population, it is the most densely populated. The island has several nicknames: "Garden of the Gulf", ...
in October 2021, possibly as a joke. 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". As the hoax spread widely in the United States and garnered media attention, online rumors spread to several other Canadian provinces and schools. In September 2022,
Durham District School Board The Durham District School Board (DDSB), known as English/French language Public District School Board No. 13 prior to 1999, is an English-language public-secular school board in the province of Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provi ...
in
Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
denied rumors and said they "may be rooted in transphobia and homophobia with the intent to diminish and trivialize gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation and cause harm to students and staff who identify as 2SLGBTQI." 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". A school official said there was a request for cat litter in one school, but it was denied by the school board and that they did not recognize animal identities. The same month, the education director of the Lambton-Kent District School Board dispelled litter box rumors. By November 2022, school officials for several other Canadian provinces released statements refuting rumors that litter boxes were being provided in schools.


United States

In December 2021, conservative activist Lisa Hansen in
Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...
gave public testimony before the Midland Public Schools school board as it discussed
COVID-19 testing COVID-19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that cases COVID-19 and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The two main types of tests detect either the presence of the viru ...
requirements for students, claiming she was informed that litter boxes had been added in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", along with claiming that it was a "nationwide" issue and that there was an "agenda that is being pushed". The rumors later gained traction in January 2022, after a video of the school board meeting was shared by Meshawn Maddock, the co-chair for the
Michigan Republican Party The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan, United States, sometimes referred to as MIGOP. Ronna Romney McDaniel was the chairwoman of the party, having been elected in 2015 by delegates ...
, who promoted the rumors. The video was also shared by
Libs of TikTok Libs of TikTok is a handle for various far-right and anti-LGBT social-media accounts operated by Chaya Raichik ( ), a former real estate agent. Raichik uses the accounts to repost content created by left-wing and LGBT people on TikTok or othe ...
, a politically influential right-wing
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
account of Chaya Raichik with several hundred-thousand followers. 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". In January 2022, Michelle Evans, a Texan Republican running for Congress, claimed that cafeteria tables were "being lowered in certain
Round Rock Independent School District Round Rock Independent School District (RRISD) is a school district headquartered in the city of Round Rock, Texas, United States. As of 2022, the school district serves over 48,000 students, prekindergarten through grade 12. District boundar ...
middle and high schools to allow 'furries' to more easily eat without utensils or their hands". The school district denied the claims. In February 2022, the Carroll Community School District in
Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...
was accused of providing litter boxes for those who identified as cats. The district's superintendent denied this claim, stating "Staff members are not encouraging or accommodating anyone behaving or identifying as a cat or any other animal". In March 2022, a conservative commentator promoted claims that the Waunakee School District in
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
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".
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
fact-checked Fact-checking is the process of verifying the factual accuracy of questioned reporting and statements. Fact-checking can be conducted before or after the text or content is published or otherwise disseminated. Internal fact-checking is such che ...
the claim, stating there was no evidence for it; the school district also denied the claim. Joe Seiwert, a
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
state representative, made a false claim during a public forum. In
North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
, Fargo School Board member Jennifer Benson said litter boxes had been placed in school restrooms, but she declined to present evidence of it when requested by local media, and school officials in Fargo and elsewhere in North Dakota said the claim was the result of false rumors being spread nationally. Despite several rumors in the
Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
being debunked, rumors circulated on internet forums in
Cache Valley Cache Valley ''( Shoshoni: Seuhubeogoi, “Willow Valley”)'' is a valley of northern Utah and southeast Idaho, United States, that includes the Logan metropolitan area. The valley was used by 19th century mountain men and was the site of th ...
,
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
, about litter boxes being placed in Sky View High School, which schools officials could not corroborate. In April 2022, a satirical post of a fake e-mail went viral, claiming that
Kokomo High School Kokomo High School (merged with Haworth High School in 1984) is a four-year public high school in Kokomo, Indiana, USA. The school is the only high school in the Kokomo School Corporation. History The earliest Kokomo High School found in rec ...
in
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
was allowing students identifying as animals to have "special accommodations and certain privileges", including litter boxes in bathrooms.
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
reported that the post was shared more than 10,000 times. The school's principal confirmed the post was fake. In
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
, administrators for Dansville Central School refuted litter box rumors after an Instagram post received thousands of views. Later in the same month, two Republican lawmakers in the
Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...
