History Main / DenialOfAnimality

Sometimes, of course, this simply happens because MostWritersAreHuman. Can be combined with FurryReminder for comedic effect. Related to FurryConfusion and AnthropomorphicShift. If a non-human is knowingly and ironically referring to himself as human, it's InTheOriginalKlingon. Usually subverted if the character is a BeastMan; they'll {{insist|ent terminology}} that they are not a [[IAmNotWeasel weasel]] since they, well, ''aren't'' a weasel. Can be justified if the character is a victim of ForcedTransformation who WasOnceAMan -- referring to themselves as "human" and doing other human activities may be just force of habit.

* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', while hiking, Calvin scares Hobbes by shouting, "LOOK! A TIGER!"
* Given that [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Bill Watterson]] cites ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' as a major influence, perhaps it was based on a similar joke in a ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' strip, between Howland Owl and Albert Alligator:
-->'''Howland:''' Do you know what ''el legarto'' means?\\
'''Albert''' ''[indifferently]'' A cigar?\\
'''Howland:''' "An alligator"!\\
'''Albert:''' WHERE?!

* ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'':
** In one comic strip from 1991, Snoopy was about to drink from a water fountain at Charlie Brown's school when a girl saw him and said, "Hey! There's a dog in the hall!" Snoopy looked around and replied, [[WhereWhere "Where?"]]
** In an earlier story, Sally is doing a report on animals. Snoopy is initially reluctant to help her because he claims that "I don't know any animals" (this evidently means that he doesn't consider birds to be animals, either).

* In ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooOnZombieIsland'', Scooby was chasing cats when their owner told Shaggy to stop his dog. Scooby's response? [[WhereWhere "Rog, Rhere?"]]

[[WMG:[[center:[[AC:This trope is [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1662642402031562000 under discussion]] in the Administrivia/TropeRepairShop.]]]]]]

* Creationists deny that humans are animals, even though there are no traits of the animal kingdom[[labelnote:namely]]multicellular eukaryotes which lack cell walls and whose flagella push instead of pull, are obligately heterotrophic [[LaymansTerms (must eat other organisms to survive)]] and have differentiation of cells at least into tissues and for most groups into organs, developing from at least two germ layers[[/note]] that we lack. Creator/AronRa, a science advocate famous for debunking creationism and explaining why evolution is true, even claims to have sat in on a creationist preaching that instead of asking whether an unknown is animal, mineral, or vegetable, one should say “animal, mineral, vegetable, ''or human''”. At this point Aron promptly spoke up that a human would be three out of four, since humans are inherently animals and all organisms contain some minerals in their bodies. The creationist was not amused.

[[folder:Advertising]]
* One ad for Charmin toilet paper features some of their signature bear characters talking about how strong their toilet paper is, so strong in fact, that "it keeps your underwear cleaner!" and "you could wear them a second day". It seems odd that these statements would be gathered from a conversation being had by a bunch of FunnyAnimal bears that aren't even wearing anything except [[AccessoryWearingCartoonAnimal hats and glasses]], if that.

