upworthy
Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

How Texas drag queen Brigitte Bandit makes understanding legislation fun and informative

Tuesdays just got a lot more interesting.

How Texas drag queen Brigitte Bandit makes understanding legislation fun and informative
Ahna Merryman-Stewart

Brigitte Bandit speaking at the 2024 Texas Democratic Convention

Drag artists have long been at the forefront of the fight for LGBTQ+ liberation, often in powerful, ingenious ways. Brigitte Bandit’s latest work is certainly among them. Appointed as a LGBTQ+ Quality of Life Commissioner for the City of Austin, Texas, just last week the drag artist and activist began the new weekly “LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” event at Oilcan Harry’s, Austin’s oldest LGBTQ+ bar. Bandit’s event aims to inform and empower guests to stay up to date with current affairs and legislation, to get involved with activist organizations, to find resources they need, and learn from local experts.

Bandit became a local icon when, in 2023, she testified–in drag–in the Senate Chamber at the Texas State Capitol against the proposed bills SB12 and SB1601, which aimed to restrict drag performances in public and at libraries. The speech went viral, and later led to Bandit not only giving a speech at the Texas Democratic Convention, but becoming the first drag artist to do so. She has since been featured on CNN, in the Austin Chronicle, in TIME and countless others for her work. As drag artists have been throughout history, she became and remains an activist and a highly visible member of the LGBTQ+ community.

The public nature of these appearances led to some backlash from conservative politicians, but Bandit was able to successfully shut them down and learn even better how to navigate the political space. These experiences in part also led to the development of “LegiSLAYtion and Liberation.” “I recognize that I have power and an influence in my local community, and I've also put myself in this position where I understand the risks involved in being so visible,” Bandit says. “That's why I'm going to keep doing it [laughs]. Because I'm already here. I've already sued the state of Texas. If there's anybody who's going to be visible and be loud and obnoxious, I will do it.”

Brigitte Bandit at the Texas State Capitol Reyna Dews

But she’ll also encourage others to use their own power. This is where “LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” comes in. “One of the biggest challenges right now is just the amount of information. This administration is flooding us with so many executive orders and different policies that are attacking so many different things and it can be so overwhelming. You can just feel like there's really not much you can do. That's what I'm trying to combat,” she says. “We can stay informed, but also not burn ourselves out so quickly. So let's get together, talk about this information, but also do it in a fun way…we can't be just sitting here trying to make sense of this all alone…I'm trying to figure out, how do we make people not feel overwhelmed but instead feel empowered and informed?”

“LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” took shape a few months ago as Bandit herself was trying to make sense of all the new information coming out of local, state, and federal legislation. But as she says, doomscrolling alone in her room wasn’t doing her any favors. Instead, she wondered what she could “to make sure that people are engaged and educated on what's going on politically and in the news, but without this horrible feeling of isolation and dread.” The key became making it fun.

So “LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” has several sections–one is Breaking News Bingo, where every week she will lead people through the last seven days of headlines and they’ll unpack the information together. For the section Texas Tea and Policy, there will be guest speakers from a variety of organizations so audiences can learn about resources available to them. At the event’s first iteration, for example, representatives from the Transgender Education Network of Texas came to talk to the crowd and lead them through Texas legislation and local politics. And as proposed bills move through the legislature and citizens are able to give testimony, Bandit says, the event will help people prepare their testimonies together, learn what testifying looks like, and how to sign up. She calls this part Lip Sync for Your Rights, and some of it will stem from what Bandit herself learned testifying at the Texas State Capitol.

