#stan gerdes

Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation:

Texas legislator Rep. Stan Gerdes (R) has introduced The FURRIES Act, legislation to punish students who act like non-human animals in schools and penalize schools who allow this behavior. Anti-transgender Republicans claim that schools have been forced to accommodate students who identify as house pet “furries.” However, educators have largely said these claims are untrue and have led to external hostility against students and school staff. Gerdes’ FURRIES Act, which stands for Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education and Schools, expressly forbids defecating in a litter box; licking one’s self for self-grooming; making animal noises; wearing collars, leashes or animal accessories; or any “surgical or superficial means” of displaying tails, fur, ears, or other physical animal features. It would also forbid teachers from promoting the idea that any of these behaviors are socially acceptable. Anyone witnessing the acceptance of non-human animal behavior by students would be allowed to file a complaint with the state attorney general, who is currently Ken Paxton, a transphobe. The attorney general could then leverage a $10,000 fine against schools for a first violation or a $25,000 fine for subsequent violations. The legislation makes exceptions for allowing animal behavior on Halloween, special theme days and through school mascots. [...]

A brief history of right-wingers spreading the cat litter box lie

“Furries” are a subculture of people who dress up as animals (usually in mascot costumes). Right-wingers have increasingly used the term to refer to anyone who dresses up like an animal or pretends to act like one. Real-life furries say their costumes allow them to express playful and hidden parts of their personalities that are harder to show in human form. The furry community overlaps with the gaming, anime, and fantasy art communities. They’re also known for being pro-LGBTQ and anti-racist. Various conservatives — including the current administration’s Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard — have repeated lies about schools recognizing furries as a gender identity, but fact-checkers and school districts have repeatedly debunked such stories as hoaxes. Such stories are often meant to bias people against trans individuals and against trans-inclusive school policies, since they mock the idea of living as one’s authentic self.