SC lawmaker latest to claim student asks for litter box and identifies as cat

A South Carolina lawmaker's claim that a K-12 student requested a litter box in order to identify himself as a cat is the same one cited by several Republican lawmakers in several states, to then be demystified.

At a Senate Medical Affairs subcommittee meeting Wednesday, South Carolina lawmakers discussed a House-passed bill — H. 4624 — relating to banning gender transition procedures for children under 18 years old. During the meeting, a lawmaker said he had proof that a student at a Greenwood County public school “was allowed” by his teacher to identify himself as a cat.

The committee's discussion focused in part on whether K-12 students are taught to adopt an identity that does not match their gender — or species — at birth.

“People are who they are, they are what they were born to be,” countered Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, questioning the idea that students learn to adopt alternative identities, putting his challenge my colleague to cite a specific example.

“Are you suggesting that there is some teaching in the school system that trains people (to assume alternative identities)? » said Hutto.

“Yes, I am,” said Sen. Billy Garrett, R-McCormick.

“Well, I would challenge you to give me an example in South Carolina where a kid said, 'I didn't want to do that, but my teacher taught me to do it.' “

Garrett said he had proof that a student was allowed and encouraged to identify as a cat.

Garret's claim mirrors several other claims made in recent years by Republican lawmakers and political candidates in Colorado, Minnesota and Tennessee — all of which have been proven to be false.

“There is no evidence that any school has deployed litter boxes that students can use because they identify as cats,” a 2022 NBC news article reported.

A video clip of the exchange in South Carolina was posted on the state's TikTok, sparking colorful comments.

“No one identifies as a cat in schools unless they're a 4 year old in preschool or preschool,” one user said. “This propaganda is absurd.”

Another user attacked Democrats, suggesting the party would do whatever it takes to endorse a person's identity.

If “a 5-year-old wants to be a pirate, Democrats would poke out his eye and cut off his leg, instead of just letting him grow up.”