People have sex and furries are people. We have more than enough to do in teacher education than to debunk false stories. I still have a lot of social anxiety, but I feel more confident. 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. Droits d'auteur 20102023, The Conversation France (assoc. 2 min read The post Joe Rogan Admits to Having "No Proof" That Schools Are Giving Furries Litter Boxes: "I Fed Into That" appeared first on. Similarly, furries might attend a furry convention, local meet-up, or simply connect with like-others online, but they return to everyday life on Monday just like everyone else.. We've received your submission. A couple of misunderstandings are that furries have fur fetishes or that they are psychologically dysfunctional, Plante wrote. She added, though, that there is evidence of significant misrepresentation and misunderstanding of the furry fandom leading to claims like this (and worse).. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. For example, someone who goes to a Star Trek convention and cosplays as Captain Kirk is unlikely to show up for work on Monday and demand their phone be replaced with a Star Fleet Communicator and their supervisor beam them over to building B.. A Michigan school district is denying that litter boxes were provided to students who identify as 'furries' after a woman made the claim in a school board meeting last month.. Video of the woman . What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack? ET. 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. Powers and his staff had to respond quickly, pulling together a statement to publish on social media on a Sunday night. Young says she had to do a bit of diggingand she doesnt apologize for the punon the litter box rumor issue to respond to News@Northeasterns questions on the topic. The claim is a local school district is putting litter boxes in . Photo by Getty Images. Surveys and pre-publication research from Furscience also indicate that the vast majority are LGBTQ and as many as a third are transgender. He later retracted his comments after finding out they werent true, according to reporting by the Associated Press. I really hope they stop repeating that (rumor), Young says. The character you choose is known as your fursona. And according to Bunny, a fursona is sometimes just waiting to be acknowledged. Ive studied more than 40,000 furries from 70 different countries over a decade, she said. We know sometimes information can get misunderstood and unfortunately, there can be disinformation out there, said Tracy Jentz, the communications and community engagement coordinator for the district and the north central region vice president for NSPRA. Breakout sessions are held for specific groups, such as people in fox suits or deer suits, Pratt said. She legally changed her name to Bunny. 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.. It comes out of this worry on the part of the American public that their children are going to be educated in ways that are not approved by them, Galguera says. Theres a community aspect and a character aspect.. Pratt belongs to the Facebook group Furries of Portland Maine, which has 252 members. Harmful misinformation about furries is running rampant on social media and even being promoted to some school boards. The school board members at the meeting did not respond to Ms. Hansens comments, but her remarks gained traction after Meshawn Maddock, a chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party, shared a video of the school board meeting and the comments on Facebook on Thursday. Wed., February 01, 2023, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. 13, 2022 7:00 am, Updated: May. And we just wanted to try to knock that noise down at the very least at the local level.. It takes us away from what were working on and what were trying to accomplish on a daily basis, Powers said. But other politicians who spread the rumor, including Boebert in Colorado, won. In his comments, Bolduc specifically mentioned Pinkerton Academy, a high school in Derry, N.H., that serves both public and private, tuition-paying students. . The inclusive nature of the furry fandom means that, for many furries, its a safe place where they can be their most authentic selves. Success. So far, the Rumor Has It page has been helpful in combatting harmful rumors and gathering positive feedback from the community, Grand Forks Superintendent Terry Brenner said. If your knowledge of furries. In other words, if you removed all the sexual content, there would still be a furry fandom. Roberts also noted that the vast majority of furries characters are wild or mythical animals, who wouldnt use a litter box in the first place. Log in to join the discussion. Tyler Kingkade is a national reporter for NBC News, based in Los Angeles. It is unconscionable that this afternoon I am sending this communication, 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, he wrote. Mick Pratt, 35, of Westbrook designed her partial costume and her character. Its not. Litter Boxes for Students Who Identify as Furries? But furries are often framed in a negative light. At least 20 Republican politicians have claimed that schools are making accommodations for students who identify as cats. The post quickly went viral, racking