, Steve Drazkowski and Tim Miller, repeated debunked stories about schools providing litter boxes in a debate about a statewide student survey. School board candidates in
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
,
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, and
North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...
also made unverified claims about litter boxes being provided in schools. In May 2022, during a televised debate on a bill in the
Nebraska legislature The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislative branch, legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln, Nebraska, Lincoln. With 49 members, known as "senators ...
, the Republican state senator Bruce Bostelman claimed that "schools are wanting to put litter boxes in the schools" for students who were furries. A few hours after, the state senator retracted his claim and apologized, having gained backlash online. In Iowa, Republican state senator
Tim Kraayenbrink Tim Kraayenbrink (born 1959) is the Iowa State Senator from the Iowa Senate, District 5, 5th District. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he has served in the Iowa Senate since winning election in 2015. Born in Paullina, Iowa, Kraa ...
said at a public forum that schools were putting litter boxes in schools for furries to use. He later said that he had not verified the claim was true prior to sharing it. By that same month, local school officials in
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
and
Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...
had also dispelled litter box rumors. In June 2022, social media posts in
Hannibal, Missouri Hannibal is a city along the Mississippi River in Marion County, Missouri, Marion and Ralls County, Missouri, Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,108, ...
, falsely claimed that the school district was placing water bowls and cat litter boxes in school restrooms and that the issue would be discussed at an upcoming board meeting. In response, the superintendent of the school board visited every bathroom in the district, and verified at the meeting that the rumors were untrue. In July 2022, administrators for Meade School District in
South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...
clarified in response to rumors that litter boxes would not be provided to students who self-identify as animals in response to rumors. In
Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
, Republican Congressional candidate Ed Thelander repeated the hoax in an interview for a far-right website. When a clip of the interview circulated widely in the media in October, Thelander said, "I don't believe it now", and that he was unable to corroborate the rumors he had heard from others. In August 2022, rumors of litter boxes were directed at two high schools in South Carolina. Administrators for Horry County Schools said the rumors were part of a nationwide hoax and untrue. In September 2022, during a
rally Rally or rallye may refer to: Gatherings * Political demonstration, a political rally, a political demonstration of support or protest, march, or parade * Pep rally, an event held at a North American school or college sporting event Sport ...
for former president
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
, congresswoman
Marjorie Taylor Greene Marjorie Taylor Greene ( Taylor; born May 27, 1974), sometimes referred to by her initials MTG, is an American far-rightSources describing Greene as "far-right" include: * * * * * * * * * * * politician, businesswoman, and cons ...
promoted the rumors while she was interviewed by RSBN.
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
Republican gubernatorial candidate
Heidi Ganahl Heidi Ganahl (born September 9, 1966) is an American businesswoman, entrepreneur, author, and formerly an elected member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents. She is the founder and former CEO of Camp Bow Wow, an international pet care ...
falsely claimed that schools in the state were recognizing cat identities of students. Ganahl criticized schools that allowed students to dress up as cats, but she did not claim schools were providing litter boxes. One school in Colorado did admit it had placed buckets of cat litter in classrooms several years prior for a backup option in the event of an emergency lock down, but there was no evidence of any accommodations for furries in Colorado schools. In
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
, State Board of Education member Brendan Shea repeated the litter box rumor in debate about a resolution to restrict protections for LGBTQIA+ students. In
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, state senator
Janice Bowling Janice Bowling is an American politician in Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky ...
made the litter box claim during a committee meeting and characterized it as "growing crisis" — state and local officials countered that it was false information. In
Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, Mary Brimer, a Republican town council member for
North Kingstown North Kingstown is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States, and is part of the Providence metropolitan area. Its population was 27,732 in the 2020 census. North Kingstown is the birthplace of American portraitist Gilbert Stuar ...
, posted on social media that two local students were identifying as cats and were being accommodated with litter boxes in school restrooms — the superintendent of the local school district said the rumors were false. Local education officials in
South Carolina South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
and
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
issued public statements to refute local and national rumors that litter boxes were being provided in schools. In
Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...
, Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Jensen repeated the false rumor in a campaign speech about gender identity issues. Jensen said:
"But what about education? What are we doing to our kids? Why are we telling elementary kids that they get to choose their gender this week? Why do we have litter boxes in some of the school districts so kids can pee in them, because they identify as a furry? We've lost our minds. We've lost our minds."
Jensen's campaign declined media requests to substantiate the litter box claim, which the
Minnesota Department of Education Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is a state agency of Minnesota. Its headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minneapolis.
