this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2025
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The Forbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education, or FURRIES, Act, filed by Austin-area Republican State Rep. Stan Gerdes, would "prohibit any non-human behavior by a student, including presenting himself or herself, on days other than exempt days, as anything other than a human being."

The law would allow for exempt days, such as Halloween and other school dress-up days.

The law defines "non-human" behavior as "any type of behavior or accessory displayed by a student in a school district other than behaviors or accessories typically displayed by a member of the homo sapiens species," with provided examples being:

Using a litter box for the passing of stool, urine or other human byproducts

A personal or outward display, except during a school play or by a school mascot, through surgical or superficial means of features that are non-human such as using tails, leashes, collars or other accessories designed for pets

Using fur, other than naturally occurring human hair or a wig made to look like human hair

Artificial, animal-like ears

Other physiological features that have not historically been assigned to the human race through a means of natural biological development

Students who bark, meow, hiss or make other animal noises that are not human speech

Licking oneself or others for the purpose of grooming or maintenance.

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[–] imsufferableninja@sh.itjust.works 114 points 3 days ago (1 children)

The party of small government

[–] RonnyZittledong@lemmy.world 72 points 3 days ago (2 children)

It's just one of several modern versions of satanic panic used to distract the dummies while they fleece them.

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[–] kbal@fedia.io 63 points 3 days ago

If enacted, I'm guessing the main effect of this would be to make "meow" the new standard greeting among a large fraction of the student population in Texas high schools.

[–] Limonene@lemmy.world 60 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Using a litter box for the passing of stool, urine or other human byproducts

They put that in the law because they want people to think it actually happens.

It reminds me of the time that a proposed bill outlawed "critical race theory" in schools, which it defined (in part) as teaching that present-day white people must feel guilty about past slavery. But nobody had ever taught that.

[–] 9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago (2 children)

They do have cat litter. Its used during lockdowns when a child is locked in their classroom and cant leave to use the restroom. One school in particular that has cat litter is Columbine.

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[–] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 51 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Lots of students with verbal communication issues about to be illegal. As are students with artifical limbs or organs or even glucose monitors. Also who gets to decide this: "other than behaviors or accessories typically displayed by a member of the homo sapiens species"?

[–] supernight52@lemmy.world 49 points 3 days ago (2 children)

It's vague, specifically so they can invoke it against any child they consider part of the "out group"- like trans, n/b, autistic, developmentally handicapped, socially handicapped, awkward, queer, "strange," brown, wrong religion, wrong clothes, wrong facial expression... the list can go on. The cruelty is the point. Fascists are literally comic levels of evil. If you are not one of "them" you are evil, bad, and need removed. Same for the ideologically impure. Shit is going to get extremely crazy within the next few months to year.

[–] supernicepojo@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

This is why I like public schools, they really dont have a lot of choice when admitting students. Kids are little over-creative sociopathic people with some hints of empathy, that can and will cause trouble just because they are bored. Without a public school systems, where we are going, the private school systems will be way pickier and choosier with whom they allow in. Any record of disturbance will probably get a student banned and theyll have to go to another school out of state or further to get an education befitting them.

[–] pivot_root@lemmy.world 9 points 3 days ago

They're already underhandedly targeting autistic kids with it as-is. Vocal stims like meowing or nonverbal communication like growling are covered directly.

[–] supernicepojo@lemmy.world 15 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Homey, they about to defund and empty the DoE, every single person in need of an IEP are about to be screwed. The students wont be illegal, they just wont be allowed in the new private school system for espousing anti-social behaviors.

Edit: I do not adhere or condone destroying the public school system in any way. The fact that the US has been defunding and legislatively attacking public schools since the 60s is deplorable behavior

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[–] ivanafterall@lemmy.world 48 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Jesus Christ, someone buy these guys a fursuit already. I'll chip in. We can do a GoFundMe.

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[–] Gerudo@lemm.ee 46 points 3 days ago

Hey DOGE, these are the dumbasses wasting taxpayer money.

[–] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 43 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Goth girls wore collars when I was in high school, before furries were a thing.

[–] comfy@lemmy.ml 19 points 3 days ago

FWIW, furries have have been 'a thing' since at least 1980. (just trivia: I know you're talking about trends in your area)

[–] theluckyone@discuss.online 42 points 3 days ago

The party of small government and personal freedoms.

Obviously, they were talking about their personal freedom to dictate the freedom of everyone else.

[–] Calcifer@eviltoast.org 36 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Okay, obvious queerphobia/freedom of expression issues and "how are these malignant societal tumors still on the debunked litter box thing" aside... Do none of these idiots remember that children often role play as animals because they have imagination and they are children? Have they even met children?!? Pretty sure "horse firefighters" or "we're all evil cats today" etc. are a common type of game played at recess or whatever. They have nothing to do with being a furry and everything to do with just regular human development? Are these people really paranoid and threatened by childhood make-believe games?

