There have been many recent examples of high profile plagiarism scandals, from Jane Goodall to Slavoj Žižek to Shia LeBeouf to Jonah Lehrer.
Add to that noteworthy list Jaclyn Glenn, who you probably don’t know unless you are super into YouTube anti-feminists or if you follow Richard Dawkins on Twitter.
I first became aware of Glenn about a month ago, when I saw links to her videos popping up here and there on social media. The joy I felt at seeing another outspoken atheist woman on YouTube quickly dissipated after I tried and failed to make it through a single video without uncontrollable cringing. I found her videos poorly written, produced, and acted, but seeing as that’s how I feel about 99.9% of YouTube videos, I didn’t think it was exactly newsworthy. From what I could tell, she saw the hundreds of thousands of hits that people like The Amazing Atheist and Thunderf00t are getting for their videos and decided to emulate them in a camisole: make a few videos mocking Christians, add in a few mocking feminists, and presto! YouTube/Adsense Partner success.
Her most recent video is about “Atheism+” and “pussies,” and previous efforts have included videos about how Elliot Rodger’s killing spree was about his mental instability and not about misogyny (which Christina Rad responds to here).
Outspoken advocates for both atheism and male supremacy have been eating it up, with many fawning compliments from the likes of Dawkins:
Her humour is an acquired taste. I've acquired it. @JaclynGlenn is funny in a very clever, anarchically charming way http://t.co/Cpfpdn9QhE
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) February 2, 2014
As well as American Atheists:
.@JaclynGlenn, we are extremely proud of all you do for atheism activism. You're an inspiration to many! Subscribe @ http://t.co/CMvPXomhkv
— American Atheists (@AmericanAtheist) April 15, 2014
(This includes, as Ophelia Benson points out, frequent plugs specifically for Glenn’s anti-feminist videos from AA mouthpiece Dave Muscato.)
Yesterday, Benson also pointed out that Glenn posted a rant to her Facebook page that was directly lifted from an earlier YouTube comment posted by Mikkj1. Here’s the YouTube comment:
While a lot of us hardcore atheists are subscribed to any number of vloggers, we’re not really the target demographic. We’re (they’re) trying to reach the undecideds, the a-curious. Each vlogger reaches, or speaks to, a different demographic. If Jaclyn can reach some that wouldn’t click on Thunderf00t or TheAmazingAtheist or CultofDusy, then good. With people who have been indoctrinated for the majority, if not all, of their lives, repetition is necessary. Also, this subject is not as infinitely variable as you might think, and videos are going to always be somewhat derivative. I’m not sure why you felt the need to post a criticism, but that’s your right. I suspect it’s for the same reason that your channel is full of anti-feminist videos, but that’s just supposition. Have a good one.
And here’s Glenn’s Facebook post:
While many “hardcore atheists” are subscribed to any number of vloggers, you’re not always the target demographic. I’m trying to reach the undecideds, the a-curious. Each vlogger reaches, or speaks to, a different demographic. If I can reach some that wouldn’t click on Thunderf00t or TheAmazingAtheist or CultofDusy, then great!
With people who have been indoctrinated- for the majority, if not all, of their lives, repetition is necessary. Also, this subject is not as infinitely variable as you might think, and videos are going to always be somewhat derivative. I’m always trying to do things in a creative way- either by humor, including guests on videos, doing skits, or singing songs.
Why do people find it necessary to say I’m unoriginal and only achieve success because of my gender or looks? I’m fine with *constructive* criticism, I appreciate it. But if you’re determined to hate me then just don’t watch my videos. I’m not Dawkins or Hitchens, and I’m not trying to be. I’m contributing in the best way I know how. If it doesn’t work for you, move on. The infighting within the atheist community is on my last nerve. We don’t always have to agree, but constant polarization is suffocating our voice. Divided we fall.
To be absolutely clear, yes, that is Glenn quite clearly plagiarizing a YouTube comment in order to complain about being called “unoriginal.” The irony is astounding.
After I Tweeted a link to Benson’s article, Ryan Bailey replied to tell me that Glenn also plagiarized from him in one of her videos:
@rebeccawatson Go to 3:30 of this video & compare to my tweet sent days before the video: http://t.co/MWxpsD406s pic.twitter.com/zR0wrsC5zS
— Ryan Bailey (@rtb_bailey) July 19, 2014
Sure enough, here’s what Glenn says in her video, posted March 27:
It seems like religious people every year are getting more and more desperate. They staunchly oppose science up to a point and then jump ship and they try to take it on as their own.
And here’s Bailey’s Tweet, sent directly to Glenn on March 24:
Funny how the religious staunchly oppose science up to a point where they jump ship and take it on as their own.
It’s an incredibly strange little nugget to copy word-for-word – surely anyone with an ounce of creativity could think of an alternate way to express the same idea without lifting it. It makes me wonder how much of Glenn’s script just sounds like rehashed drivel and how much of it actually is directly plagiarized from other sources. Personally, I can’t bear to dig through her videos to find out, but perhaps one of you has the time, patience, and sense of moral outrage necessary to take on the task.
If you think you’re up to that challenge but haven’t yet actually seen one of Glenn’s videos, let me just remind you that this is a person who plagiarized a YouTube comment. May the FSM be with you.