"Min ...
and several school districts refuted. In October 2022,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
Republican congressional candidate in the 11th district Catalina Lauf reacted to a
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
news story about Jensen's false claim, saying on Twitter, "...this is not a hoax and is happening in schools in Illinois, too". When confronted by local media to validate the claim, Lauf instead criticized a state policy to provide free menstrual hygiene products in schools and teachers who refer to children by their preferred gender pronouns. At a campaign event, congresswoman
Lauren Boebert Lauren Opal Boebert ( ; ; born December 19, 1986) is an American politician, businesswoman, and gun rights activist serving as the U.S. representative for beginning in 2025, having previously represented from 2021 to 2025. From 2013 to 202 ...
alleged that litter boxes were being provided to students who identify as cats in
Durango, Colorado Durango is the home rule city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 19,071 at the 2020 United States census. Durango is the home of Fort Lewis College ...
, which administrators for the local school district said were untrue. In
North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
, Iredell-Statesville Schools considered a ban on students wearing furry costumes, in part due to the burden of staff having to refute unsubstantiated rumors about litter boxes in restrooms. The school district, along with nearby Lincoln County Schools, said there was no evidence of litter boxes being used on campuses. While interviewing
Tulsi Gabbard Tulsi Gabbard (; born April 12, 1981) is an American politician and military officer serving as the director of National Intelligence, director of national intelligence (DNI) since 2025. She has held the rank of Lieutenant colonel (United Stat ...
on his
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a List of companies of Sweden, Swedish Music streaming service, audio streaming and media service provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. , it is one of the largest providers of music streaming services ...
show,
Joe Rogan Joseph James Rogan (born August 11, 1967) is an American podcaster, Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC color commentator, comedian, actor, and former television host. He hosts The Joe Rogan Experience, ''The Joe Rogan Experience'', which is o ...
shared a rumor that a school was providing a litter box for a student that identified as a cat. Rogan offered no evidence to support the claim, which was circulated on social media and shared on Instagram by the Libs of TikTok account. Rogan said in an interview with ''
Uproxx Uproxx Studios (stylized as ''UPROXX'') is an American music, entertainment and popular culture website and content studio. It was founded in 2008 by Jarret Myer and Brian Brater. The website was acquired in 2014 by Woven Digital (which later ...
'' several weeks later that "it doesn't seem that there's any proof that they put a litter box in there", but also claimed that "there
ere Ere or ERE may refer to: * ''Environmental and Resource Economics'', a peer-reviewed academic journal * ERE Informatique, one of the first French video game companies * Ere language, an Austronesian language * Ebi Ere (born 1981), American-Nigeria ...
discussions about doing it because there was one particularly wacky mother". During an interview with Ohio Republican Senate candidate
J.D. Vance James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman, August2, 1984) is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republic ...
, Christian talk show host Bill Cunningham said that schools were providing litter boxes for students to defecate in. During a tele-town hall with U.S. Senator
Ron Johnson Ronald Harold Johnson (born April 8, 1955) is an American businessman and politician serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Wisconsin, a seat he has held since 2011. A Rep ...
of Wisconsin, a participant shared a rumor that litter boxes were being placed in West Bend schools. While speaking to supporters at a campaign event, retired brigadier general and United States Senate candidate Don Bolduc alleged schools were providing litter boxes to students who dress up as furries and cats. In November 2022, Bolduc said during a televised debate that the burden was on the school to prove that litter boxes were not being used; the school named by Bolduc confirmed it was a false allegation. Several school officials in
San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a County (United States), county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 282,424. The county seat is San Luis Obispo ...
, had to refute false litter box rumors, which may have emanated from the promulgation of the hoax by radio show host Joe Rogan. Rogan subsequently admitted to spreading misinformation. As he endorsed two local school board candidates,
Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...
Republican state representative
Robert Morris Robert or Bob Morris may refer to: :''Ordered chronologically within each section.'' Politics and the law * Robert Hunter Morris (1700–1764), lieutenant governor of Colonial Pennsylvania * Robert Morris (financier) (1734–1806), one of the Foun ...
falsely claimed schools were providing "litter boxes in bathrooms for students identifying as animals". In Oklahoma, Ryan Walters, a candidate for state school superintendent, spread the rumor while speaking at a campaign event. American football television commentator
Tony Dungy Anthony Kevin Dungy ( ; born October 6, 1955) is an American former professional football safety and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts ...
posted a statement on Twitter promoting the hoax on January 18, 2023. After facing backlash, he deleted the tweet and later apologized. In August 2023, Fox News anchor
Shannon Bream Shannon Noelle Bream ( DePuy; born December 23, 1970) is an American journalist and Lawyer, attorney who is a host of ''Fox News Sunday'' on Fox News. She is also chief legal correspondent for the channel. In 2022, she became host of ''Fox News S ...
repeated the hoax, claiming that parents in
northern Virginia Northern Virginia, locally referred to as NOVA or NoVA, comprises several County (United States), counties and independent city (United States), independent cities in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. ...
had told her it was happening in their schools.