[–] courageousstep@lemm.ee 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You raise an excellent point, and it honestly makes me think of Tyson Yunkaporta’s perspective on the actual historical purpose of free public elementary education: to retrain the human mind toward total obedience to the state. In order to mold a person into obedience, you have to take away their sense of agency, their ability to think for themselves, and their creativity. Children increase their understanding of the world and express their creativity through play, which includes pretending to be elements of the world such as animals. In removing the natural ability to be creative through play, you wrangle tighter control over how they think.

So I’m not saying the creators of this bill are actively intending to further force ingrained obedience in American ~~servants~~ citizens, but I’m also not saying that they’re totally unaware of the possibilities.

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[–] Stern@lemmy.world 36 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think we're running into a phase where Republicans are proposing laws based on shared boomer facebook posts and the like rather then actual concrete issues.

[–] Gold_E_Lox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)
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[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 36 points 3 days ago

Eggs are like $9/dozen.

[–] BigMacHole@lemm.ee 35 points 3 days ago

I'm PROUD that they CUT my Child's Lunch and Teacher's salary so they could focus on THIS!

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 34 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Students who bark, meow, hiss or make other animal noises that are not human speech

The cow says "you're under arrest".

[–] Colors@lemmy.world 52 points 3 days ago

It’s actually the pig that says that.

[–] ImplyingImplications@lemmy.ca 29 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I love how there's exempt days. You can dress up like a furry once in a while as a treat.

[–] athairmor@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago

On exempt days, parents should send their kids to school as a wolf with tits and giant balls.

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[–] glitchdx@lemmy.world 27 points 3 days ago

If nothing else in my life, it does make me feel powerful how fucking afraid of me that republicans are.

[–] Nikelui@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Artificial, animal-like ears Other physiological features that have not historically been assigned to the human race through a means of natural biological development

Great outrage in the anime community following catgirls ban.

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[–] surewhynotlem@lemmy.world 24 points 3 days ago

I bet they classify homosexual behavior as not part of normal homosapiens behavior.

[–] Hoimo@ani.social 23 points 3 days ago (1 children)

But licking oneself or others for the purpose of affection is still fine, right??

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 14 points 3 days ago

sorry Mr Sanders, you and your chicken man are going to jail.

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[–] 5714@lemmy.dbzer0.com 21 points 3 days ago (2 children)
[–] QuentinCallaghan@sopuli.xyz 21 points 3 days ago

This seems to be like a recent moral panic here in Finland about therian kids in schools.

[–] Star@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 3 days ago

A grown ass man had to write this for the express purpose of stopping kids from playing at school.

Stan Gerdes what the fuck is wrong with you dude? Who hurt you?

[–] Pandantic@midwest.social 14 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

That means these are illegal now too:

collapsed inline mediagirl wearing a bejeweled car ear headband.

As well as goths/punks wearing collars. Both of these are things I did in high school, and I’m not a furry. This is so dumb.

[–] SparrowHawk@feddit.it 13 points 3 days ago

Lol most furries are plane engineers or somthin so they're angering the wrong ppl

[–] paranoid@lemmy.world 12 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Is this happening so often that it requires a law?

Why not put that money, time, and effort into providing sexual education so people better understand how to not get pregnant, reducing the occurrence of abortions?

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 18 points 3 days ago

Is this happening so often that it requires a law?

Not in any amount worth anyone's energy.

Why not put that money, time, and effort into providing sexual education so people better understand how to not get pregnant, reducing the occurrence of abortions?

Because the law must have those it binds, but does not protect..

It's wild how often it helps answer "why are they doing this?!"

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[–] cupcakezealot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 12 points 3 days ago

yo they can peel my chokers from my cold dead hands

[–] NotLemming@lemm.ee 11 points 3 days ago

You have to laugh

[–] NutWrench@lemmy.ml 11 points 3 days ago

So does this mean no more Christmas plays about Jesus, where the kids dress up for the manger scene as donkeys and camels? Or will there be a "special exemption" for that?

[–] Blaster_M@lemmy.world 10 points 3 days ago

I find this law hilarious. And incredibly dumb. Hilariously dumb. Maybe spend more on education and childcare. There's always going to be the "wild child" in school.

[–] MajorHavoc@programming.dev 10 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

And that's why Sen. Stan Gerdes had all those URLs in their browser history!

[–] Spacehooks@reddthat.com 10 points 3 days ago

GOP is against the thriving mascot community!

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