HUTCHINSON, Minn. – In a video from a campaign event last week, Republican candidate for Governor Dr. Scott Jensen repeats a widely debunked claim that schools are giving LGBTQ+ students litter boxes to urinate in.
“Why do we have litter boxes in some of the school districts so kids can pee in them, because they identify as a furry,” Jensen asked in the video. “We’ve lost our minds. We’ve lost our minds.”
Kat Rohn is the executive director of Outfront Minnesota, an LGBTQ advocacy group, and she said spreading false rumors like this is harmful to that community.
“It continues to reinforce some false narratives, that what LGBTQ students need is somehow absurd or bizarre or strange, when really what we know our LGBTQ youth need is simply a welcoming and inclusive environment,” Rhone said.
Kevin Burns, communications director for the Minnesota Department of Education said the MDE is not aware of any school that has such a thing.
While “Furries” are a subculture that sometimes involves people dressing up as anthropomorphic animal characters and attending conventions, school administrators across the country have had to continuously dispute the false claims that students are using litter boxes.
