crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Yeah, I know you all are tired of my posts on Kevin Jennings but I also know you will love this one.

You have heard of “Fistgate,” the 2000 incident  which Jennings had nothing to do with but keeps getting blamed for?

Well get ready for “Fistgate II.”

Apparently, the right-wing site Big Government is working hand-in-hand with the Massachusetts anti-lgbt hate group Mass Resistance even to the point of reprinting every bit of tripe the organization comes out with against Jennings.

Including the following factoid:

Supposedly neither Jennings nor GLSEN learned anything from “Fistgate” because they were allegedly handing out “fisting kits” to children a year later during another conference.

And Big Government not only has the story but a picture of the kit (see above).

But the truth of the matters comes from Massachusetts News, a defunct Massachusetts right-wing publication which published a 2001 piece on the conference. Despite its attempts to smear Jennings, the piece actually exonerates him.

This piece is on the Big Government blog:

Fistgate II was held on Saturday in the same building at Tufts University as last year with the same message about how to practice homosexual sex.

More students attended this year. Out of approximately 650 attendees, about 400 of those were students.

Kits of plastic gloves intended for “fisting” or oral sex were distributed at Planned Parenthood’s table in the lobby.

It was Planned Parenthood which distributed the kits and these kits had NOTHING to do with fisting but providing a dental dam for oral sex. Another article (if you pan down) on the Massachusetts News site clearly says:

 They contained a single plastic glove, a package of K-Y lubricant and instructions on how to make a “dental dam” out of the material.

The instructions explained how to cut up the glove with scissors until all that remains is a rubber rectangle with the “thumb” portion protruding from the middle. “Use the thumb space for your tongue,” say the directions.

The label on the ziplocked package says, “protects against STD’s,” and bears the Planned Parenthood logo and phone number.

Even comments solicited from one John R. Diggs (who himself published a highly dubious piece on the lgbt community) from Massachusetts News said nothing that connected the dental dams to fisting:

Regarding “dental dams,” Dr. John Diggs, a specialist in internal medicine who lectures about STDs, said that the kits create a false sense of security. “I’ve written a brochure about this whole thing,” he said. “The way I describe it is, I ask ‘How many people want to take a bite of a sandwich without taking the wrapper off?’ ‘How many people want to suck on balloons?’ Nobody does.”

Diggs said when you encourage kids to use such a barrier by saying it is “safe,” then when it comes time for them to use it, they find they don’t like it and throw it aside. Because they are already in an aroused condition they continue on and increase the chances of spreading STD’s orally like syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, human hepaloma virus and hepatitis B.

And if you need further proof, then just look at the picture. It clearly says “How to make a dental dam from a latex glove.”

Personally I think that in light of the transmissions of STDs, specifically amongst teens and young adults, providing pertinent information regarding safe sex, including condoms and dental dams, is a good idea.
You would be surprised how confused people get when it comes to sex.

Why there are even some people out there who think that fisting and oral sex are the same thing.

Really though, my guess is that the term “fisting”  and the euphemism of “Fistgate II” was used by Massachusetts News (and subsequently Big Government and Mass Resistance)  to make an inaccurate connection to the first phony moral panic created by the original so-called “Fistgate.”

And by all means don't think that this will be the last ludicrous attack we will see against Jennings.

According to Media Matters, the Washington Times seems to have a vendetta against Jennings, calling him “Obama's buggery czar” in editorial, which is the publication's ninth attacking him:

The Washington Times continued its anti-gay war on Department of Education official Kevin Jennings in a December 8 editorial entitled “Obama's buggery czar,” the paper's ninth editorial smearing Jennings since late September. The Times editorial advanced several false and misleading claims in order to paint Jennings as a “moral malefactor” who supported and promoted “kids having sex with adults” as well as “homosexuality and promiscuity.”

Among other things, the Washington Times brought up the “Brewster incident” as well as the other lies (i.e. Harry Hay, the “evil reading list,” etc.) Bear in mind that these lies have been continuously refuted by several sources.

So why do folks on the right keep pushing them?

Well the most true words regarding this was said recently by, of all people, Peter LaBarbera -  well at least a smidgen of true words:

it is now common for conservatives — especially non-religiously-affiliated media leaders like Sean Hannity . . . to make the odd disclaimer that the GLSEN/Jennings controversy (or whatever “gay”-related culture-war story they are discussing) “is not about homosexuality.” Baloney. This is all about homosexuality and the “gay” activist agenda whose singular goal is to normalize homosexuality as a “civil right.”  

Translation: this entire ugly incident of lies and character assassination is solely due to Jennings's sexual orientation. It's not about Brewster or Harry Hay or fisting, or anything else drudged up by the right.

These folks hate the fact that Jennings is an gay man but apparently they don't want to come out and say it because they have a serious aversion to the label of “homophobe” that LaBarbera seems to enjoy wearing like a banner.

So they have exploited this nonsensical fear about Jennings “indoctrina
ting” children; a huge lie linking homophobia and pedophilia not unlike Anita Bryant's claim that gays cannot reproduce so we “recruit” children.

It's definitely proof that those peddling garbage never change their habits. They only attempt to cover up its smell.

And it should be taken as a reason why WE must support Jennings vigorously through words and deeds. If  those on the right can take Jennings down with refuted lies, then what does it say about America?

What does it say about our supposed system of honesty and fair play when a good man's reputation and life's work can be tainted or destroyed by innuendo, false associations, and out-and-out untruths?

Small tip to Big Government – the next time you accuse someone of something, it's best not to include information exonerating that person. It makes you look not only like a liar but a stupid liar.