r/socialjustice101 • u/Psychological-Wash-2 • 1d ago
I fell for a Pretendian
It just came to my attention that the instructor of an ethnobotany-adjacent course I took last year may have committed identify fraud, and that my favorite class was a con. This was not publicly addressed by their employer, and the surrounding Native communities are now trying to mitigate the damages caused by the fiasco.
For my final grade, I had the choice of writing a recipe book based on our (fraudulent) lessons. I poured my heart and soul into this book, and quoted some of the (flanderized) "philosophy" covered in class, being under the impression this was the expectation. Reading it over now is kind of paniful.
Problem is, this was never meant to be more than a final project, yet word about my booklet has apparently gotten out. The instructor asked for a personal copy; thinking little of it, I sent one. I don't know what's become of the project I would've otherwise forgotten about. My former instructor may be using it as a guide to Native American food, even though the book itself never claims to be such.
I got chumped. People I know and people I don't may be paying the price for my naïveity. I don't want to be some charlatan's tool any longer, nor do I want to make a scene and further complicate things for the communities most affected. How can I prevent doing any more unwitting damage?
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u/BlackEchoes 21h ago
Man, this is some wild stuff. You poured your heart into a project, and now it’s out there living its own life in the hands of a fake. I totally get that vibe—getting duped and then feeling awkward about it. Maybe you could put out a little note saying it was just a school assignment, not some ultimate truth? I’d probably make a quick video or post to clear it up and shake off the weight. Oh, and I sometimes write and narrate stories on my YouTube—stuff like appropriation and identity fakes. If you’re curious, the link’s in my profile. Hang in there, and don’t let that fraud keep using your work
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u/StonyGiddens 19h ago
I don't think you can prevent any more damage here. I don't think the instructor being a fake invalidates your work. If your instructor is using it to further his con, that's on him -- not you.
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u/poseur2020 7h ago
Friend, we are surrounded by those thieves. Remember, they’re good at what they do, like all con artists. You did your work with a good heart; as others here have said; how the pretendian misuses that work is on them. Be kind to yourself - those people do a lot of damage and hurt.
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u/JusticeAyo 1d ago
Even though this person was a fraud, does it invalidate everything they’ve taught? Meaning, irrespective of the person’s identity, they still are trained in the subject they’re teaching. They still assigned readings and had lectures that hopefully informed by actual Indigenous people & scholarship.