LegiSLAYtion, indeed!Reyna Dews

Bandit sees “LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” as a community-driven event overall. She makes clear to the audience she’s not an expert and invites people to demonstrate knowledge that may help others. At the first event, for example, one attendee was able to discuss the process of going through passport gender identification changes and another was able to talk about their family’s experiences with immigration. “I was sitting there a little overwhelmed myself with the amount of information, and then I got there, and it was like, oh, right, this is a community event with people here who do have more information than me. It's okay for me to sit here and be like, ‘Hey, are you willing to speak on this and and share your experience or advice?’” she says. “I was able to make that happen, and they were able to share so much more information than I could have done alone…even I needed the reminder, as somebody who is putting together the event, that I don't need to overwhelm myself, and that we are in community together, and that I can ask for help and ask for others to share their own experiences and expertise.” The evening ended with announcements about upcoming seminars, the LGBTQ+ Quality of Life Commission, and other ways for guests to get their voices heard.

As a drag artist, Bandit didn’t always plan on being an activist, but she has taken up the mantle with fervor. “Now I'm locked in. I'm like, no, we're an activist, we are using drag to bring people together. This is the time to do it,” she says. “Hopefully there is a day where we can just celebrate ourselves without having to fight for our rights. I do dream of that day. I dream of it so hard, but today is the day to show up and fight back.”

“LegiSLAYtion and Liberation” is every Tuesday at Austin’s Oilcan Harry’s, from 7-9pm. Bandit is also looking to connect with other drag artists outside of Austin to develop similar programming in other cities.

Badge
All In
Craveable snacks. Quality organic ingredients. Positive community impact.
Joy

5 ways people are going "All In" this week

From the silly to the sentimental, there are so many ways people like to go “all in” on something. Here are our five favorite examples this week.

5 ways people are going "All In" this week
5 ways people are going "All In" this week
5 ways people are going "All In" this week
True

When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might think of getting groovy at a nursing home, a french bulldog having a total breakdown in the drive-thru, or maybe even a snack bar company promoting self care. Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Going “all in” means doing something with total commitment—literally giving it your “all” and going completely over the top. No second guessing, no holding back—just full-throttle enthusiasm with some creativity and flair thrown in. That’s how we get those viral internet moments we can’t stop watching.

This DWTS dance trend 

If you’ve been watching TV or on the internet this week, you might have seen the viral dance move Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach performed while on Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) last week. The one particular move, where Dylan holds Daniella as she does a mid-air horizontal walk, is going viral with over 8k videos using the sound. Some of my personal favorites include a mom and her baby, two girls or a girl and her cat, proving this dance trend is truly for anyone to try.

All In on Fiber

Speaking of trends, there’s one that really is about going “all in”, it’s called #fibermaxxing. After years of protein being the biggest nutrition trend, it looks like fiber might be taking over. For good reason too, while protein can cause issues with digestion, fiber can lead to better digestion, blood sugar management, weight control and reduced disease risk. Our friends at All In made a video explaining the #fibermaxxing trend. Each All In bar has 6 to 7 grams of fiber , plus they are delicious. Don't take our word for it, though: Click here to try it yourself (for free).

This child's long hair

This creator went all in… on pranking the audience. I don’t want to give away the contents of this video, but let’s just say it’s creative- and it made me quite literally laugh out loud. There are a lot of "momfluencers" out there who make content that uses their children, and as relatable and heartfelt as it is, sometimes a little satire break is worth appreciating.

Two entrepreneurs getting down to business


Lots of people dabble in entrepreneurship. These two went "all in" on helping others learn it. After four years of interviews with CEOs , research, edits, and a Penguin Random House book deal (yes, seriously), their book, Down to Business, has made its way into classrooms and libraries around the world. Now they are teaching other kids that age is not a barrier to entry in entrepreneurship; the earlier you start, the further you can go—and an entrepreneurial mindset will serve you no matter what you do in life.

Bridesmaids who went all in

Last on our list; two bridesmaids who committed to the bit. These ladies went “all in” in their remake of the legendary scene from the movie “Bridesmaids”. If you haven’t seen the original movie, starring Kristen Wig and Maya Rudolph, this might be your sign.

In the viral TikTok this bride, Caroline, had no idea what was coming when she put on her favorite movie while getting ready for her big day. The fact that she wanted to watch her favorite show before her bridesmaids surprised her, makes this going “all in” surprise all the better.