United Kingdom

In January 2023,
Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...
council repudiated claims made on social media that students at Banff Academy had taken part in dirty protests due to the non-provision of litter boxes for "furries". In November 2023, a school in
Pontypool Pontypool ( ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of Torfaen, within the Historic counties of Wales, historic boundaries of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshire in South Wales. , it has a population of 29,062. Locat ...
, Wales, wrote to parents in response to "a number of queries and concerns raised within the community" about the provision of litter trays to pupils, clarifying that no such trays existed.


Australia

In 2024, it was falsely claimed that a high school in
Cairns Cairns (; ) is a city in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. In the , Cairns had a population of 153,181 people. The city was founded in 1876 and named after William Cairns, Sir W ...
,
Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...
had installed a giant litter box for furries. The
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
confirmed that this claim was false.


New Zealand

In 2023 a video of
Whangārei Girls' High School Whangārei Girls' High School is a single sex state secondary school founded in 1881 in Whangārei, New Zealand. It has a roll of as of . History Whangārei Girls' High School opened in 1881 alongside Whangārei Boys' High School. In 2017 ...
students claimed that students identifying as furries required litter boxes in the school received several hundred thousand views. The school responded in June by saying that "None of this has any truth to it at all".


Fact-checking assessments

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. In early 2022,
Snopes ''Snopes'' (), formerly known as the ''Urban Legends Reference Pages'', is a fact-checking website. It has been described as a "well-regarded reference for sorting out myths and rumors" on the Internet. The site has also been seen as a source ...
rated claims of litter boxes being placed in restrooms in Michigan schools as "false" and the
Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (; AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. With 2,400 employees of 100 nationalities, AFP has an editorial presence in 260 c ...
said they were "baseless". As rumors spread in April 2022, news fact-checking organization
PolitiFact PolitiFact.com is an American nonprofit project operated by the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, with offices there and in Washington, D.C. It began in 2007 as a project of the ''Tampa Bay Times'' (then the ''St. Petersburg Times ...
did not find any credible news reports to support the claim that schools were providing litter boxes for students and rated the claim "Pants on Fire!". Two fact-checking assessment by ''
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
'', 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. According to an ''
NBC News NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
'' analysis, by mid October 2022, at least 20 conservative candidates and election officials had asserted that elementary and secondary schools were providing litter boxes or other accommodations for students who identify as cats—every school district named in such claims said they were false. A review of the rumors by
center-right Centre-right politics is the set of right-wing politics, right-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. It is commonly associated with conservatism, Christian democracy, liberal conservatism, and conservative liberalis ...
news website '' The Bulwark'' reached a similar conclusion as ''NBC News'' and referred to the hoax as "Furrygate".


Reactions


News media columnists

Elizabeth Brown from ''
Reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing valid conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, religion, scien ...
'' suggested the litter box rumors became popular due to "lin ngup perfectly with conservative fears about
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
and
non-binary Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
students". Kelly Weill from ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. Founded in 2008, the website is owned by IAC Inc. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief ...
'' argued that the politicization of furries in classrooms was a proxy for the broader cultural discussion about race and gender issues.
Michelle Goldberg Michelle Goldberg (born 1975)"Michelle Goldberg". Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2016. Retrieved via Biography in Context database, January 28, 2017. is an American journalist and author, and an op-ed columnist for ''The New York Tim ...
