Litter boxes in schools hoax

Starting in 2021, a false rumor alleged that certain North American schools were providing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who "identify as cats", or who participate in the furry, otherkin, alterhuman, or therian subcultures. Various American conservative and right-wing politicians and media personalities promoted the hoax in response to several school districts enacting protections for transgender students.[1][2] Many news outlets, fact-checking websites, and academic researchers have debunked such claims,[3][4][5] and officials from every school named by those promoting the hoax have verified that the accusations are false.[6][7] The claims have been described as internet trolling,[8] fearmongering,[9] and anti-transgender rhetoric.[10][11][12][13]

The hoax was reported in Prince Edward Island, Canada in October 2021 and initially thought to be a joke, but had to be formally disavowed as misinformation circulated on social media.[14] Rumors spread to other Canadian provinces and schools.[6] In the United States, popular media coverage of the hoax originally revolved around a school in Michigan in December 2021, but spread to schools in several other states. Ahead of the 2022 elections, several prominent American politicians and media personalities spread the hoax, including Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia[10] and Lauren Boebert of Colorado,[15] Minnesota Republican gubernatorial nominee Scott Jensen,[3] Colorado Republican gubernatorial nominee Heidi Ganahl,[16] retired brigadier general and New Hampshire Republican US Senate nominee Don Bolduc,[17] podcast host Joe Rogan (who later clarified there was no "proof that they put a litter box" in a particular school),[18][19] Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok,[4] and Christian talk show host Bill Cunningham.[20] Several parents of school-age children have amplified the hoax on social media websites such as Facebook.[21]

The hoax spread in North America largely as backlash against recognition of gender variance in schools,[22][7][23][21] and in 2023 was repeated in Australia, Britain and New Zealand. Some conservative politicians and activists argued that protections for LGBTQ+ students in schools had "gone too far" and that litter box accommodations are what they might lead to next,[24][25] despite there being no confirmed instances of schools providing litter boxes for students to defecate or urinate in, or planning to do so.[4][20]

  1. ^ Garcia, Arturo (October 4, 2022). "GOP Gubernatorial Hopefuls Regurgitate 'Students Identifying as Cats' Smear - Truth or Fiction?". Truth or Fiction. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference nebraska was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference jennings was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c Kingkade, Tyler; Goggin, Ben Goggin; Zadrozny, Brandy (October 14, 2022). "How an urban myth about litter boxes in schools became a GOP talking point". NBC News. Archived from the original on October 14, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference snopes was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b "DDSB among boards quashing online rumours litter boxes have been added to washrooms". Durham Radio News. October 4, 2022. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "No litter boxes in local schools". Eganville Leader. October 11, 2022. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  8. ^ MacLean, Logan (October 22, 2021). "False stories of litter boxes in P.E.I. schools meant to ridicule trans community, advocates say". Saltwire.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "LGBTQ+ youth are target of a massive fear-mongering campaign". Los Angeles Blade. October 31, 2022. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022. Yet, here we are playing whack a mole with the litter box canard.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Wade was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Danahue, Allison (February 19, 2022). "Anti-trans litter box rumor is 'harming our LGBTQ+ kids,' advocates say". Michigan Advance. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference them was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Mullin, Andrew (January 25, 2022). "Andrew Mullin: Recent Midland 'furry' scare is transphobia in disguise". Midland Daily News. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference pei-psb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference durango was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference ganahl was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Kaczynski, Andrew (October 29, 2022). "GOP New Hampshire Senate nominee repeats hoax that kids are using litter boxes in schools". CNN. Archived from the original on October 30, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference rogan-no-proof was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference rogan was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference vance was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ a b Miller, Jacquie (October 16, 2022). "Renfrew County boards squelch bizarre stories about kids using litter boxes at school". The Ottawa Citizen. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  22. ^ Brown, Hayes (October 7, 2022). "How a viral hoax about furries became fodder for the GOP's moral panic". MSNBC. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  23. ^ Cite error: The named reference panic was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  24. ^ Cite error: The named reference examiner was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  25. ^ Cite error: The named reference mlbrown was invoked but never defined (see the help page).