Tommy Tuberville Dragged After Claiming Air Travel Industry Is Overrun With 'Furries' In Bonkers Senate Floor Rant

Alabama Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville was widely mocked after he made the bonkers claim that many pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers are "part of the furry community."

Tuberville, who spoke alongside a poster displaying a transphobic message, offered no evidence to substantiate the claim that a large portion of commercial aviation workers identify as furries, nor did he provide evidence that involvement in the furry community presents a safety concern.

The furry fandom is a community built around the idea of anthropomorphic animals—fictional or artistic animals that possess human traits, such as speech, emotions, intelligence or other humanlike behaviors. People who identify with the fandom are commonly referred to as furries.

Many people in the fandom develop an original animal persona known as a “fursona.” Participation can take many forms, from wearing elaborate fursuits to creating art and writing, playing games, role-playing or engaging with online communities.

Research on the fandom also challenges the characterization of furry culture as primarily sexual. FurScience research has found that participants commonly point to social connection, entertainment and an interest in anthropomorphic art and storytelling as motivations for participating.

Identifying as a furry, on its own, says nothing about a person’s sexual interests, gender identity or mental health.

Not according to Tuberville though, who said:

“Many airline pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers are part of the furry community."

“Lord help us. It’s terrifying when you think about this. When you walk onto a commercial flight, it’s possible that the pilot flying your plane could have a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal. You can't make this up."

You can hear what he said in the video below.

Except Tuberville absolutely did make this all up—and he was quickly called out for it.

Tuberville sounds as bad as Republicans who've insisted schools are putting litter boxes in bathrooms because “mentally disturbed, demonically possessed” students are identifying as cats.

There is something seriously wrong in the Senate right now.