of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' argued the rumors were part of a generational conflict over sex and gender identity issues in schools, and compared the rumors to the
satanic panic The Satanic panic is a moral panic consisting of over 12,000 unsubstantiated cases of Satanic ritual abuse (SRA, sometimes known as ritual abuse, ritualistic abuse, organized abuse, or sadistic ritual abuse) starting in North America in the 19 ...
frenzy of the 1980s. Columnist
Gene Lyons Gene Lyons (born September 20, 1943) is an American political columnist who has defended President Bill Clinton. Writing He and Joe Conason co-authored '' The Hunting of the President: The 10 Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton' ...
in a ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' opinion piece compared the litter box hoax to the
moral panic A moral panic is a widespread feeling of fear that some evil person or thing threatens the values, interests, or well-being of a community or society. It is "the process of arousing social concern over an issue", usually perpetuated by moral e ...
s behind the 16th century
werewolves In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (from Ancient Greek ), is an individual who can shapeshift into a wolf, or especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf–humanlike creature, either purposely or after bei ...
tales in Germany and the
witch hunts A witch hunt, or a witch purge, is a search for people who have been labeled witches or a search for evidence of witchcraft. Practicing evil spells or incantations was proscribed and punishable in early human civilizations in the Middle East ...
of 17th century New England. Hayes Brown, an
MSNBC MSNBC is an American cable news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Launched on July 15, 1996, and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts r ...
opinion columnist, said it was unclear if politicians spreading the rumors actually believed them or not, but that either way the act of repeating the rumors was "to the detriment of trans kids". Ben Cost of the conservative tabloid newspaper ''
New York Post The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' said while explaining the history of the Michigan rumors that, "It's a load of kitty litter." Christopher Tremoglie of the conservative website ''
Washington Examiner The ''Washington Examiner'' is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative news magazine based in Washington, D.C., consisting of a website and a weekly printed magazine. It is owned by Philip Anschutz through MediaDC, a subsidiar ...
'' said that rumors in mid 2022 of litter boxes in Iowa schools were false. He also said regarding a widely circulated story by the ''
Herald Sun The ''Herald Sun'' is a Conservatism, conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the American Rupert Murdoch, Murd ...
''
tabloid newspaper A tabloid is a newspaper format characterized by its compact size, smaller than a broadsheet. The term originates from the 19th century, when the London-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline, Burroughs Wellcome & Co. used the term to de ...
about an Australian teenager allowed to act as a cat in class that was never verified, and of the broader discussion of gender identity issues, "This is the world we live in today, and this is the danger created by normalizing transgender delusions in young students who may get over it. The enabling of this behavior is helping people with legitimate mental health issues get applause instead of the medical help they truly need." In an opinion article in the ''
Arizona Daily Star The ''Arizona Daily Star'' is an American daily newspaper based in Tucson, Arizona, and owned by Lee Enterprises. It serves Tucson and surrounding districts of Southern Arizona in the United States. History 1877–1925 L. C. Hughes was the ...
'', Judy Doll argued that Republican politicians were using the litter box hoax as a way to call "into question the moral values of everyone associated with public schools". Kathie Obradovich, an opinion editor with the ''
Iowa Capital Dispatch States Newsroom is a nonprofit news network in the United States. Its newsrooms focus mostly on state politics. States Newsroom grew out of NC Policy Watch, a progressive think tank founded in 2004 by Chris Fitzsimon, who said it "is sort of t ...
'', argued that the litter box hoax served the political purpose of instilling fear in parents of public schools as a way to shift public education dollars towards private and religious schools. Todd Dorman of '' The Gazette'' made a similar argument.