Snag your free (!!) snack bar here while this deal lasts. Just pick up a bar at Sprouts and text a pic ofv your receipt to get it for free. Enoy!

From Your Site Articles
JoySponsoredPop CultureHumor
Sustainability

Beavers were brought to the desert to save a dying river. Six years later, here are the results.

Their engineering feats are pretty dam incredible.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change
Canva Photos

Can outsider beavers save this dried up river?

It's not easy being a river in the desert under the best of circumstances. The ecosystem exists in a very delicate balance, allowing water sources to thrive in the harsh conditions. These water sources in otherwise extremely dry areas are vital to the survival of unique wildlife, agriculture, and even tourism as they provide fresh drinking water for the people who live nearby.

But man-made problems like climate change, over-farming, and pollution have made a tough job even tougher in some areas. Rivers in Utah and Colorado part of the Colorado River Basin have been barely surviving the extremely harsh drought season. When the riverbeds get too dry, fish and other aquatic creatures die off and the wildfire risk increases dramatically.

About six years ago, one team of researchers had a fascinating idea to restore the health of some of Utah's most vulnerable rivers: Bring in the beavers.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change Beaver on riverbank. Canva Photos

In 2019, master's student Emma Doden and a team of researchers from Utah State University began a "translocation" project to bring displaced beavers to areas like Utah's Price River, in the hopes of bringing it back to life.

Why beavers? Well, it just makes dam sense! (Sorry.)

In all seriousness, beaver dams restrict the flow of water in some areas of a river, creating ponds and wetlands. In drought-stricken areas, fish and other wildlife can take refuge in the ponds while the rest of the river runs dry, thus riding out the danger until it rains again.

When beavers are present in a watershed, the benefits are unbelievable: Better water quality, healthier fish populations, better nutrient availability, and fewer or less severe wildfires.

It's why beavers have earned the title of "keystone species," or any animal that has a disproportionate impact on the ecosystem around them.

beaver, dam, dam building, nature, ecosystem Pbs Nature Swimming GIF by Nature on PBS Giphy

Doden and her team took beavers who were captured or removed from their original homes due to their being a "nuisance," interfering with infrastructure, or being endangered, and—after a short period of quarantine—were brought to the Price River.

Despite the research team's best efforts, not all the translocated beavers have survived or stayed put over the years. Some have trouble adapting to their new home and die off or are killed by predators, while others leave of their own accord.

But sine 2019, enough have stayed and built dams that the team is starting to see the results of the effort. In fact, beaver projects just like this one have been going on all over the state in recent years.

- YouTube youtu.be

The water levels in the river are now the healthiest they've been in years. The fish are thriving and Utah residents are overjoyed with the experiment's results.

According to an early 2025 column in The Salt Lake Tribune (i.e. six years after the beaver translocation began) the revitalization of the Price River has "helped save [our] Utah town."

"A tributary of the Colorado River, the Price River runs through downtown Helper," wrote column authors Lenise Peterman and Jordan Nielson. "On a warm day, you’re likely to find the river filled with tourists and locals kayaking, tubing and fishing along its shore. A decade ago, it was hard to imagine this scene—and the thriving recreation economy that comes with it—was possible."

Of course, it wasn't JUST the beavers. Other federal water cleanup investments helped remove debris, break down old and malfunctioning dams, and place tighter regulations on agriculture grazing in the area that depleted vital plant life.

But the experts know that the beavers, and their incredible engineering work, are the real MVPs.

beavers, beaver dam, animals, wildlife, ecosystem, nature, earth, sustainability, deserts, waterways, rivers, pollution, climate change An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River Public Domain

In other drying, struggling rivers in the area, researchers are bringing in beavers and even creating manmade beaver dams. They're hoping that the critters will take over the job as the rivers get healthier.

