Comments on: Support V-Day at St. Louis University

By: Elliptic

Elliptic — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:55:42 +0000

I just can't quite get over the transparency of their justification. They're not even trying. The play is banned because multiple performances are redundant? What are they going to do, ban Hamlet? E-mail sent. With… customization.

By: McHenry County Citizens For Choice » Support V-Day at St. Louis University

McHenry County Citizens For Choice » Support V-Day at St. Louis University — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:30:17 +0000

[...] Read the article in its entirety at the Feministe blog. Permalink [...]

By: Makenna

Makenna — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 02:39:31 +0000

So they wouldn’t let her say “vagina,” but they wouldn’t let her use a slang term, either. What was she supposed to do, wordlessly gesture to her crotch every time she would have said the filthy word “vagina”?
*Imagines Jane Fonda frantically gesturing at her crotch*

I shouldn’t find that image so funny, but I do. Cause, you know, we’re supposed to have them and keep them for the use of others (male others), but we’re not supposed to talk about them, acknowledge them, or even know about them.

I’m a student at the University of San Francisco, yet another Jesuit institution, and from what I’ve heard we’ve had a tradition of an annual VM performance for a long time. I didn’t catch this year’s performance (it was $15 and I have virtually no money), but it seems to me that it is supported by students and staff alike. Of course, we’re the damn liberal crazies here in San Francisco.
The whole reason I chose this school was its (Jesuit) mission statement. It’s disheartening to me that SLU’s mission statement only applies when convenient, AND they aren’t owning up to it. I bet the show would be allowed if they had an outspoken, female donor.

By: Emily

Emily — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 12:13:27 +0000

um yeah, couldnl;t aggree more, if someobdy’s a chick with a /used to havea/dick and you;re not into it, then a balanced person says thanks but nothanks and moves on…

By: gentaggard

gentaggard — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:06:13 +0000

Gonzaga in Spokane, WA, shut us down back in 2001.

They also cancelled a Women’s Studies Club’s informal chat with a rep from Planned Parenthood (about the upcoming elections).

These and other incidents led to a huge split among the faculty and directly led to the resignation of one professor.

Robert Spitzer, who did all of this, wrote a book on leadership. It became a bestseller, during a time when he was screaming at profs during staff meetings.

A friend of mine had a job at the local paper as a copy editor. She was playing around with the copy of the story “Jesuit Priest Pens Bestseller” and temporarily changed it to say “Nazi Priest.” Then, however, the paper went to press like that. She no longer works at the local paper.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:38:07 +0000

Well, here at Providence College, we have had to perform Vagina Monologues off-campus the last three years, because it got banned on campus. It is a tough battle with the ridiculous Catholics…it’s nice to know we’re not the only one’s dealing with it.

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 02:19:01 +0000

You should address your letters to Fr. Biondi and not St. Louis University. I love how the basketball coach made public statements supporting the pro-choice movement and Fr. Biondi didn’t even respond when the archbishop wanted him to punish the man. But when female students want to put on the Vagina Monolouges (which was great last year, btw, even though the exact same thing happened last year to where they almost couldn’t put it on. They did it off campus at the Phyllis Wheatley Center) he suddenly feels too pressured by others to allow it. I guess if you have a penis and you make the school money then you can say whatever you want and he’ll stand by you, but if you have a vagina, even though you pay to go to school at SLU, you will be silenced.
SLU is Jesuit when it benefits and “non-religious” when it benefits. I hate SLU.

Fr. Biondi is lucky I didn’t hear about the whole rape victims are liars bit a few years ago when it happened otherwise he’d have about 100 new holes to poop from after I finished with him.

By: meggygurl

meggygurl — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:55:27 +0000

Also, does anyone know of any liberal Catholic (haha) organizations or charities that might support V-Day?

I don’t really know… but a friend of mine graduated from Loyola in New Orleans, which is a Jesuit school. They had a pretty good habit from what I recall of “not noticing” when their students did things like this. Maybe someone from that campus can help you guys out? Give you some tips.

(Apparently, anytime the Pop got mad, they would blame the US Government. Hee.)

By: UNA at SLU

UNA at SLU — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 21:49:30 +0000

Jill, thank you so much for putting my letter up. We at UNA really appreciate anyone who writes in support of our campaign. We are having a protest tomorrow afternoon and hopefully it will be successful, as we have contacted our local media. I think pink duct tape over our mouths will make for a nice visual…

Also, does anyone know of any liberal Catholic (haha) organizations or charities that might support V-Day?

By: unhurt

unhurt — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 20:30:37 +0000

There is so much more beauty, mystery, and sacredness about women than this play allows for. The Vagina Monologues are just perpetuating the problem of reducing women to their sexuality.

of course, we would much rather be reduced to mysterious sacred creatures (who must also be beautiful, dammit! ugly women, old women etc. etc. need not apply for roles requiring sacredness or mysteriousness. but don’t be too upset – you won’t ever be sacred enough, and your mystery will be held up as proof that a man just can’t be expected to understand those bizarre female creatures – not like he can real people).

p.s. while good plays about men can and do focus on one theme, one aspect of ‘humanity’, one type of man, it appears plays about women must cover all possible aspects of women, womanhood and women’s experience or be judged a CLEAR FAILURE. this is, of course, totally fair.