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In ''Manga/OnePiece'', Tony Tony Chopper is a reindeer that ate a Devil Fruit called the "Human Human Fruit" ("Hito Hito no Mi" in Japan), which gave him human awareness and intelligence, as well as the ability to transform into a human (although he looks like a BeastMan in that form) and a [[PartialTransformation hybrid form]] that's a cross between the human form and his original reindeer form. This trope is mostly averted, as Chopper is fully aware that he's still a reindeer, but on at least one occasion during the [[spoiler:Fishman Island]] arc, [[spoiler:Jinbe]] exclaimed that Luffy and the Straw Hats shouldn't fight [[spoiler:the New Fishman Pirates]]. Chopper (along with Franky, a {{Cyborg}}) wonder why and ask "Is it because... we're humans?", to which Sanji replies:
--> '''Sanji:''' Don't you two say it!! That just makes things more confusing!!
** There's also Pappug the starfish. When he was young, he thought he was a human, because he confused the word "hitode" (which is Japanese for "starfish") for the word "hito" (Japanese for "human"). Averted as he grew older and realized he was a starfish all this time. Now, he's a full-fledged FunnyAnimal.
* This often happens to Meowth in ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}''. A particularly funny example was in the episode where Meowth, Team Rocket, Ash and Misty have a Pokémon tournament to decide who gets to keep Togepi. When it's Meowth's turn to duel, he realizes he has no Pokémon. After failing to get Team Rocket to lend him one of theirs, it suddenly dawns on him that ''he's'' a Pokémon... and thus can bark commands at ''himself''. HilarityEnsues.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse'':
** In the Creator/CarlBarks comic [[http://disneycomics.free.fr/Ducks/Barks/show.php?s=date&loc=1950/W_OS_263-03 "The Trail of the Unicorn,"]] Scrooge [=McDuck=] sends for Donald to help capture the one animal he is missing from his zoo, but the nephews take this the wrong way and interrupt his exposition with the following protest:
---> '''Huey:''' You can't lock Unca' Donald in your old zoo!\\
'''Dewey and Louie:''' And, besides, he isn't an animal!
** Both Creator/DonRosa and Carl Barks famously claimed that Donald is rather a man that happens to look like a duck.
* ''{{ComicBook/Maus}}'', a comic book about Holocaust by Creator/ArtSpiegelman. The Jews are mice, Germans are cats, Poles are pigs, but generally, this is only their appearance.
* Volume II of ''ComicBook/TheLeagueOfExtraordinaryGentlemen'' had this demonstrated by H-9, a hybrid creation of [[Literature/TheIslandOfDoctorMoreau Dr. Moreau]] who happens to be a more ferocious version of the title character of ''ComicStrip/RupertBear''. He scolds H-14 (Tiger Tim) for crawling on all fours and lapping up water and angrily insists that he and the other hybrids are "not beasts" when Mina insists on referring to them as such.

