The Rocky Mountain Collegian

Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Commentary

Anu Okuyemi [Click to enlarge]

As an active and engaged member of the Saint Louis University community, I always take time to read the monthly mesage from President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., to the University community. In Biondi's latest message, he addressed several issues and events concerning the SLU community, including the controversies surrounding "The Vagina Monologues" and "A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, and A Prayer."

As an executive board member of Una, the feminist organization at SLU that produces these events, I am extremely disappointed by multiple untruths concerning Una's plays that Biondi circulated in his e-mail.

While I appreciate Biondi taking time to express the administration's position, I would like to address several alarming inaccuracies in his message. First, Biondi stated that "MMRP" is written by the author of "The Vagina Monologues." This statement is demonstrably false. "The Monologues," written by Eve Ensler, is a series of true monologues that deal with issues of sexuality, violence against women, gender, healing and female empowerment.

On the other hand, "MMRP" is written by numerous authors including Michael Eric Dyson, Edward Albee, Jane Fonda, Maya Angelou, Alice Walker and Howard Zinn, and is a collection of true narratives focusing on gender violence. Ensler merely edited them and wrote the introduction to the play. Biondi's assertion that Ensler is the author of "MMRP" is clearly untrue and not a matter of opinion. This would be obvious to anyone flipping to the first page of the play.

Biondi also claimed that "MMRP" is a condensed, "companion" to "The Vagina Monologues." Nothing could be further from the truth. Through true stories, "The Vagina Monologues" explores numerous issues and often uses humor to connect with the audience, while "MMRP" is a very somber compilation of true pieces, all surrounding the singular theme of violence against women. Many pieces address issues of race, and several even include men as performers. "The Vagina Monologues" and "MMRP" are both about women's experiences-but that is where the similarities end. I'm sure Biondi is busy, but a simple fact-check would have been enough.

I am concerned, disappointed and frustrated that the administration is making decisions without making the slightest effort to inform themselves about the issues these decisions concern. The inaccuracies in Biondi's message suggest that neither he nor his advisers read or attended "The Vagina Monologues" or "MMRP." To make matters worse, he chooses to continue spreading this false information to members of the SLU community and the media, making Una look irresponsible.

The truth is, starting last school year, Una began working with members of the administration to select a new production, and ultimately chose "MMRP" to meet the administration's request for a new play that reached a wider, more diverse audience.

It is also interesting to note that the three pieces in "MMRP" that the administration raised objections to were all written by minority women. If the current administraton still did not feel informed, knee-jerk reactions are definitely not the appropriate and proffesional response. If they have time to shut down a play, then they have time to do their homework. Claiming ignorance is no exuse.

In his message, Biondi also writes that not supporting Una's performances on SLU's campus does not mean that the administration is any less concerned about the issue of violence against women. Throughout history, the primary method of oppressing women has been to silence them. Una's two productions are all true, real-life stories, and by banning their performance on campus, the administration is complicit in continuing the same oppression.

Until women are allowed to speak freely and candidly about the violence against them, rape will continue to happen and the victims will remain silent. Rape is graphic, and, however uncomfortable, it is impossible to have any discussion about sexual violence without also talking about sex.

As a member of Una, I am asking Biondi to officially correct his inaccurate and misleading statements concerning "The Vagina Monologues" and "MMRP" and would like the administration to take steps toward an open dialogue with Una on the issue.

Finally, I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who came out to support our sold-out productions of "The Vagina Monologues" and "MMRP"-we raised about $5,000, and all proceeds have already been donated to Karen House, Women's Safe House and to the women of New Orleans. For those who don't know, "The Vagina Monologues" is the cornerstone of the larger worldwide V-Day Campaign to end violence against women and children.

This year, more than 3,700 V-Day productions occurred worldwide, the majority on college campuses just like SLU, including several Catholic institutions like Loyola University Chicago, Notre Dame, Georgetown, DePaul and Fordham.

Since its inception in 1998, V-Day has raised more than $50 million toward ending gender violence-mostly from benefit performances of "The Vagina Monologues." While I am saddened that Una is still not allowed to fully share this message with the SLU community, I am proud to be part of an international grassroots movement to stop violence against women. I hope and pray that, one day, Biondi will be proud to join in this effort as well.


Anu Okuyemi is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

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