Sell out crowds demand attention, and so we direct our attention once more to the case of The Vagina Monologues. The Monologues have been derided by Saint Louis University administration as redundant, and have been summarily dismissed from the campus. This year, SLU is one of 16 Catholic universities in America that have banned the production on their campuses.
Why has the University become a follower in a situation that calls for strong leadership and even stronger dedication? The Monologues are an ever-evolving production with new additions and moving stories. Furthermore, it is irresponsible of a University which supposedly promotes a community of care and support to dismiss an event that directly impacts multiple women’s safety organizations.
We see the production as a dialogue between women and the community – not a redundant diatribe against the conventions handed down from a patriarchal social hierarchy. The dialogue that The Monologues bring to the fore is one of none-too-subtle descriptions and stories, but also one that promotes awareness of topics that are very real and often viewed as taboo or inappropriate.
Of the top five Catholic universities in the United States, four of them had productions of The Vagina Monologues on their campuses. In that group of universities, SLU was the only dissenter, subsequently forcing the production off-campus.
We are brought back to the question of “Why?” Here is an event that gives the majority of its proceeds to various charities supporting women. To date, worldwide production of The Monologues and the “V-Day” celebration with which it coincides, has grossed millions of dollars in over eighty countries–this is most certainly not a negative event.
Perhaps social conservatives do not believe in the power of stories to effect social change, but if they find the content of the stories to be too offensive for their ears, then perhaps they should simply buy a ticket, and not go. The proceeds from their purchase go to charity, and they can burn the ticket if that would make them feel better.
Some decisions, however, transcend feelings. Instead of asking “what would feel better,” University administrators should ask, “What would be better for the SLU community?”
What would be better? If our great and esteemed Catholic university brought The Vagina Monologues back to campus next year. If our university endorsed an overwhelmingly positive event that benefits campus cultural life, University atmosphere and charitable organizations.
What would be better is if our university would live up to its own standards and support this event and act as men, and women, for others.