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', while hiking, Calvin scares Hobbes by shouting, "LOOK! A TIGER!"
* Given that [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Bill Watterson]] cites ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' as a major influence, perhaps it was based on a similar joke in a ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' strip, between Howland Owl and Albert Alligator:
-->'''Howland:''' Do you know what ''el legarto'' means?\\
'''Albert''' ''[indifferently]'' A cigar?\\
'''Howland:''' "An alligator"!\\
'''Albert:''' WHERE?!
* The Dog from ''ComicStrip/FootrotFlats'' has also once said this. [[ADogNamedDog As his name implies - he is a dog.]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' once forgot he was a cat and shaved off his facial hair. Plus he is quoted in another comic strip as saying "I'm only human," while [[OffIntoTheDistanceEnding walking into the sunset]]...
* In a ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' comic strip from 1991, Snoopy was about to drink from a water fountain at Charlie Brown's school when a girl saw him and said, "Hey! There's a dog in the hall!" Snoopy looked around and replied, [[WhereWhere "Where?"]]
** In an earlier story, Sally is doing a report on animals. Snoopy is initially reluctant to help her because he claims that "I don't know any animals" (this evidently means that he doesn't consider birds to be animals, either).
* The given name of the titular shark from ''ComicStrip/ShermansLagoon'' means "Shear man" (i.e., a male human who shears sheep for a living). To be fair, Sherman is an anthropomorphic shark.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Inverted in ''Fanfic/ATwilightLanding'', after being [[HumanityEnsues turned into a human herself]], [[WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic Twilight Sparkle]] tends to use ponyisms when talking about other humans, such as calling men and women "stallions" and "mares" respectively and using words like "everypony" when talking about people.
* In chapter 2 of ''Fanfic/ArthurGoesFourth'', a character tells Jane Read "If you can understand American tax laws, then you must be more than human." Jane is an aardvark. It's especially odd because they're ''noted'' as animals in the fanfic.
* Inverted with Iris in ''Fanfic/PokemonResetBloodlines''. Having grown up in the wild [[RaisedByWolves raised by Dragon-type Pokémon]] and being a Dragon Heart Bloodliner (meaning that she can use Dragon-type moves and [[SpeaksFluentAnimal understand Dragon-types]]), she considers herself a Dragon-type born in the wrong body rather than a human.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Creator/RalphBakshi's reasoning for why the anthropomorphic characters in ''WesternAnimation/FritzTheCat'' and ''WesternAnimation/{{Coonskin}}'' never act like animals is that it would ruin what he was trying to create, which was a more realistic and mature form of animation. This is specifically the reason why a scene in ''Fritz the Cat'' where Duke the Crow saves Fritz was changed from [[ComicBook/FritzTheCat R. Crumb's comic]]; Crumb had Duke flying Fritz away from a car crash, whereas he grabs a railing in the film. Bakshi admits that he wasn't entirely satisfied with the solution, but it kept him from using any "animal" behavior to further the plot.
* In ''WesternAnimation/MickeysChristmasCarol'', Scrooge [=McDuck=], who's playing Ebenezer Scrooge from ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'' is referred to as an "Englishman", despite being a ''duck'', not to mention a Scottish one.
-->'''Willie the Giant:''' ''[as The Ghost of Christmas Present]'' Fe! Fi! Fo! Fum!\\
I smell. I mean, I smell.\\
A stingy little Englishman!\\
I think I do.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* Played with in the SpecialEdition of ''Franchise/StarWars'': "Jabba, you're a wonderful human being." When the scene was originally shot, Jabba ''was'' a human being. Lucas decided not to use the scene until the SpecialEdition where he could replace the human actor with a CGI Jabba. It wound up being somewhat serendipitous since the line comes off as slightly sarcastic and quite fitting for Han Solo's character.
* PlayedForDrama and deconstructed in ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy'' and its sequels. Rocket Raccoon is an [[UpliftedAnimal uplifted raccoon]], but ''hates'' being reminded of that fact and reacts with extreme fury when people press the topic. This is because he believes that everyone sees him as just a dumb animal pumped full of mutagens and cybernetics, rather than as a real person. Not to mention his uplifting was a horrific and traumatic experience that he'd really prefer not to be reminded of.
* ''Film/StuartLittle'': {{Lampshaded}} in the second film, in a conversation between Stuart (a mouse living in a human family) and the family cat:
-->'''Stuart:''' I mean, what am I, a man or a... mouse...\\
'''Snowbell:''' Is that a trick question?
** Which brings to mind the song "Man or Muppet?" from ''Film/TheMuppets2011'', in which a human character and his Muppet brother debate that question for themselves.

[[folder:Literature]]
* A sort of third-person variant. In the ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' series, the other wizards, and most of Ankh-Morpork, have gotten so used to the Librarian's form (he was turned into an Orangutan early in the series), that it's mentioned if an outsider had told the Wizards they saw an orangutan in the library, they'd probably go and ask the Librarian if he'd seen it.
* The ''Series/SesameStreet'' tie-in Picture Book ''Literature/TheMonsterAtTheEndOfThisBook'' is probably this for [[spoiler:Grover]]. [[spoiler:Grover]] spends the entire book trying to stop readers from encountering a monster at the end of the book, only to find that [[spoiler: he is that monster.]]
* In-universe example in the ''Literature/XWingSeries''. Apparently "We're only human" is a phrase there, too, and a non human character pointedly states that while the ''speaker'' is human, ''he'' is not.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* In one episode of ''Series/BarneyAndFriends'', BJ (one of the dinosaur characters) refers to himself as a "human cannonball".
[[/folder]]

* ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'':
** The episode "The Penal Zone" has Max, an anthropomorphic rabbit, telling Sam, an anthropomorphic dog, that his psychic powers make him the next stage in "our" evolution. Whose evolution, exactly?
** The comics give us this intentional example:
--->'''Sam:''' Who knows what effect it had on civilisation?\\

** Played with in ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxHitTheRoad'', where they buy a coloring book. Sam can ask Max if he wants to do any coloring, and Max points out that [[FurryReminder he's colorblind]]. Sam then realises, "Me, too." [[NegativeContinuity The coloring book can still be used with what are explicitly Max's crayons, and there's several puzzles in the game which rely on colour codes.]]