LGBTQIA+ activists

Local LGBTQIA+ activists in Prince Edward Island said the October 2021 litter box rumors were a form of
internet trolling In slang, a troll is a person who posts deliberately offensive or provocative messages online (such as in social media, a newsgroup, a internet forum, forum, a chat room, an Multiplayer video game, online video game) or who performs similar be ...
in an attempt "to make the queer community seem ridiculous, in order to paint all of the community's concerns as absurd". James Factora, a writer with LGBTQIA+ news website ''
Them Them or THEM, a third-person singular or plural accusative personal pronoun, may refer to: Books * ''Them'' (novel), 3rd volume (1969) in American Joyce Carol Oates' ''Wonderland Quartet'' * '' Them: Adventures with Extremists'', 2003 non-fict ...
'', 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." Geoff Wetrosky of the
Human Rights Campaign The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is an American LGBTQ advocacy group. It is the largest LGBTQ political lobbying organization within the United States. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on protecting and expanding rights for L ...
, said, "The attention this freakish lie has received on social media illustrates the pernicious influence of disinformation and that anti-LGBTQIA+ politicians will do and say anything to animate the most extreme fringe—no matter the consequence." Leigh Finke, a transgender candidate for the
Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...
in the 2022 election, said about the rumors, "It's a really gross thing no one should have to hear. It is not true. And I don't want to waste my time saying trans kids aren't animals."


Teachers

Education Minnesota Education Minnesota is an American trade union representing pre-K to 12 education teachers, school support staff and higher education faculty in Minnesota. It is affiliated with both the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Fede ...
said that the internet hoax "appears to be an attempt to discredit school policies intended to make schools safe and welcoming for students".


Satire and comedy

Australian satirical website ''Damascus Dropbear'' published a new fake story in August 2022 about a school in Melbourne providing litter boxes. Television show host
John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British and American comedian who hosts ''Last Week Tonight with John Oliver'' on HBO. He started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom and came to wider attention for his work ...
debunked litter box claims on the episode of ''
Last Week Tonight A last is a mechanical form shaped like a human foot. It is used by shoemakers and cordwainers in the manufacture and repair of shoes. Lasts come in many styles and sizes, depending on the exact job they are designed for. Common variations ...
'' that aired on October 24, 2022.


