Just when you thought politics in the United States could not get more absurd, a proposed bill in Oklahoma makes the state seem like an article from The Onion or an episode of South Park.
House Bill 3084 would prohibit students from taking part in activities associated with the furry community. Students would have to have a parent or guardian remove them or have animal control called on them according to HB 3084.
According to Fox News, the bill was introduced last year by Republican State Rep. Justin Humphrey. If the bill passes, it will take effect Nov. 1.
Although a bizarre hatred of the furry and otherkin communities has been mainstream for a while now, it is clear the bill’s targeting is coming from a place of conservative transphobia.
A few years ago, a hilariously strange lie was spread about litter boxes being needed in schools for students who identified as cats. The lie got so big that even Joe Rogan spread it before he backpedaled and said it was not true.
This Okla. law may seem laughably stupid, but it is also extremely dangerous with the many attacks on the trans community. It would be incredibly worrying if the bill passed and its horrible ideology spread all the way to New Hampshire.
Equating the trans community to that of the furry and otherkin communities is terribly offensive to all of the communities involved. The furry fandom are just people who are interested in anthropomorphic [human-like] animal characters. It is such a broad community that even taking interest in Mickey Mouse cartoons could technically qualify one to be a part of it.
While some furries like to dress up as animal characters, it is otherkins that identify with animals. Most otherkins only identify with animals in a metaphorical or spiritual sense having nothing to do with the trans community.
What HB 3084 would do is eliminate students from having a unique perspective on life from their schools. It is bad enough that the misunderstanding of these communities already leads to awful bullying. I have personally known some furries and otherkins and I found it a pleasure to get to know their worldview.
The people in these communities are harmless for the most part. I find it incredibly depressing to see people with such genuine souls be treated as outcasts at best and threats at worst. They might seem weird or different to many people, but being different does not mean someone is a bad person. It is good to let people express their differences which hurt nobody; it helps expand creativity and passion.
While the furry and otherkin communities have nothing to do with the Gender, Sexual and Romantic Minorities (GSRM) community on a surface level, many furries and otherkin happen to belong to the GSRM community. A lot of furries and otherkins are also autistic, leading the hate for them to mostly come from neurotypicals.
This horrible bill not only is an attempt to shatter differences at school, but it is also rooted in transphobia and ableism. It should be time we let our silly fear of differences go and be kin with others who can help us view the world in new ways.
Nico Brazill can be contacted at
nbrazill@kscequinox.com
