Page 7 | Child identifies as a wolf ... WTF?

Portakalkedi · 2024-09-27T11:15:46+00:00

Just on Radio 4 now, discussing a child in secondary school who identifies as a wolf, and the school is going along with this. AIBU to think the world (or at least the UK) has gone mad? If said child is living in the woods, catching its own prey etc etc, howling and running with other wolves, which I doubt, then why the hell is anyone going along with it? They are also saying that some others identify as dogs or cats etc. And here was me thinking men 'identifying' as women was bad.

CoddledAsAMommet · 27/09/2024 14:03

I can understand why people think this is so far-fetched that it must be untrue, that it must be silly reactionary women jumping to a dog-whistle.
BUT..
My daughter had a girl in her class who identified as a cat for about 3 years. This resulted in her being scratched and disturbed as the 'cat' rolled on the floor and sat on the table. The teachers were totally disempowered tto do anything about it.

This is a large-ish but bog standard, boring town and a very normal comp.

Now, I have no doubt the 'cat' had very real mental health needs that weren't being met - she seems to have grown out of it now- but that makes it more, not less, disturbing, surely?

BunnyLake · 27/09/2024 14:03

Aliciainwunderland · 27/09/2024 13:21

I work at a school where a child identifies as a cat. Many of these stories are absolutely true.

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My friend did too and said all this stuff we hear about but don’t believe is actually happening. She left schooling altogether because she couldn’t stomach all the nonsense anymore.

ChungKing · 27/09/2024 14:04

HowardTJMoon · 27/09/2024 13:58

Because, again, the point isn't that there's a few kids who are furries. The point is that these kinds of litter-boxes-in-schools stories are being actively created, amplified and embellished as part of a deliberate disinformation campaign. The point is to encourage exactly the kind of fear and outrage being seen in this thread. It's aim isn't to "other" the furries etc, it's to "other" the people and groups who are rumoured to be supporting and encouraging the furries etc.

Those groups are often banded together under the banner of "woke" and the aim is to tar anyone who is the slightest bit small-l liberal as "woke". One of the more commonly employed smears is to encourage the thought that anything "woke" is a direct or indirect danger to children. It's purpose is to encourage a good-vs-evil, us-vs-them divisiveness. That's the culture war.

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But, the OP story wasn't even about litter boxes, just a kid who identifies as a wolf, and I agree people should not be putting out embellishments to these stories - that is very wrong. But, what's wrong with saying children should not be allowed to identify as animals at school? What's wrong with pointing out the very real problem with furries?

Is it not obvious if you say a boy can become a girl, some kids will think you can identify as anything you want? If it's stoking division to even mention or discuss any of these issues then how are we not living in a 1984 society where we should all put up and shut up in case someone is offended, to the detriment of us all?

The vast majority of my opinions are "woke". I'm pro-immigration, pro racial equality, voted for Corbyn. It doesn't hurt me if people talk about furries in schools or whatever other unpalatable truths may be going on. We need to talk about this stuff.

HowardTJMoon · 27/09/2024 14:04

Maray1967 · 27/09/2024 13:56

What isn’t true? The child’s behaviour or the parents’ response? If the whole story is not true then rest assured - if my 16 year old tried to identify as a wolf it’s what I’d be doing.

I know a staff member at a UK 6th form college where a child wanted to identify as a swan- the staff basically ignored it though.

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The not true bit is the stuff about the parents forcing the child into a cage and feeding raw meat. It's so obviously made-up bollocks to cater to the kind of American who think that all modern children need a good whupping and a proper hair cut.

miraxxx · 27/09/2024 14:05

Previous thread on therians with adult therian joining in.
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/preteens/5126399-what-the-fuck-are-theriens

nOasistickets · 27/09/2024 14:05

do you mean a furry? Ive heard of this in a few schools, it's allowed apparently. Mind you, we had people who identified as whatever they wanted at work so....

ChungKing · 27/09/2024 14:06

BobbyBiscuits · 27/09/2024 14:00

Such bullshit. It's just a new version of the 'kitty litter boxes in schools' thing.
No teachers 'go along with' a child 'identifying' as anything thing other than a human being.
Surely there's other more feasible ways of tackling the trans debate that don't involve obvious nonsense?

Why is it lumped in with trans? Because being told you can be a man when you're a woman or vice versa is confusing kids into believing all kinds of weird things.

Of course, we can tackle the trans thing separately, but the ideology and tactics used to defe nd them are pretty much one and the same.

GiddyRobin · 27/09/2024 14:07

miraxxx · 27/09/2024 13:57

There was a mumsnet thread on Therians - not a right wing trope because they exist very much within the liberal left milieu- a few months ago and an real adult therian popped in to address the "bigots" ie the great majority of us posters. She was barking mad.
There are reddit threads and online as well as meatspace communities. https://therian-guide.com/index.php/6-community

Edited

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Yep!