Utah's San Rafael River, which is in bleak condition, is a prime candidate. In one area of the river, a natural flood inspired a host of beavers to return to the area and "riparian habitat along that stretch had increased by 230%, and it had the most diverse flow patterns of anywhere on the river," according to KUER.

It's hard to believe that beavers nearly went extinct during the heyday of the fur trapping industry, and continued to struggle as they were considered nuisances and pests. Now, they're getting the respect they deserve as engineer marvels, and their populations have rebounded due to better PR and conservation programs.

It's about dam time!

This article originally appeared in June.

From Your Site Articles
beavers
SustainabilityScience
Family

Child psychologist begs parents to break these 6 common but harmful habits for their kids

Grandparents should give this a read, too.

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits
Photo credit: Canva

A kid with their head down in class.

From the time they're aware of the pregnancy, couples make strenuous efforts to plan their parenting. Right from the diet, morals, school and lifestyle choices, parents leave no stone unturned in opting for what's best. Some of these practices may be influenced by parents' beliefs, lifestyles, skills and so on. However, not all may be beneficial and recommended for children. Practices that may seem great initially can have unwanted long-term effects. Child psychologist Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge revealed 6 striking habits you want to keep out of your child's life, per Parade. She urges parents and grandparents to leave out these 6 factors and find alternatives that are more fruitful and efficient.

1. Using screentime to keep kids busy

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits A child on an iPad. Photo credit: Canva

It’s no secret that screens are a lifesaver when parents are exhausted, cooking dinner, or juggling work and childcare. But relying on them too often comes with downsides.

A 2023 Common Sense Media report found that children ages 0–8 now average over 2.5 hours of screen use per day, more than double what it was a decade ago. Research shows this can affect attention span, sleep, mood regulation, and social development.

“Children need a variety of play-based activities that foster growth in areas like visual-motor skills, physical exercise, and socialization,” Capanna-Hodge explains. And when screens become a default soother, it can also crowd out precious bonding moments.

Try instead:

✔ Create a 5-minute “connection ritual” at meals or bedtime (a story, a silly rhyme, a question of the day).
✔ Keep a small “quiet kit” nearby — crayons, fidget toys, or mini puzzles.

2. Forgetting that kids learn by watching us

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits A mom showing her child how to play the drum. Photo credit: Canva

Kids absorb far more from what we do than what we say. When adults argue harshly, shut down emotionally, or treat others disrespectfully, children internalize those patterns.A 2023 Child Development study found that children’s emotional regulation skills strongly reflect the emotional modeling they see at home.Capanna-Hodge stresses that when conflicts happen—and they will—how parents respond matters. “Demonstrating respectful conflict resolution sets a powerful example,” she notes.Why parents fall into this:Small homes mean no private space. Stress runs high. Many adults are still unlearning the conflict habits they grew up with.

Try instead:

✔ Narrate your emotions: “I’m frustrated, so I’m taking a breath.”

✔ If conflict starts escalating, say out loud: “Let’s pause and try again later.”

3. Letting negativity become a pattern

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits A mom scolding her son. Photo credit: Canva

When you combine the financial stress, sleep deprivation, and the expectations of “doing it all" that comes with modern day parenting, patience wears thin, fast. But frequent yelling or criticism can shape a child’s sense of safety and self-worth.“Regularly raising your voice creates an environment of fear, anxiety, and poor stress management,” Capanna-Hodge says.

Try instead:

✔ Use a whisper voice (kids actually tune in more).

✔ Step away for 10 seconds before responding.

✔ Offer specific praise: “You tried really hard on that.”

4. Using guilt to influence behavior

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits A mom guilt-tripping her daughter. Photo credit: Canva

Guilt-based language often comes from older generational patterns. Many grandparents grew up hearing, “After all I’ve done for you…” and simply repeat what they know. But today’s research is clear: guilt-based parenting can stick with children for life.Multiple studies link guilt-inducing messages to anxiety, people-pleasing, and low autonomy later on.Phrases like “Grandma will be so upset if you don’t…” don’t build responsibility. They build shame.

