[hnbad]

For context, this is Project Veritas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Veritas

> Project Veritas is an American far-right activist group founded by James O'Keefe in 2010. The group produces deceptively edited videos of its undercover operations, which use secret recordings in an effort to discredit mainstream media organizations and progressive groups. Project Veritas also uses entrapment to generate bad publicity for its targets, and has propagated disinformation and conspiracy theories in its videos and operations.

Regardless of what you may think of the recordings themselves, the presentation and editing is often extremely misleading and credentials of the recorded individuals are often overstated to help create a narrative.

[willcipriano]

For more context, they consistently win defamation lawsuits and the chorus of "this is out of context" folks never seem to be able to provide any. Look up "Project Veritas RETRACTO" on YouTube to find their ongoing series where mainstream journalists have been forced to retract statements made about Veritas hundreds of times due to them being inaccurate.

[hulitu]

> in an effort to discredit mainstream media organizations and progressive groups. Project Veritas also uses entrapment to generate bad publicity for its targets, and has propagated disinformation and conspiracy theories in its videos and operations.

This looks like normal journalism.

[robswc]

Something like this is always posted whenever Project Veritas comes up. I agree they're mostly finding things for outrage culture and are generally annoying... sometimes they uncover legitimately concerning things though.

That said, here's an example of why I dislike this "argument."

Joseph Bruno, Dean of Students, Francis W. Parker School: “So, I’ve been the Dean for four years. During Pride -- we do a Pride Week every year -- I had our LGBTQ+ Health Center come in [to the classroom]. They were passing around butt-plugs and dildos to my students -- talking about queer sex, using lube versus using spit.”

The school's response:

A school spokesperson said the dean was “filmed without his knowledge or permission while describing one example of our inclusive, LGBTQ+ affirming a comprehensive approach to sex education. Veritas deceptively edited the video with malicious intent.” [1]

Notice, they say absolutely _nothing_ about whether they [2] pass around butt-plugs and dildos. If anything, their statement lends to the idea that they do in fact do that. I do not care if the Dean was "misled" or the video is "edited" unless that disproves what the Dean claimed. My bar isn't that high at all.

--

[1] : https://www.wane.com/news/private-school-defends-dean-after-...

[2] : edit, as some believe my original wording (do give out sex toys to kids) was disingenuous

[noibl]

Your substitution...

- passing around butt-plugs and dildos to my students

+ [giving] out sex toys to kids

...is an example of exactly the kind of transcription error via which controversy ignites into hysteria. If we are to interpret your intent charitably, we must also charitably assume that abstract anatomical models (sex toys) are a useful and valid demonstration tool in the context of sexual health education.

[hnbad]

FWIW most dildos aimed at women are not actually "anatomical models" and would not be recognizable if you've never seen one before. Likewise, butt-plugs may sound kinky but they don't look particularly imposing unless you deliberately go for extreme sizes. Also presumably much like condoms often handed out to students in sex ed, it's safe to assume these aren't used. The "leak" deliberately evokes the image of a queer predator handing out their own massive butt plugs and veiny rubber dongs to children to seduce them into sexual acts.

The video is not just supposed to spark outrage with extreme conservatives who think giving "children" (I can't find any source specifying the age so this could be anything from 6 to 17) an opportunity to ask questions about sex is child abuse (or "grooming", "sexualizing children", etc), but also moderates who assume the worst because of how this "revelation" is reported on (after all, if it makes headlines, it must be bad).

[noibl]

Several good points of clarification. My own phrasing leaned heavily on "abstract".

[robswc]

I was actually trying to be _less_ polarizing in my phrasing.

The issue isn't that ppl are under the impression they got to take these items home. The issue is that there is 0 reason on earth for schools to be introducing kids to butt-plugs and passing them around like its show and tell.

[tanaros]

I have not watched the video, but I will note that “passing around” can mean “passing around the room [and then taking back].” The linked article says only the toys were “shown.”

This is not the same as “[giving] out sex toys to kids.”

[robswc]

>This is not the same as “[giving] out sex toys to kids.”

I consider someone coming in and giving out butt-plugs to kids the same as "giving out sex toys to kids." I don't think anyone was under the impression that they got to take them home, if that's what you're thinking.

I was actually trying to be less polarizing in my phrasing.

[gjsman-1000]

For the people that the story targets, even if there may be that misunderstanding, does that make it any much better?

[hnbad]

I'd wager the group of people outraged hearing that some person who is not even a teacher is invited to hand out veiny rubber dongs to their children is larger than the group of people outraged hearing that a sexual health educator passed around something that looks more like a smooth plastic carrot (and collected it before leaving). So yeah, the difference matters and leaving this open to interpretation aids embellishment and therefore reach. After all, where there's smoke, there's fire: if this gets reported on, it surely can't be the most charitable version of events.

[robswc]

>I'd wager the group of people outraged hearing that some person who is not even a teacher is invited to hand out veiny rubber dongs to their children is larger than the group of people outraged hearing that a sexual health educator passed around something that looks more like a smooth plastic carrot (and collected it before leaving).

Hardly a wager when the former population would undoubtedly be included in the latter.

Why does anyone need to be coming into the class room to pass around butt-plugs and dildos for kids to play with?

[horns4lyfe]

That’s a very generous reading of what far right means. They’re not fascists.