There was a boy in my college (totally normal in every other way, which sounds unbelievable I know) who identified as a wolf. We found his freewebs site and he was writing all sorts of crazy sexual stuff about knotting, rutting, etc. He absolutely believed he was a wolf, and his parents had shrugged it off for years. I remember him telling the class bits and pieces.

I had one of those "people you might know" recommendations on FB a few years ago. It was his name, and from what I could see of his profile it was still all wolf nonsense! Parents should have bloody knocked it on the head when he was young.

It's alright people saying they'll grow out of it, but that's not always the case. Not if they're into it during a time like puberty and involved in a community online. It can quite easily become a part of their personality!

MrsOvertonsWindow · 27/09/2024 14:08

HowardTJMoon · 27/09/2024 13:58

Because, again, the point isn't that there's a few kids who are furries. The point is that these kinds of litter-boxes-in-schools stories are being actively created, amplified and embellished as part of a deliberate disinformation campaign. The point is to encourage exactly the kind of fear and outrage being seen in this thread. It's aim isn't to "other" the furries etc, it's to "other" the people and groups who are rumoured to be supporting and encouraging the furries etc.

Those groups are often banded together under the banner of "woke" and the aim is to tar anyone who is the slightest bit small-l liberal as "woke". One of the more commonly employed smears is to encourage the thought that anything "woke" is a direct or indirect danger to children. It's purpose is to encourage a good-vs-evil, us-vs-them divisiveness. That's the culture war.

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There should not be a single teenager in any UK school identifying as anything other than a teenager. That's the whole point. It's not a "woke smear". It's a dangerous failure of adults to establish boundaries, to safeguard children from dubious adult ideologies and dodgy adults. The fact that this is anywhere near secondary schools (and it is only a small number of schools I suspect) is failure to protect children.

Framing this as "othering" is a crude attempt to coerce women on here out of doing what all decent adults should do - safeguard the young. Schools are where children learn in a safe, rational and ordered learning environment . Ideologies founded in adult sexual fetishes have no place in schools.

marmiteisnttheonlyspread · 27/09/2024 14:08

I think many of these stories need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

It's jogged my memory about a boy I taught - thought he was a car. (11) Quite normal in lessons but come lesson change time he was off driving down the corridor - engine noises, skids, careering into walls etc.

Some of there cat stuff comes from mixing up stories, conspiracy theories etc. And where from - where do you think the US. 2+2=5.

So cat litter in classrooms. As we all know classroom shootings are a thing in the USA. Schools there prepare for such a thing - door locks, drills etc. Non as effective a 6ft fencing and a near total lack of gun ownership in the UK.

One of the preparations, I believe, is cat litter and a tray. For those taken short in a long lockdown.

ChungKing · 27/09/2024 14:10

marmiteisnttheonlyspread · 27/09/2024 14:08

I think many of these stories need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

It's jogged my memory about a boy I taught - thought he was a car. (11) Quite normal in lessons but come lesson change time he was off driving down the corridor - engine noises, skids, careering into walls etc.

Some of there cat stuff comes from mixing up stories, conspiracy theories etc. And where from - where do you think the US. 2+2=5.

So cat litter in classrooms. As we all know classroom shootings are a thing in the USA. Schools there prepare for such a thing - door locks, drills etc. Non as effective a 6ft fencing and a near total lack of gun ownership in the UK.

One of the preparations, I believe, is cat litter and a tray. For those taken short in a long lockdown.

We all know this, but we also know there are kids who identify as all kinds of things under the furry and therian banner, and that some adults are taking it seriously. All but the hardest of thinking know kids arent being given access to litter boxes at school.

I seriously feel like I'm living in 1984 these days.

CoddledAsAMommet · 27/09/2024 14:10

BobbyBiscuits · 27/09/2024 14:00

Such bullshit. It's just a new version of the 'kitty litter boxes in schools' thing.
No teachers 'go along with' a child 'identifying' as anything thing other than a human being.
Surely there's other more feasible ways of tackling the trans debate that don't involve obvious nonsense?

But teachers do, they absolutely do. Listen to all the people here saying they have direct experience of it. We're not lying! This isn't some furries version of 'I know someone called L-a pronounced ladasha". It is categorically not an urban myth. This is happening in schools right now and the fact you don't believe it shows how ridiculous it is that teachers go along with it.
If I didn't have experience of this I wouldn't post on the topic. But I do. My daughter had the scratches to prove it.

TheKeatingFive · 27/09/2024 14:11

marmiteisnttheonlyspread · 27/09/2024 14:08

I think many of these stories need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

It's jogged my memory about a boy I taught - thought he was a car. (11) Quite normal in lessons but come lesson change time he was off driving down the corridor - engine noises, skids, careering into walls etc.

Some of there cat stuff comes from mixing up stories, conspiracy theories etc. And where from - where do you think the US. 2+2=5.

