Bryceson Tenold
Staff Writer
It has come to my attention that “The Vagina Monologues” will once again be gracing Malibu with its liberating language and plethora of female activists. Thanks to our university’s mission statement, this production will appear off campus, however, it will still include a number of Pepperdine students. While there was dissention in last week’s Graphic about the administration’s decision to prevent the production from occurring on campus, I am hardly upset.
For those of you unfamiliar with “The Vagina Monologues,” Eve Ensler wrote the production after listening to women all over the world tell their stories of abuse, shame, and insecurity regarding their femininity. The show is an attempt to stop violence against women and girls by raising awareness and funds. Each act is the story of a different woman in a different part of the world who has been hurt physically, emotionally or psychologically by a male.
Some of the stories are powerful in the depicted debasing of humanity, and some of them are debase in the depiction of humanity. I find violence against women to be abhorrent, but the power of Eve Ensler’s message is sadly lost amidst a misdirected focus and a desire to shock.
I attended the production last February in an effort to understand women. As in all my past attempts, this mission failed miserably, and it left me puzzled over the power of one chromosome.
I had not really studied up on “The Monologues” prior to that night, and I knew things were going to be interesting as soon as I opened up the program and began reading the titles of difference performances. All of them were eye-catching to say the least, but “The Vagina Happy Fact” and “My Angry Vagina” along with “The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could,” are three of the standout examples. After flipping to the back to see if they had included a dictionary along with the program, it became apparent that I was not only coming to see a show, but to expand my vocabulary as well.
In the actress biography page of my program, each performer answered the question “What would your vagina wear?” Here are some of the responses: “Red bow tie,” “Tap shoes” and “Fishnets and red lipstick.” Realizing that my ignorance of women was more profound than originally thought, I was left wondering if Victoria’s Secret actually sold thongs, or if it was a disguise so that women could dress their lower regions in “Thick black glasses and burgundy lipstick,” as another actress desired.
Finally the play began. The graphic language used to emphasize the message of the monologues became overused just minutes into the production. The subject matter of the production is clear from its title, but the mere repetition — at times the audience is encouraged to chant various “forbidden” words — suggested that Ensler sees the female anatomy as a matter of public discussion.
Please realize that as a man, the only times I have heard lengthy discussions concerning female anatomy have occurred in biology class and at rugby practice. I always thought that guys discussing their weekend activities were being crude and disrespectful toward women, but now I realize that they were doing what every woman secretly hopes they will do. As one actress stated, “Women love to talk about their vaginas,” and it seemed clear that they wanted me to join them in the conversation that night.
Quite possibly the most disturbing part of “The Monologues” was the apparent lack of self-control and dignity on the part of Ensler and the script. At one point, an old woman graphically recounts her first orgasm. Another woman acts as a dominatrix and vividly describes how “women pay me to dominate them.” Pedophilia is discussed but not discouraged, and another female sounds out an orgasm on stage. The shrieking sounded more like a housewife chasing a mouse than a college student experiencing intimacy. Women are encouraged to please themselves sexually and their identity is wholly wrapped up in their nether region: “The clit is the essence of me,” as one performer states.
It seems that since the beginning of time women have been trying to be valued for more than their genitals. Now it seems they value each other and themselves for this very thing. How odd.
Rather than rising above the problems and filth with which they blame men, Ensler and company have lowered themselves and become angry, just like the angry men they so oppose. This production is like holding a slave auction to raise money for abolitionists. While the cause is good and just, the event does precisely the opposite of what is intended. Rather than lifting and ennobling women, “The Vagina Monologues” encourages them to lack self-control and dignity.
Related Article
A&F markets sex; Vagina Monologues doesn’t
2-17-2005