Try instead:

✔ Teach accountability: “How can we fix this together?”

✔ Validate feelings while redirecting behavior: “You’re upset AND we still need to clean this up.”

5. Inconsistency with rules and discipline

kids, raising kids, kid psychology, parenting, child psychologist, parenting tips ,formative years, bad habits A teacher establishing rules to her class. Photo credit: Canva

Many parents worry their kids don’t listen, but the issue is often inconsistency, not disobedience. Kids learn best from predictable boundaries.

“Inconsistent rules create confusion and insecurity,” Capanna-Hodge says. Research on children with ADHD shows that harsh or inconsistent parenting is linked with more behavior problems, while consistent routines predict better emotional and behavioral outcomes—especially for kids who struggle with attention or self-regulation.

Try instead:

✔ Post simple, predictable rules on the fridge.
✔ Use the same consequence each time for the same behavior.
✔ Build a short daily rhythm: snack → play → cleanup → bedtime.

6. Comparing kids to each other

Photo credit: Canva

Comparison often comes from anxiety. Parents worry their child is “behind” or not meeting milestones. But comparison undermines a child’s confidence and can spark resentment or pressure to overperform.“When grandparents openly compare grandchildren, it diminishes a child’s sense of self-worth,” Capanna-Hodge says. Each child needs space to grow on their own timeline.Try instead:

✔ Celebrate individuality: “You’re so curious!” You’re great at building!”

✔ Focus on progress, not peers.

Here’s the hopeful part: none of these negative habits define you as a parent. Every adult slips into patterns they wish they could change. What matters most is noticing, adjusting, and reconnecting. Small shifts, practiced over time, create lifelong impact. And every day is another chance to choose connection over perfection.

This article originally appeared 3 months ago.

From Your Site Articles
kids
FamilyParenting
Humor

A female writer asked what's a 'universal thing men like' and got 19 hilarious answers

“I just realized I don’t actually know any men in real life."

what men like, what men love, aubrey hirsch
via Unsplash

What do these men love?

Writer and illustrator Aubrey Hirsch jokingly asked her followers on Twitter what’s a “universal thing that most men like?” because she was writing a comic and “just realized I don’t actually know any men in real life." The tweet inspired an avalanche of funny responses.

Hirsch is the author of “Why We Never Talk About Sugar,” a collection of short stories, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, Child, American Short Fiction and Time.

The interesting thing about the responses is that they weren’t the typical stereotypes about men. She didn’t get a ton of people talking about sex, sports or toxic masculinity. Instead, there were a lot of folks that mentioned very specific male behaviors as if they were talking about a bizarre species they discovered in the wild.

There were two things that got the most comments on her post. First, men enjoy throwing heavy objects into bodies of water. Preferably, the larger the rock, the deeper the body of water and from the highest vantage point possible.

The other is watching construction sites. Evidently, the phenomenon is so popular in Italy that there is a specific word for this type of person in Italian.

Here are 19 of the best responses to the question, “What’s a universal thing that most men like?”

1.

When asked why men enjoy watching construction sites so much, a poster on Reddit named justdaps had the perfect response. "I just find it really satisfying and interesting to see the process behind things being built," he wrote.

2.

3.

4.

I have seen dudes do this and I have done it plenty of times myself. I usually stand while watching TV when I want to really focus on what’s happening and do not want to be distracted. This usually happens while watching sporting events or the news. It's also a great way to use your body language to let other people know that there is something very important happening on the television.

5.

When we do this 99% of the time we’re pretending that the sign is 10 feet high and that we have the ability to dunk a basketball. There are two types of men, those that can dunk and mere mortals.

6.

As a man, this one is near and dear to my heart. I can’t tell you the number of hours I have spent with my friends just throwing lines from “The Big Lebowski” back and forth.

“Nice marmot.”

“The Dude abides.”

“Say what you want about the tenets of national socialism, Dude. At least it’s an ethos.”

A movie that's running up the ranks of being among the most quotable is another dude buddy pic, "Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood."