So cat litter in classrooms. As we all know classroom shootings are a thing in the USA. Schools there prepare for such a thing - door locks, drills etc. Non as effective a 6ft fencing and a near total lack of gun ownership in the UK.

One of the preparations, I believe, is cat litter and a tray. For those taken short in a long lockdown.

This story has nothing to do with cat litter though ...

ArabellaScott · 27/09/2024 14:12

MrsOvertonsWindow · 27/09/2024 14:08

There should not be a single teenager in any UK school identifying as anything other than a teenager. That's the whole point. It's not a "woke smear". It's a dangerous failure of adults to establish boundaries, to safeguard children from dubious adult ideologies and dodgy adults. The fact that this is anywhere near secondary schools (and it is only a small number of schools I suspect) is failure to protect children.

Framing this as "othering" is a crude attempt to coerce women on here out of doing what all decent adults should do - safeguard the young. Schools are where children learn in a safe, rational and ordered learning environment . Ideologies founded in adult sexual fetishes have no place in schools.

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Hear, hear.

ArabellaScott · 27/09/2024 14:12

CoddledAsAMommet · 27/09/2024 14:10

But teachers do, they absolutely do. Listen to all the people here saying they have direct experience of it. We're not lying! This isn't some furries version of 'I know someone called L-a pronounced ladasha". It is categorically not an urban myth. This is happening in schools right now and the fact you don't believe it shows how ridiculous it is that teachers go along with it.
If I didn't have experience of this I wouldn't post on the topic. But I do. My daughter had the scratches to prove it.

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Yep. One therian in our school.

ChungKing · 27/09/2024 14:13

CoddledAsAMommet · 27/09/2024 14:10

But teachers do, they absolutely do. Listen to all the people here saying they have direct experience of it. We're not lying! This isn't some furries version of 'I know someone called L-a pronounced ladasha". It is categorically not an urban myth. This is happening in schools right now and the fact you don't believe it shows how ridiculous it is that teachers go along with it.
If I didn't have experience of this I wouldn't post on the topic. But I do. My daughter had the scratches to prove it.

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it's basically the same as those people who tell us no transwoman would ever harm a woman, despite the fact some of them are locked up for doing just that. Basically there are certain groups of people it is not okay to present in a negative light even when they are behaving in a negative way, and there are certain things that can't possibly be happening because to admit they are would not make certain groups look good.

Blahblah34 · 27/09/2024 14:14

There was a kid when I was at school who thought he was a car. He’d been subjected to appalling abuse since toddlerhood and that was his way of coping. It wasn’t some ‘woke’ nonsense. I’m sure something similar is the case here

WarriorN · 27/09/2024 14:15

It's a growing trend; I saw a serious anonymous post in a senior leaders primary teaching group recently whereby a head/ deputy head was asking how to deal with requests from children/ parents to wear their tails and ears in school due to their "identity."

CassieMaddox · 27/09/2024 14:15

op do you have a link to the programme because as others have said, there is a well known conspiracy theory about children using litter boxes at school and it would not be helpful for people to be confused between that and what was discussed.

Combattingthemoaners · 27/09/2024 14:15

CoddledAsAMommet · 27/09/2024 14:10

But teachers do, they absolutely do. Listen to all the people here saying they have direct experience of it. We're not lying! This isn't some furries version of 'I know someone called L-a pronounced ladasha". It is categorically not an urban myth. This is happening in schools right now and the fact you don't believe it shows how ridiculous it is that teachers go along with it.
If I didn't have experience of this I wouldn't post on the topic. But I do. My daughter had the scratches to prove it.

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I’m a teacher, lots of my friends are teachers. I don’t know any school who have students arriving as animals and allowed to act as an animal throughout the school day. I find it very very hard to believe any school would allow this to happen. It would be an immediate safeguarding issue for mental health reasons.

JustLifeOnEarth · 27/09/2024 14:16

KnittedCardi · 27/09/2024 12:32

Cats don't go to the loo on the grass. They dig a hole, cover it up. Then lick their paws and arse clean. If they are not doing that, they are not a cat.

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Neighbours cats that poo in my garden never bother to dig a hole or cover it up—but I get your point 😂

WarriorN · 27/09/2024 14:17

CassieMaddox · 27/09/2024 14:15

op do you have a link to the programme because as others have said, there is a well known conspiracy theory about children using litter boxes at school and it would not be helpful for people to be confused between that and what was discussed.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00237mf?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

WarriorN · 27/09/2024 14:18

@Combattingthemoaners check out "primary school leaders" fb group run by The Key; that's where there was a recent post asking for help with what to do.

ChungKing · 27/09/2024 14:18

Yes I feel like the person who brought the cat litter thing into the discussion early on knew exactly what they were doing.

WarriorN · 27/09/2024 14:19

Most replies were sensible - not all though, worryingly.