An organization in the Basque region of Spain has come out with a series of racy videos to promote Euskara (or Euskera), the Basque language, El Pais reports.
Adding to the PR disaster, it has also emerged that the Basque government spent close to 3,500 euros ($4,600) on funding the Fundación Leizaola for the initiative, which aimed to promote Euskara through "new technologies", especially among young people, according to 20 Minutos.
One video shows a man going to a Euskaltegi (Euskara academy), where the teacher strips and gets into bed with him. But when he fails to answer questions in Euskara, she gives him the boot.
In another video, two men discuss sexual conquests, and one describes how after sex he dropped a woman "like a bad habit."
"That's what women are for," his friend replies. An eavesdropping woman suggests a threesome to get back at the men, ultimately leaving them in the hotel corridor at the last minute (It's unclear how this was supposed to encourage youngsters to use Euskara).
"They're innovative videos, directed at a young audience," José Antonio Dorronsoro, spokesman for the Fundación Leizaola, told El Correo. "This is not to teach the rules of nori, nork [Euskara conjugation], but to find another type of coupling, breaking formalities with Euskara, to stop associating with boring, bland..."
Dorronso also said he did not see the videos as sexist; rather, they showed that Euskara could be used "not just for passing exams, you can use Euskara in any area."
Unfortunately for the organization, the Basque government and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia did not take the same charitable view of the videos, El Mundo reports. They have demanded their withdrawal (the videos have since been taken off YouTube) for being in bad taste, promoting discrimination against women, and using sex to encourage young people to use Euskara. In the meantime, the government is analyzing the content.
Unsurprisingly, after the outpouring of criticism, the Foundation has changed its tune. It now claims the videos "are contrary" to its "spirit and line of thought", and that they were unfinished products, not cleared for publication.
WATCH (the videos are mildly NSFW):
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