"All right, that's too hot. Anything we can do about that heat?" ... "Rick, it's a flamethrower.”

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Evidently, after reading the responses, Hirsch knew what was going to happen next. No need to feel ashamed about going viral. It just means you created something that people love.


This story originally appeared two years ago.

From Your Site Articles
men
HumorJoy
Family

Get a burst of energy at bedtime and then stay up all night doing chores? You're not alone.

Are you a Revenge Nighttime Procrastinator or a Nighttime Task Completer?

vacuum, chores, late-night chores, cleaning house, living room, TV
via Canva/Photos

A woman vacuuming late at night.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a new phrase emerged from China: “bàofùxìng áoyè,” which loosely translates to “retaliatory staying up late” or “revenge bedtime procrastination.” This is a way people gain a sense of control over their lives by staying up late watching TV, playing video games, or doomscrolling to make up for working 40-plus hours a week.

Revenge Bedtime Procrastinators may consciously or subconsciously start another episode of their favorite Netflix show or spend another hour playing Grand Theft Auto because it reassures them that they’re in charge of their own lives—not their boss, not their spouse, and not their children. It’s like “me” time but with an added dash of rebellion. “You can’t tell me to go to sleep.”

What is Revenge Bedtime Procrastination?

“It’s describing when people don't have as much control over their daytime life and schedules, and they delay sleep and their normal bedtimes to have more freedom and free time,” Michelle Drerup, Psy.D., director of the behavioral sleep medicine program at the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Center, tells Good Housekeeping. “And, they do that fully aware that it’s going to have negative consequences.”'


Obviously, this can create a lot of trouble, whether it’s screwing up your natural sleep cycles or leaving you feeling depressed, anxious, hungry, and groggy the next day when it’s time for another eight hours of work.

Who are Nighttime Task Completers?

In addition to Revenge Bedtime Procrastinators, there’s another group: Nighttime Task Completers. They become overwhelmed with stress when they get ready for bedtime because of everything they didn’t get done during the day. They can be drowning in unfinished tasks because they neglected to do them during the day, didn’t have time, or have a spouse who doesn't do their share of the workload.

woman, chores, ironing, unpaid labor, housework, domestic labor A woman ironing clothes late at night.via Canva/Photos

This feeling of stress is accompanied by a fight-or-flight response, which triggers a jolt of alertness, creating a late-night second wind. To combat stress, they start doing chores when they should be sleeping, whether it's laundry, dishes, or paying bills. Instead of enjoying leisure time like the Revenge Bedtime Procrastinators, they use their nightly boost to get things done.

Just like the folks who stay up watching Netflix, Nighttime Task Completers also suffer sleep deprivation the next day, which can create a vicious cycle of stress-fueled late-night labor. They may stay up until 3 a.m. tackling chores, and the following day they’re too exhausted to get everything done. Then, once again, right before bed, they get a jolt of stress-induced energy and start working.

sleep, night, phone in bed, doomscroll, woman in bed, smartphone A woman doomscrolling at night.via Canva/Photos

For many, one symptom of our super-busy modern world is that the only way to squeeze some joy out of life, or stay ahead on chores during the workweek, is to sacrifice sleep. Sleep is a very personal topic, and many folks keep their habits to themselves. But if you’re someone who is having trouble catching a good night's sleep due to the demands of the modern world, you’re not alone. There are plenty of other night owls staying up way past their bedtime to feel a sense of control over their lives. The problem is that when the need for control creates an unhealthy sleep environment, it’s best to consult a mental health professional to bring your life back into balance.

From Your Site Articles
domestic labor
FamilyModern Families
Pets

Researchers found 1 tiny change in raccoons that could bring them closer to being our pets

People, unsurprisingly, are very much on board with this.

raccoons, raccoons domesticating themselves, raccoons as pets, pets, exotic pets, animals, wildlife
Photo credit: Canva

Raccoon eating food from a person's hand, background blurred.

