SC lawmaker is latest to claim student asks for litter box and they identify as a cat

A South Carolina lawmaker’s claim to have proof that a K-12 student asked for a litterbox in order to self-identify as a cat is the same one multiple Republican lawmakers across several states have cited, only to be subsequently debunked.

In a medical affairs Senate subcommittee meeting Wednesday, S.C. lawmakers discussed a bill that passed the House — H. 4624 — relating to the prohibition of gender transition procedures for children under the age of 18. During the meeting, one lawmaker said he had proof that one public school student in Greenwood County “was authorized” by their teacher to identify as a cat.

The committee’s discussion, in part, centered around whether K-12 students are being taught to take on an identity that doesn’t conform with their gender — or species — at birth.

“People are who they are, they’re who they’re born to be,” countered state Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, challenging the notion that students are being taught to take on alternate identities,challenging his colleague to cite a specific example.

“You’re suggesting that some teaching is going on in the school system that is training people (to assume alternate identities)?” Hutto said.

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

“Well, I would defy you to cite me an example in South Carolina where a child has said, ‘I didn’t want to do this, but was taught to do this by my teacher.’ “

Garrett said he had proof when a student was permitted, and encouraged, to identify as a cat.

Garret’s claim mirrors several others in recent years by Republican lawmakers and political candidates in Colorado, Minnesota and Tennessee — all of which were proven untrue.

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

A video clip of the South Carolina exchange was posted to The State’s TikTok, prompting colorful comments.

“No one identifies as cats in schools, unless it’s a 4-year-old in preschool or kindergarten,” one user said. “This propaganda is nonsense.”

Another user attacked Democrats, suggesting the party would do whatever it takes in endorsing a person’s identity.

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