%%[[folder:Web Animation]]
%%* PlayedForLaughs in [[http://youtu.be/2yUxsfaIOL4 this]] memorable bit from ''WebAnimation/MattNDusty''
%%[[/folder]]

* ''Webcomic/AGirlAndHerFed'' includes in its cast Speedy, an intelligence-enhanced koala.
-->'''Speedy:''' [[http://www.agirlandherfed.com/1.96.html I didn't fall out of the eucalyptus tree yesterday, kitten.]] If I want to be jerked around, I'll find myself a zoo. So shut your yap, do as I say, and maybe you'll get through this alive.
%%* In ''Webcomic/{{Femmegasm}}'', VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog does this.
* Humans and animals live side-by-side in society in ''Webcomic/FunnyFarm'', where they all have the same rights as each other and freely mingle, even on an, ahem, sexual level -- nobody seems to comment on a black sheep having a human girlfriend, nor do they seem any more likely to comment on if it were gender-reversed (which does serve as the basis for many a BestialityIsDepraved joke, after all).

* The furry enthusiasts in ''Untitled'' [[http://untitled.comicgenesis.com/d/20000921.html were told by a Furry to get a life.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingWorldOfGumball'' frequently [[LampshadeHanging hangs a lampshade on instances of this]], like Gumball pointing out that it's pointless for Tina (a T. rex) to get piano lessons because she only has 4 fingers, or Gumball trying to throttle Darwin but failing because Darwin doesn't have a neck. One instance that is never commented on is Teri's obsession with washing hands despite being made of paper.

* The cast of ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'' (and the book series it's based on) are basically a bunch of average kids, their families and teachers....who just happen to be different anthropomorphic critters. This is rarely mentioned, and they've referred to themselves as "people" at least once. A common fan theory is that they ''are'' human, but are seen through a FurryLens.
** Which would contradict lines in early episodes, such as when Buster says "I'm not made of money, I'm made of fur", a bully saying (in reference to Buster) "The rabbit stays", and George (a deer) referring to himself as having "horns" (antlers) while a clip plays of him getting them wedged in a small space.
* ''WesternAnimation/BoJackHorseman'' features both humans and anthropomorphic animals living as equals. Occasionally, animals are included in real-world racial allegories (the [[TheCartel Latin Kings]] and [[ThoseWackyNazis Skinheads]] gangs in "Our A-Story is a D-Story" include animals), even though there are also instances of FantasticRacism among animals.

* Brian the dog from ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' [[ZigZaggedTrope Zig-Zags]] with this.
-->'''Peter:''' Oh, my God! You can talk!
** In one episode, Brian campaigned for equal rights for dogs, only for all the humans around to treat him like an idiot. This was presumably because, other than Brian and rare, one-off characters like his gay cousin Jasper, every other dog in the show's universe is an ordinary animal. Most of the time, though, the characters treat Brian as human (including the women he sleeps with), but then will occasionally jar the viewer with some reminder that he has at least some canine qualities.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' had a rather funny example of this:
-->'''Bender:''' C'mon, Fry, I really wanna see [Past-O-Rama]. You know how I yearn for a simpler time. A time of barn dances and buggy rides, before life was cheapened by heartless hi-tech machines.\\
'''Leela:''' But, Bender, you are--\\
''(Bender holds his hands to his ear units and shakes his head.)''\\
'''Bender:''' LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA!
** Also, we have this:
-->'''Bender:''' You're my best friend, Fry, I'm sorry I treated you so badly.\\
'''Fry:''' Apology accepted. After all, you're only human.\\
''(They pat each other on the backs)''\\
'''Leela:''' Wait a minute! You did it all backwards.\\
''(Fry and Bender stop and look towards Leela)''\\
'''Leela:''' Fry's the one who should be-- Oh, never mind!
* This happens quite often on ''WesternAnimation/GoofTroop''. In one episode, a bystander said that PJ "can't be human". They also make frequent references to things being "humanly possible". Everyone in-universe seems to be some sort of cat (Pete and P.J.) or dog (every other "anthro" character) except for occasional cameos (which aren't human either).
* MickeyMouse, besides the ears and tail, is barely a mouse himself. Walt Disney wouldn't let him be shown [[StockAnimalDiet eating cheese]]. However, cartoons such as ''WesternAnimation/HouseOfMouse'', created long after Walt's death, actually ''do'' show him having an affinity to cheese.
** A "talking" Mickey Mouse toy apparently dating to 1976 (10 years after Disney's death) had a pull string that allowed it to "say" eight phrases, one of which was "How 'bout some cheese, please?"