If you have ever watched a raccoon confidently tiptoe across a fence or dive into a trash bin like it owns the place and felt utter delight, you might be thrilled to learn that new research has found these little bandits are cooking up new ways to melt our hearts…including picking up physical traits we associate with pets.

Scientists say city raccoons may be showing early signs of domestication, an idea that first sparked Raffaela Lesch, a zoologist at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, when she tossed a can into a campus bin.

Instead of the usual metallic clank, she heard a muted thud. Then a raccoon head popped out—comfortably, fearlessly. Something a bit out of character for a “wild” animal.

“I wanted to know if living in a city environment would kickstart domestication processes in animals that are currently not domesticated,” Lesch said in a statement. “Would raccoons be on the pathway to domestication just by hanging out in close proximity to humans?”

Inspired, Lesch and her students examined almost 20,000 photos of raccoons uploaded to iNaturalist. Out of those, they focused on 249 perfect side-profile images and made a lovely discovery: urban raccoons’ snouts were shorter than those of rural raccoons.

What shorter snouts (and human garbage) have to do with domestication

raccoons, raccoons domesticating themselves, raccoons as pets, pets, exotic pets, animals, wildlife Urban raccoons have shorter snouts than rural ones, study shows. scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net

Shorter snouts are part of what scientists call “domestication syndrome,” a bundle of physical traits that tend to appear when a species becomes more comfortable living alongside humans. Floppy ears, white patches of fur, and generally calmer behavior all fall into this category.

For a species often nicknamed “trash panda,” it makes sense that their own personal domestication journey began with cozying up to our dumpsters, not their shortened snouts. This of course is not unique only to raccoons. It’s a strategy that wolves picked up a long time ago before they became dogs.

Trash, it seems, really is the “kickstarter” for domestication, as Lesch put it. “All [animals] have to do is endure our presence, not be aggressive, and then they can feast on anything we throw away.”

@cbctoronto Rafaela Lesch co-authoured a study that looked into the domestication of raccoons. They found raccoons' snouts are shrinking, which are a key indicator that domestication is underway. #Animals #Raccoons #Research #News #Toronto ♬ original sound - CBC Toronto

However, before you hop onto PetSmart looking for raccoon- specific chew toys, researchers emphasize that this pet-ification process would still be in its earliest stages, if it is happening at all. After all, raccoons are not pack animals like dogs or sheep. But they are adaptable, social, and remarkably clever…so no one is ruling it out entirely. Whether this leads to actual domestication is still unknown, but the early signs are intriguing.

People already want the raccoon adoption hotline number

Once the study hit social platforms, enthusiasm skyrocketed.

“All I heard is I'm gonna have a pet raccoon eventually,” one TikTok user wrote.

“I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE FOR THE RACCOON DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM,” said another.

And on Instagram, someone echoed, “Does anybody know when the raccoon distribution system goes live? I am very interested in this new pet.”

A future with floppy-eared trash pandas?

Evil Smile Evil GIFfrom Evil Smile GIFs

Lesch says the real excitement comes from observing what might be the beginning of a long evolutionary story. As she put it, “We get to explore this story while it is in its beginning stages.”

Of course, while we may long for the day when the phrase “good boy” applies not just to dogs but to the masked little neighbors raiding our bins at night, signs of their further domestication aren't entirely wholesome. For one thing, this behavior is a direct result of habitat loss, which isn't good. Furthermore, increased familiarity can put both animals and humans in harm's way. Overconfidence around people can also lead to higher chances of vehicle collisions or conflict if animals start expecting food near homes. Animals that adapt too closely to human environments can also disrupt local ecosystems by changing their feeding patterns or crowding out other species.

Point being: yes the possibility of living out one's Disney-coded fantasy of having a raccoon familiar is closer than ever. But in the end, the best thing we can do for them is protect the wildness that makes them so endlessly fascinating in the first place.

From Your Site Articles
science
PetsJoy
Trending Stories