When I received the call announcing that the “The Vagina Monologues” would most likely be put on hold or even cancelled this year, I was disappointed like the rest of the hopefuls in the cast.
However, I did not raise my hands in immediate judgment or disgust because I know that I am attending a Jesuit university that answers to the Catholic Church and its teachings.
After witnessing three events that happened on campus in the last few weeks, I now question the administration’s decision to cancel it. The first event took place one afternoon as I was awakened from an afternoon nap in Buddig Hall by some loud music coming from the quad. The music contained lyrics that were not only graphic but unabashedly sexist and derogatory to women.
For an hour or so I was subjected to such offensive lyrics with no control over the music or the volume. To be sure, I have heard this kind of music before, usually at a club or in a friend’s room. But these were occasions where I had the choice to stay or leave, and the music was not played at a public space like the quad, which lies in the center of the university.
How does allowing such sexist music to be played openly on campus grounds as public entertainment represent Jesuit values? If the contents of “The Vagina Monologues” and the lyrics in question are both considered to be incompatible with Jesuit values, why did the administration choose to censor one but not the other?
The second event has to do with the selection of the famous Greek play, “Lysistrata,” as the next major theatrical production at Loyola. This satirical play revolves around sex, as it tells the story of women who used sex to keep men from fighting. A classicist who has taught “Lysistrata” in its original Greek version described it as “spectacularly dirty” in its delivery. As seen in the performances over the past two weeks, the drama department’s English version that is being produced here at Loyola is no less raunchy or explicit. One of my friend’s jobs was to crochet large penises, which could be made erect by a string pulley, for the actors to wear that would hang outside of their costumes.
I fully respect the drama department’s selection of the play, and I believe that the production ultimately served the audience in a way that is professional, entertaining and though-provoking. Again, what I don’t understand is the inconsistency behind the administration’s action in censoring “The Vagina Monologues” but not “Lysistrata.”
Regarding the third event, I went to Loyola’s production of “The Oldest Profession,” which was done in good taste and was witty. Nevertheless, I could not enjoy the play as I would have liked because, throughout the performance, I was distracted by the striking parallels I saw between this play and “The Vagina Monologues” and hence the inconsistency and unfairness in the administration’s action in censuring the latter.
“The Oldest Profession” is about prostitution and its dialogue includes several words some might deem inappropriate and numerous other references to sex. Like “The Vagina Monologues” and “Lysistrata,” it uses humor and explicit language to challenge the audience to think more sensitively about society’s treatment of women and how absurd it can be.
These plays convey an important message and should be produced, quite appropriately, on college campuses because of their consciousness-raising value. In singling out “The Vagina Monologues” for censorship, the university has not merely shown its judgment to be inconsistent, but sadly it missed a valuable opportunity to educate students on a very important social justice issue.
~ Megan Harvell is a Spanish freshman.