** In one cartoon, Sylvester (a TalkingAnimal) is trying to catch and eat a bluebird, much to the dismay of his son (a FunnyAnimal). The following exchange occurs:
--->'''Sylvester Jr.:''' Oh, father. You're just ''not human''.\\
'''Sylvester Sr.:''' Of course I'm not human - I'm a ''cat''!

* ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'':
** The episode "That's My Baby" Tina Russo's sister's baby, Zachary, is never referred to as a duckling even though he is one. He is instead always referred to as a baby as if he were a human baby. Also, he's drinking milk, which human and other mammal babies drink, not ducklings, or any other baby bird for that matter.

->''"That's human nature for you. Even if you're a penguin."''
-->-- '''The Narrator''', ''WesternAnimation/TheThreeCaballeros''

[[FridgeLogic Weird, ain't it?]] This may indicate that a FunnyAnimal is unaware that he isn't human (yes, web pages aren't any more human than FunnyAnimals, but you know what I mean). This may also apply to actions, such as a dog eating ice cream or chocolate without getting sick, or a [[WesternAnimation/IAmWeasel weasel]] [[InterspeciesRomance having a romantic relationship with a human]] with no comment whatsoever. Most likely, it implies that the creator views the character's appearance as simply cosmetic; as far as the setting is concerned, they're just as human as you, no matter what they might look like. Ever wonder why WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse was never shown with cheese in the theatrical cartoons? Creator/WaltDisney himself [[EnforcedTrope forbade it]]!

-> ''"[[StockAnimalDiet Cheese]] makes Mickey seem like a mouse. He's really not a mouse, you know, he's really more a human."''

Sometimes, of course, this simply happens because MostWritersAreHuman. Can be combined with FurryReminder for comedic effect. Related to FurryConfusion and AnthropomorphicShift. Not to be confused with denying you are part of the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom. If a non-human is knowingly and ironically referring to himself as human, it's InTheOriginalKlingon. Usually subverted if the character is a BeastMan; they'll {{insist|ent terminology}} that they are not a [[IAmNotWeasel weasel]] since they, well, ''aren't'' a weasel. Can be justified if the character is a victim of ForcedTransformation who WasOnceAMan- referring to themselves as "human" and doing other human activities may be just force of habit.

SubTrope of IWouldSayIfICouldSay and OrphanedEtymology. Contrast FurryReminder. Compare and Contrast FurryLens, when the character actually ''is'' human but just looks like an animal to the audience.

Sometimes, of course, this simply happens because MostWritersAreHuman. Can be combined with FurryReminder for comedic effect. Related to FurryConfusion and AnthropomorphicShift. Not to be confused with denying you are part of the UsefulNotes/FurryFandom. If a non-human is knowingly and ironically referring to himself as human, it's InTheOriginalKlingon. Usually subverted if the character is a BeastMan; they'll {{insist|ent terminology}} that they are not a [[IAmNotWeasel weasel]] since they, well, ''aren't'' a weasel. Can be justified if the character is a BalefulPolymorph who WasOnceAMan- referring to themselves as "human" and doing other human activities may be just force of habit.

