Oklahoma Republican falls for furry conspiracy, proposes bill unleashing animal control on students

An Oklahoma Republican lawmaker, state Rep. Justin Humphrey, has introduced a controversial bill seemingly targeting students who identify as furries in schools. This development comes as thousands of bills are being filed before the 2024 Oklahoma legislative sessions, many of which are unlikely to become law.

House Bill 3084 prohibits students who claim to be imaginary animals or engage in anthropomorphic behavior commonly associated with the furry subculture from participating in school activities, The Oklahomanreports. Under the proposed legislation, parents or guardians must pick up these students from school. In an unprecedented move, if parents cannot do so, the bill mandates that animal control services should be contacted to remove the student.

Humphrey's proposal aligns with a broader conservative narrative that has seen similar unfounded claims being made nationwide.

These claims have been widely debunked, often involving myths about schools accommodating students who identify as animals. Despite this, conservative politicians, including Humphrey, continue to push this narrative. In Oklahoma, the myth of schools providing litter boxes for students identifying as animals, though thoroughly disproven, has found traction in political discourse.

Humphrey's history of sponsoring contentious bills is well-documented. Notably, in 2017, he introduced a bill that sought to give men a say in abortion decisions, calling women "hosts." He has also attempted to lessen penalties for cockfighting in the state.

In an October 2022 investigation of more than 20 conservative lawmakers making claims about litter boxes in schools, NBC News reported, "There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes for students to use because they identify as cats." The report found one instance of a bucket, which was for emergencies. The bucket did contain cat litter for students to use in case of a situation like a school shooting. Those also contained first-aid kits and candy for diabetics.

Furries have often been a less discussed and known subculture. Sharon E. Roberts, a professor of social development at the University of Waterloo, wrote in The Conversation that furries are similar to people who cosplay at comic book conventions. "Furries are people who have an interest in anthropomorphism, which specifically refers to giving human characteristics to animals. 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," the outlet writes.

Roberts adds that furries aren't a sexual orientation. "It’s a fandom," Roberts wrote. "However, it’s worth noting there are many marginalized statuses within the furry community. Depending on the study, we find more than 70 percent of furries identify as LGBTQ+ and more than 25 percent are gender-identity diverse."

Oklahoma has recently witnessed proposals to ban gender-affirming care for trans youth and adults up to age 26, as well as bills limiting discussions on gender and sexuality in universities.