What in the heck is a "furry? " This is a question I was asked recently by a parent who was totally confused when they saw a story about students walking out of a middle school in Utah because the Administration of their school, Mt. Nebo Middle School, allows students who claim to be animals to act and dress up like animals during school. Other students claim to be spit on, sprayed on, clawed at, barked at etc. by these "furries." The administration allegedly set up a litter box in the girls' bathroom.
So what are "furries"? I mean it sounds so cute, right? Can this be real?
Yes, it is.
"Furries" can be defined in many different ways, but the bottom line is that they are people who dress up and portray animals in their everyday lives. It's sort of like a Halloween costume but worn more, even during the day when one might be on the job or in school. The fad started in the 1980's as an offshoot of events like Comic Con where people dress up like their favorite comic book and/or science fiction characters. Rod Stansfield and his partner Mark Merlino saw hundreds, sometimes thousands, attended the Comic Con events, and decided to start one for people who wanted to take on the appearance of animals. They suddenly had a following as big as Comic Con. The furry culture grew after several popular TV series such as CSI devoted episodes to it.
Over the decades, the concept of "furries" has started creeping into society and has morphed into a haven for some adolescents and adults who are dealing with bullying or some form of disability. Others want attention and this is a way to get it. Many associate overly committed "furries" with transgenderism and point to body dysphoria as the mental state that brings on the behavior. Some associate the behavior with sexual fetishes. Many trace the practice back to anthropomorphic animals portrayed in movies, video games, and televisions.
Not all "furries" are disruptive. Some just participate in the practice during their lives outside of work or school. Like the attendees at a Comic Con, they dress up for the weekend, have a blast, and then go home to reality.
Like any other fad, some just dip their toe in, others immerse themselves completely. Right before I retired teaching in 2012, I remember students wearing headband ears and "tails" around their waists. It wasn't a big deal and those students were not barking, growling or scratching as they traveled the hallways or sat in classrooms. In fact, we barely knew they were there.
It seems that many of today's "furries" want to take on the full character of an animal in order to fulfill their identity by wearing clothing that does, at the very least, violate district/school dress codes. In the extreme, some attend class on all fours, make animal sounds during lessons, or even demand special accommodations in bathrooms.
A furry is seven times more likely than the general population to be identified as transgender and about five times more likely to be identified as non-heterosexual.
Many ask "What's the big deal? Furries don't hurt anyone."
The problem is when "furries" disrupt classes, student learning or makes other students feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in their schools. And, the same people who ask that question will publicly ask for the suspension/expulsion of students who wear t-shirts that say, "There are two genders," feature a picture of Donald Trump, or profess their belief in Christ among other things they don't agree with.
Here's a kid who was punished for using the phrase "illegal aliens" in a classroom assignment.
He got suspended...Furries in Utah who actually disrupt class DON'T get suspended but accepted and encouraged despite the disruption they cause.
Some people tell schools to just ignore furries and they will stop. Isn't this how transgenderism was promoted in our public schools, through the celebration of drag queens with story hours? Will parents who don't want their child to be a "furry" start hearing that if they don't allow it they are an unfit parent? Or that their child will commit suicide?
Others say that this is NOT happening in schools. These are the same people who said there were no pornographic books in school libraries or counselors/teachers attempting to groom kids towards transgenderism. Many parents have found out just the opposite.
Here's the problem. The adults in our public schools no longer want to be the adults. No one wants to look at children disrupting the learning of others and tell them to stop. In fact, some teachers/administrators are just as childish as the children, looking for "validation" from kids to fulfill some need they have to be universally loved and revered.
By the way, is there a dress code in these schools? Shouldn't there be?
Don't let parents off the hook either. It's one thing for a four-year-old to want to dress up like a superhero or an animal. This practice usually wears off with time. It's quite another for a parent to allow and encourage their adolescent child to pretend to be something they are not and disrupt the learning of others. What ever happened to telling one's child that they will dress a certain way to go to school?
Why are they normalizing this behavior? What's the end goal?
Is the end goal allowing children to mutilate their bodies to mimic their favorite animal? Is it promoting a degree of dysfunction in our public square that cannot be undone? Is this another medical cottage industry cash cow like "gender affirming" care? (pun intended)
Or is it just parents and school administrators indulging spoiled children so they can be their "friends?" Here's a thought, tell little "Spot" he/she can pretend to be a dog on his own, not others', learning time.
Whatever it is, it needs to stop. And, if you don't think it is in your local schools, you're wrong. We have parents telling us about a local school where a student is not only claiming to be an animal, but is also using the opposite sex bathroom, exposing a naked half of her/his body to others while students who are in the correct sex bathroom are forced to deal with it.
Apparently, the half-naked student wants to use a urinal without the proper "equipment" to do so.
And the "adults" in the media and schools tell the parents they can't do a thing about the "thing" that they say doesn't exist. Getting it yet?
Time for someone to be the adult in the room.
Jan Greenhawk, Author
April 21, 2024
Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.
This article originally featured on the Easton Gazette.
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