** In one episode, Brian campaigned for equal rights for dogs, only for all the humans around to treat him like an idiot. This was presumably because, other than Brian and rare, one-off characters like his gay cousin Jasper, every other dog in the show's universe is an ordinary animal. Most of the time, though, the characters treat Brian as human (including the women he sleeps with), but then occasionally jarring the viewer with some reminder that he has at least some canine qualities.

** The episode "That's My Baby" Tina Russo's sister's baby, Zachary, is never referred to as a duckling even though he is one. He is instead always referred to as a baby as if he were a human baby. Also, he's drinking milk, which human and other mammal babies drink, not ducklings or any other baby bird for that matter.

** Which brings to mind the song "Man or Muppet?" from ''Film/TheMuppets'', in which a human character and his Muppet brother debate that question for themselves.

** Which brings to mind the song "Man or Muppet?" from "The Muppet Movie", in which a human character and his Muppet brother debate that question for themselves.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* A possibly apocryphal story has one of her human handlers ask Koko the gorilla, who had been taught sign language, if she was an animal or a person. Koko's reported response was that she was "a person--a fine gorilla person!"
[[/folder]]

* Some complaints for the movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Sing}}'' is that there is little reason for the characters to be anthropomorphic animals since they seldom have any {{furry reminder}}s or even behavioral quirks[=/=]gags related to any of their species, save for Ash's quills (her being a porcupine) being a slight nuisance to others.

* Discussed in ''Webcomic/{{Freefall}}''. Doctor Bowman programmed his artificial intelligences (and UpliftedAnimals) to defer to humans, but when he programmed the definition of "human" into them, he didn't restrict it to "one narrow subset of primate DNA". Instead, there's a list of qualifying traits, and the definition of "human" is meeting a certain number of them. [[spoiler: Bowman himself is a chimpanzee]], but Florence agrees that he's human without hesitation.

* Some complaints for the movie ''WesternAnimation/{{Sing}}'' is that there is little reason for the characters to be anthropomorphic animals since they seldom have any FurryReminders or even behavioral quirks[=/=]gags related to any of their species, save for Ash's quills (her being a porcupine) being a slight nuisance to others.

* Some complaints for the movie ''WesternAnimation/Sing'' is that there is little reason for the characters to be anthropomorphic animals since they seldom have any FurryReminders or even behavioral quirks[=/=]gags related to any of their species, save for Ash's quills (her being a porcupine) being a slight nuisance to others.

[[folder:RealLife]

[[folder:Real Life]

* The given name of the titular shark from ''ComicStrip/ShermansLagoon'' means "Shear man" (i.e., a male human who shears sheep for a living).

[[folder:Comic Strips]]
* In ''ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes'', while hiking, Calvin scares Hobbes by shouting, "LOOK! A TIGER!"
* Given that [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Bill Watterson]] cites ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' as a major influence, perhaps it was based on a similar joke in a ''ComicStrip/{{Pogo}}'' strip, between Howland Owl and Albert Alligator:
-->'''Howland:''' Do you know what ''el legarto'' means?\\
'''Albert''' ''[indifferently]'' A cigar?\\
'''Howland:''' "An alligator"!\\
'''Albert:''' WHERE?!
* The Dog from ''ComicStrip/FootrotFlats'' has also once said this. [[ADogNamedDog As his name implies - he is a dog.]]
* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' once forgot he was a cat and shaved off his facial hair. Plus he is quoted in another comic strip as saying "I'm only human," while [[OffIntoTheDistanceEnding walking into the sunset]]...
* In a ''ComicStrip/{{Peanuts}}'' comic strip from 1991, Snoopy was about to drink from a water fountain at Charlie Brown's school when a girl saw him and said, "Hey! There's a dog in the hall!" Snoopy looked around and replied, [[WhereWhere "Where?"]]
** In an earlier story, Sally is doing a report on animals. Snoopy is initially reluctant to help her because he claims that "I don't know any animals" (this evidently means that he doesn't consider birds to be animals, either).
[[/folder]]