up nearly 860,000 video views on Twitter. Far from merely identifying as felines, furries are an anthropomorphic community whose members sometimes dress up as a variety of animals at conventions, or who have a special fursona with whom they connect. In December 2021, a community member shared the rumor during the public comment section of a Midland Public School Board meeting in Michigan that was later debunked by the school district. Lets focus on whats really in front of us and not make up stuff.. Young says she read that at least 20 Republican political candidates have mentioned the rumor. The fandom also has seen negative press from the media, she said. Pratt belongs to the Facebook group Furries of Portland Maine, which has 252 members. Terry Brenner, superintendent, Grand Forks school district, Grand Forks, N.D. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) A rumor going around on social media has been raising some eyebrows. 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.. Studies and surveys show that furries are mostly male and white, and likely to not be straight. Pratt, who works at Bull Moose headquarters in Portland as the marketing/social media manager, has attended more than 100 conventions. There is no truth whatsoever to this false statement/accusation! wrote MichaelE. Sharrow, the superintendent for Midland Public Schools, near Detroit, which was accused of the bizarre concession at a Dec. 20 board meeting. Best thrift stores in Boston and Oakland and is it okay to thrift XMas gifts? However, the term furry fandom was being used in online magazines as early as 1983 and had become the standard name for the genre by the mid-1990s, according to the Wikipedia entry. That is the case for Bunny Hawkins, who says that without her costume, shes not completely expressing herself. There have never been litter boxes within MPS schools.. Me and my two brain cells figured that out, scoffed one critic. As too many Republicans and their allies push the school litter box myth, it's important to remember that while the claims are dumb, they're not benign. Theres a sense of I pay for what my kids learn that isnt the case in other countries that have a national curriculum, he says. 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. She gave the example of a far-more mainstream Star Trek convention. When asked by NBC News for evidence to support her assertion, Lauf referred to an anonymous far-right blog that claimed a student was permitted to wear a furry suit to school in Hinsdale, Illinois. This story has been shared 104,401 times. 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. The writer, not identified by name, posted a piece in October alleging confirmed reports of furries employed at Bath Iron Works. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. By 1987, there was sufficient interest by people desiring to dress up like their favorite animals to stage the first furry convention. The only animals allowed in public schools are for the blind or those with a medical condition requiring a dog. Well, all kinds of people go to conferences; sometimes they have sex there. The 30-year-old lives in Skowhegan and works at the local Walmart. Still, the untrue gossip is quite hurtful. As my colleague, Courtney Plante, says: For most folks, dehydration, lack of feeling or seeing anything, overheating and clumsiness are not conducive to sexual arousal. Litter Boxes in Schools: How a Disruptive and Demeaning Hoax Frustrated School Leaders. NBC included the information in a report saying the kitty litter box rumors have become a GOP talking point in states including Colorado, Minnesota and Tennessee. This story has been shared 178,212 times. Furries dont identify as animals; they identify with animals. Join our webinar to learn from experts on how to create safe spaces using neuroscience and trauma-informed approaches. Finalists for national Superintendent of the Year say education has always been political, but deepening rifts are creating new challenges. In one segment of the video, below, at 33 minutes into the video ( the video on this page starts at 33 minutes-in, accordingly) you will see a parent whose name is Lisa mention that students identifying as furries are being provided with cat litter boxes or trays. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. There are reports of multiple cats, a gorilla and possibly a wolf furry being employed at BIW, the piece stated. The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them . In a message to the school district, Superintendent Michael E. Sharrow argued against the claims of litter boxes being provided for students that "identify as cats." (hutchyb // Canva) MIDLAND . One post calling for school districts to take action has been shared more than 31,000 times. It began as a large quest for self-discovery. Williamson explained that she understood the litter box would be for students who identify as "furries." Wormstadt said Friday he had spoken with school administrators about the topic and. We are, after all, talking about a Republican physician who has spoken out against Covid vaccines and condemned efforts to stop the spread of the virus. Create one. 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. 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