Pepperdine’s refusal to allow “Vagina Monologues’ on campus disregards the broader issue of service.
By Andrew Hockman
Staff Writer
Upon first hearing of “The Vagina Monologues” all sorts of striking images rush to the brain, which tries to fathom what could be behind the play with such a graphic title. The name, although bold, is quite vague, except for the certainty that it will be taboo. The risqué nature of the play has both added to its success and incited much controversy. In the case of Malibu’s production of “The Vagina Monologues,” the play was a success in spite of disagreement.
The production was originally intended to be held on Pepperdine’s campus, as most of the people involved with the show are Pepperdine students. However, the university administration saw the content of the play to be too explicit for the University to condone. Granted, some of the monologues are far beyond PG-13 material, but the true intent of “The Vagina Monologues” lies not in its shock value, but its message.
“I hope people are able to see beyond the shock value, and really feel for what the monologues are about,” said Victoria Russel, the producer.
“The Vagina Monologues” acts as the centerpiece of an annual effort termed “V-Day,” a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. The Malibu production raised $5,000 for this cause. Specifically, proceeds went to Sojourn Services for Battered Women and Their Children, Break the Cycle and The Gail “Gay” Smith Fund. The mission of V-Day and “The Vagina Monologues” is clear in its intent to raise awareness of and support nonviolence for women.
Pepperdine encourages students to pursue lives of “purpose, service, and leadership.” What better way to promote this mission than by supporting a cause such as V-Day?
“‘The Vagina Monologues’ has opened my eyes to so many important causes,” said cast member and Pepperdine student Candace Lopez. “Working with people who are so avid about women’s rights has made me even more passionate about it.”
With all the controversy surrounding “The Vagina Monologues,” it’s easy to forget the cause for which it stands. It’s not uncommon for people who see the show to leave with an entirely different impression than what they had when they walked into the theater.
“As a male, experiencing ‘The Vagina Monologues’ was very enlightening,” Pepperdine student Arthur Alvarez said. “Beyond the obvious subject of the title, I didn’t know much about it. After seeing it, I was aware of so many more issues surrounding women that I knew of, but was previously never forced to think about.”
Many of the monologues tell vivid tales of women who were murdered, raped, battered and in some cases, women simply forgot what being a woman really meant to them.
“The problem is that people don’t want to talk about the issue, and I think that’s partly why we weren’t allowed to perform the play on campus,” Russel said.
It’s important to remember that the monologues are stories of real women, telling their real stories. To enforce this reality, the performers carried cards with their monologues on stage.
“We want people to know that this isn’t a fiction piece written to be risque. These actresses are telling the anecdotes of women who lived through the events being recounted on stage — telling events that need to be shared,” director Mary Guilliams said.
At a surface level, Pepperdine’s refusal to support “The Vagina Monologues” seems understandable due to its graphic sexual content. Nevertheless, after seeing the show, it’s obvious that the racy material is not so much a promotion of any sexual ideology, but rather a condemnation of any sexual violation against women. This denunciation of violence combined with the philanthropic purposes of V-Day should be a cause supported by the University.
On the flip side, the student-lead production’s prevalence over obstacles demonstrates the driven nature of everyone involved with V-Day. “It was so much more powerful because it was done in spite of what the University said,” audience member Theresa Rodgers said. “I know what the girls went through to make things happen, and that gave their message more impact.”
In addition to all that can be taken from the monologues themselves, supporters of V-Day have learned what it means to fight for their cause — to share their message even in the face of opposition, to not be inhibited by controversy, to promote a world without violence when others excuse the message as taboo.
These women and men have surpassed simply putting on a performance. They have acted to make our world a better place.
February 26, 2004