Look out furries, the Texas government is coming for you.
In case you’re unaware what a furry is. It’s an enthusiast for animal characters with human characteristics, in particular a person who dresses up in costume as such a character or uses one as an avatar online. Today we focus on the people that dress up as their favorite animal characters, specifically children that do this.
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.”
What Would Be Illegal Under the FURRIES Act in Texas?
The Furries Act defines any action as a non-human behavior in the classroom. Representative Gerdes gave some specific examples of behavior that would no longer be allowed in Texas if this were to pass.
- 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
Representative Gerdes does give some exceptions to his Act. For instance if a school has a Halloween celebration, the child may dress up as their favorite animal. Also if a school has a spirit week, where you’re encouraged to dress up, you would also be exempt from this act during those times…