Impact


2022 United States elections

In the months leading up to the
2022 United States elections Elections in the United States, Elections were held in the United States on November 8, 2022, with the exception of absentee balloting. During this U.S. midterm election, which occurred during the term of president Joe Biden, all 435 seats in ...
, online mentions of the litter boxes in schools increased significantly as several Republican candidates repeated the hoax. It was also mentioned by talk show hosts such as Joe Rogan. Attempts by the news media to debunk false rumors were largely unsuccessful in stopping their spread. Many of the prominent American politicians seeking public office who promoted the hoax were defeated in the 2022 elections. Among those who promoted the hoax who were unsuccessful in seeking public office included New Hampshire candidate for U.S. Senate Don Bolduc, Colorado candidate for governor Heidi Ganahl, Illinois candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Catalina Lauf, Minnesota candidate for governor Scott Jensen, and Maine candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives Ed Thelander. Those who had promoted the hoax and prevailed in their races included U.S. Senate candidate J.D. Vance from Ohio and incumbent U.S. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. Virginia Chamlee of ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' said that Bolduc's repeating of the false claims during his political campaign may have alienated moderate voters and led to his defeat by
Maggie Hassan Margaret Wood Hassan ( ; ; born February 27, 1958) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator for New Hampshire since 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Hassan was the 81st governor of New Hampshire, ...
in the race for a New Hampshire United States Senate seat.


Proposed legislation

Several Republican lawmakers in the U.S. state of North Dakota sponsored legislation to prohibit schools from adopting "a policy establishing or providing a place, facility, school program, or accommodation that caters to a student's perception of being any animal species other than human". In January 2024, Oklahoma representative Justin Humphrey introduced legislation that would ban students that identify as animals or who "engage in anthropomorphic behavior" from participating in school activities and allow
animal control An animal control service or animal control agency is an entity charged with responding to requests for help with animals, including wild animals, dangerous animals, and animals in distress. An individual who works for such an entity was once kn ...
to remove the student from the premises. In March 2025, Texas representative Stan Gerdes sponsored a similar bill, the Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education (FURRIES) Act.


See also

*
Anti-gender movement The anti-gender movement is a global phenomenon that opposes concepts often referred to as "gender ideology" or "gender theory". These loosely-defined terms are commonly used by the movement to critique a range of issues related to gender equ ...
*
Bathroom bill A bathroom bill is the common name for legislation or a statute that denies access to public toilets by gender or transgender identity. Bathroom bills affect access to sex-segregated public facilities for an individual based on a determination o ...
* FURRIES Act


Notes


References


Further reading

* Matthews, Dylan (March 27, 2015).
9 questions about furries you were too embarrassed to ask
. ''
Vox Media Vox Media, Inc. is an American mass media company founded in Washington, D.C. with operational headquarters in Lower Manhattan, New York City. The company was established in November 2011 by CEO Jim Bankoff and Trei Brundrett to encompass ''S ...
''. Retrieved October 14, 2022. * Pahwa, Nitish (May 6, 2022).
Fur-mongering: Fake news about children 'identifying' as animals is the latest stunt being pushed by so-called parental rights advocates
" ''
Slate Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
''. Retrieved October 4, 2022. * Bushard, Brian (October 4, 2022).
Colorado GOP Governor Candidate Latest To Fall For Student 'Furries' Hoax—Here's How Many Others Have Been Duped
. ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
''. Retrieved October 4, 2022. * Pierce, Charles (October 17, 2022).
The 'Litter Box in Schools' Lie Is a Litmus Test for Idiots
. ''
Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentleman ...
''. Retrieved October 20, 2022. * Roberts, Sharon E. (November 7, 2022).
What are 'furries?' Debunking myths about kids identifying as animals, and litter boxes in schools
. ''
The Conversation ''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential ...
''. Retrieved November 8, 2022. {{Urban legends 2022 controversies in the United States 2021 hoaxes October 2021 in Canada 2021 in Prince Edward Island Alt-right Conspiracy theories in Canada Conspiracy theories in the United States Fake news Furry fandom Hoaxes in Canada Hoaxes in the United States Internet hoaxes Internet trolling LGBTQ-related conspiracy theories LGBTQ-related controversies in Canada LGBTQ-related controversies in the United States Moral panic Right-wing politics in Canada Right-wing politics in the United States Transphobia in the United States 2020s anti-LGBTQ movement in the United States American urban legends Canadian urban legends Cats in popular culture Education controversies in Canada Transphobia in Canada 2021 in LGBTQ history 2022 in LGBTQ history LGBTQ-related education controversies