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Volume CXXXII, Number 16 |
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Rethinking the Vagina Monologues
TODD BUELL
COLUMNIST
Many conservatives loathe "The Vagina Monologues." Recently, I received an email from a conservative women's group called "Shethinks.org." It argued that "Vagina Day" promotes "female victimology" and asked, "Wouldn't you prefer to restore mutual respect and a dash of romance…on Valentine's Day?"
The group sees "The Vagina Monologues" as part of the larger objectionable feminist movement. This group does not want women to "return to the kitchen," rather it sees claims of "oppression," "wage gaps," and suspicion toward men as illusory. It wants to encourage romance and discourage "hook ups." It holds radical "feminists" and their ideology of "patriarchy" responsible for the death of courtship on the campus, and believes that the "Vagina Monologues" contributes to this movement. The group's website, shethinks.org, offers a more detailed discussion of the position than I can offer here.
Its claims about "The Vagina Monologues" may be true at other schools. However, I have no way of knowing. I have my own qualms with the "Vagina Monologues" here at Bowdoin, one of which is its advertising. I am sure many families with small children find it objectionable to walk through our union and see posters describing the female sex organ in lurid detail. A friend of mine told me recently she was appalled when V-Day organizers were selling "cunt cookies." I can't say I blame her. However, the overall purpose of the play, to break silence about sexual assault and violence against women, is admirable and deserves our support.
At first I was skeptical of the show. I saw zero relation between the word "vagina" and discouraging violence against women and embraced much of the conservative rhetoric about the show. However, I attended the show last year. Some of the skits offended me, but others were funny or meaningful. It was not nearly as "anti-man" as I predicted. I recall two skits where men are placed in heroic positions: one man rescued his daughter from a sexual assault, and another skit talked about natural childbirth, a situation where a man plays an instrumental role.
I still don't see the relation between the word and preventing violence. However, multiple women connected with the show tell me-one even a staunch conservative-that victims of sexual assault often "break their silence" following a viewing of the show. I can't explain that, but if that is really true, then we should support the show.
As we have learned from the recent scandal in the Catholic Church, sexual abuse must be stopped and reported. The church scandal also showed that sexual assault is not a women's issue, rather it is a fundamentally human issue.
There is also nothing in the show that is against "mutual respect" between the sexes. I talked to someone involved with the show recently, and she told me that the "V-Day" organizers want to reach out to men. As she said, campaigns against "violence against women" are ineffective without men. There is at least one male monologue in this year's play.
Nor is there anything "unromantic" about the "Vagina Monologues." Someone involved with the show told me that she would be "very impressed" with a man who had either seen or read "The Vagina Monologues." My suspicion is that for my fellow men, the question "what did you think of the 'Vagina Monologues?'" will get you more dates than "come here often?" "that's a great thing you said in class about Machiavelli," or any other standard "pick up line." I apologize for treading into Oppenheim's territory, but love and politics both involve making good first impressions and then surviving ineluctable vicissitudes.
If you're still skeptical about "The Vagina Monologues," I strongly urge you to see the show, especially if you think the show is "anti-man," "femi-nazi," "unromantic," etc. By themselves, these labels lack intellectual vigor. They are below the level of a liberal arts education.
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