Interim President the Rev. William Byron, S.J., definitively said “No,” to the Women’s Issues Organization regarding a production of “The Vagina Monologues” as possible public entertainment at Loyola.
At an open forum Wednesday night, Byron was asked directly if the play would be allowed on campus.
“We have actors, producers, and directors ready. We want to know, yes or no?” asked Stephanie Margherio, English senior and WIO member.
“You really push me, and I’m saying, ‘No,'” Byron responded.
The decision was based on the fact that the play was set to be produced by a student organization, the Women’s Issues Organization, according to Byron.
He stressed the distinction that “adult students are not adult professionals, with the education, training, experience, and judgment of what’s appropriate.”
Mary McCay, English department chair, asked, hypothetically, if the English department could sponsor a production of “The Vagina Monologues” as a public event.
“I would hope you wouldn’t do that,” replied Byron, “because it would be perceived by the community as a confrontation [between the English department and the administration].”
Initially, Byron denied the allegations that he had stopped the production. He claimed that he had previously said he preferred a “creative alternative” to the play. He also stated that he had no knowledge of any funding, and therefore, he did not pull any funding.
“I said, ‘We’re not going to shut it down,'” said Byron. “I don’t believe in censorship.”
He said Loyola’s identity and integrity as a Catholic university was a priority in his decision.
The Cardinal Newman Society recently urged all Catholic university presidents “to ensure that they [productions of “The Vagina Monologues’] do not occur.”
In addition, Loyola’s Student Government Association failed to pass a resolution in support of the production of “The Vagina Monologues” at their meeting Tuesday night.
“I’m getting praise and blame,” Byron said.
His plea for an alternative to “The Vagina Monologues” involved the suggestion of an “uplifting” event, addressing the issue of violence against women, as opposed to those that he considers “inappropriate.”
English professor Kate Adams stressed the importance of seeing “experiences that are uplifting, and also experiences that are hard or shocking.”
“My word is ‘appropriate,'” Byron said.
In the forum he also refuted the rumor of Loyola instituting a dress code.
“Let’s be serious,” Byron said. “There’s no dress code.”
When asked to define appropriate clothing, Byron said a female faculty member, not he, suggested that female students dressed inappropriately.
Byron remarked that police reports show a correlation between inappropriately dressed women and sexual assault.
“Sometimes inappropriate dress will trigger violence,” Byron said. “Something is to be said for modesty and chastity.”
Byron also expressed his appreciation of organizations with a positive mission and his belief in social justice and academic freedom. According to Byron, the play was not “an appropriate means to a very beneficial end.”
“There’s no line. I don’t draw any line,” Byron said , concerning academic freedom and women’s voices.
Audience members, both men and women, questioned Byron’s unilateral decision-making, and the effect of this particular decision on the university as a whole.
Students also voiced concerns about the censorship of future plays at Loyola.
“Are all plays going to be censored?” Erica Ciccarone, English senior and Women’s Issues Organization co-president, asked.
“Clearly there was a line drawn,” Barbara Ewell, faculty member of the Women’s Resource Center said.
“There’s an inherent contradiction between saying there are no lines and there were,” Margherio said, “and that women’s voices shouldn’t be quieted; yet a monologue that has a variety of women’s voices is quieted.”
