Online Exclusive | Continue the fight for the Monologues

Over the past year, there have been significant efforts on the parts of students and supporters to bring "The Vagina Monologues" to Gonzaga's campus.  Grumbles from many sides have bantered back and forth.  

Many who argue against the play cite their faith as the inspiration of their objections.  It has been said that the story is vulgar and lacks in intellectual merit.  Some supporters of the play consistently maintain that censure denies an important and meaningful form of representation of women's stories.  It has also been noted that by banning the Monologues, but allowing plays such as Aristophanes' "Lysistrata" (which played in Magnuson Theatre during last year's Greek Week), shows blatant presentations of hypocrisy and male dominated sexism.  I believe that arguments for or against have been mostly unwavering, and restating them further seems very unproductive given the stance of the University has not wavered since 2001.

I suspect that Gonzaga administrators and the Board of Trustees are unwilling to take a hard-lined stance on the matter.  Outright denial of this controversial play on campus through direct opposition could possibly stir a student rebellion.  To date, the administration has maintained a position of placation—a state of "continuing dialogue."  From a strategic standpoint, as long as the Board maintains the ban, it can take longer strides in deferring a decision because it will be more likely the case that students who are the staunchest supporters will eventually graduate.  This leaves the following classes up to the task of organizing to pick up the fight.  How many freshmen and sophomore students are ready to take on their classes right away, let alone the organization of a protest movement?  Since the school is going nowhere anytime soon, it becomes mostly a trifle discomfort, on the part of those who oppose, to withstand the protests and sit outs until things cool down again (which they do approximately every two semesters).  And so it goes. . .

I wish that the Board of Trustees did not find their integrity challenged if they were to allow this play on campus, but their integrity is what the campus depends upon for its existence, so it appears that the wait will be very long.  I hope that our educational facility and its members trust that its students are not so depraved that they cannot critically examine this play and arrive at reasonable opinions and conclusions.  

Many stories tell about various aspects of the human condition.  There are many ways to tell them—"The Vagina Monologues" is just one collection of stories, and the play, one way to tell it.  As far as stories go, there are many that are simple or easy to take in, and many again which are challenging and controversial.  One cannot simply pick and choose out of their space things they don't like because they are contrary to his or her beliefs and expectations.  I hope that both supporters and the opposition realize that banning the play (like banning most things which are "unwanted") will not make it go away.  Keep up the good fight!