'Monologues' assaults decency with its vulgarity
By: JULIE GILBART - Commentary: | ∞
John Hunneman's defense of "The Vagina Monologues" ("Steer your own ship," Jan. 27) bears comment.
For starters, he made the statement that, though the play was initially controversial, it has been so frequently performed since 1996 that the shock value has "worn off." Unquestionably, people become desensitized as boundaries of morality and decency in the popular culture are pushed ever downward. The same holds true for violence in movies.
Thanks to this phenomenon, we now have kids who proudly boast that no amount of human torture or gore depicted in movies bothers them. Likewise, we see the pornification of American teenage girls, whose overtly vulgar language, dress and behavior reflects their sex-saturated world of MTV, movies and music.
Maybe it's just me, but I'm astounded that Hunneman sees this as a positive development. If so, we can't be far from having to legitimately ask, "Is there even any such thing as pornography?"
Patty Drew, the play's director, asserts it isn't pornographic because the actors stay clothed.
When the entire play consists of women graphically depicting scenes of sex onstage -- mostly with themselves, other women, or in groups of women -- raucously emulating orgasms, chanting the words vagina (more than 100 times) and its obscene four-letter synonym, detailing the experiences of a lesbian dominatrix prostitute, and sympathetically portraying the lesbian rape of a 13-year-old girl -- at the end of which Ensler wrote, "It was a good rape" -- nudity would seem a moot point. And I must wonder from what "context" certain critical letter writers felt these scenes were taken that would dignify them.
Also, despite the "Monologues" claim, dutifully repeated as fact by Hunneman, Paul Jacobs and reporter Nicole Sack, there's no evidence that Ensler based the play on actual interviews with real women. She herself wrote "sometimes I just began with the seed of an interview and had a good time."
Bottom line: "The V-Day Campaign" is a massive movement that identifies women as sex objects, and vilifies men -- not, as asserted, to stop sexual violence, but to promote the breakdown of traditional morals and standards of decency.
Promiscuity is glorified, and women are encouraged to embrace lesbianism as a wonderful avenue to explore as a vehicle to empowerment. On campuses nationwide, students are bombarded by offensive activists' displays promoting the play, including a 40-foot inflatable vagina at ASU, a "(insert crude reference here) Fest" at Penn State, banners asking "What does your vagina smell like?", vagina lollipops at Boise State, and an "orgasm workshop" at Florida State.
Are these the ideas for which Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought? Did Margaret Thatcher, Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa ever worry about "speaking through a vagina"? No. They used their hearts and minds to better themselves and society.
Abused women, starved for empowerment, should rightly be advised they'll find it by emulating this successful model, rather than wallowing in the gutter. They could try taking a self-defense class. They could lobby for stronger sex offender laws. Or, they could even exercise free speech by writing an opinion piece for the newspaper.
-- Julie Gilbart is a Temecula resident.
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So sad that so many wrote on Feb 12, 2008 10:50 PM:wish us to resort to the lowest common denominator. I agree with this writer.
Wow! wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:39 AM:Julie Gilbart has expressed what so many of us are thinking and feeling. Empowerment is not advanced by sinking to the basest levels of your adversaries. The second to the last paragraph sums it up. Truly strong women would have the sef-confidence to avoid sinking this low. Thank you Julie Gilbart.
Parent wrote on Feb 13, 2008 5:13 AM:I strongly agree with this article! Everyday we watch things happen that are erroding our society. There is NO benefit to society for a "play" like this except to cause a further errosion of our beliefs. At some point, we have to say that is enough and stop these kinds of things from happening. A great analogy would be the movement to stop sexual harressment in the work place. How many of us can remember when it was acceptable for men to touch and say disgusting things to women becasue they were just the secretaries or assistants. Now it is unacceptable for these things to happen and it should be unacceptable for a part of a womans body to be used to degrade our moral beliefs in women and in our society. Please take time to consider the long term consequences of condoning this kind of behavior!
Get a Life! wrote on Feb 13, 2008 6:15 AM:Ms. Gilbart - I'm over 18 and an American citizen. I pay my taxes and my mortgage. Although I personally have no interest in this play, I don't even begin to think that my opinion is so important as to tell my neighbor how to think. I exercise my constitutional right not to go and not spend my money. We have so many 'nanny laws' in this crummy state that it is mind numbing. What this country needs less of is self-righteous people like you who think that they need to control the moral thinking and behavior of their neighbor. In short, get a life and leave me and my neighbors alone. We're doing just fine without your input.
Wow2 wrote on Feb 13, 2008 8:46 AM:I'll bet 100 bucks that this author is on her homeowner's association board and goes around the neighborhood looking for 'offenses' just so she can tell the homeowner how to take care of their property. Lady - get a life and quit thinking your opinion is relevant to the rest of us!
Jedi Knight wrote on Feb 13, 2008 9:57 AM:Well said Julie. And SAFE is not so innocent either.
Karl wrote on Feb 13, 2008 10:37 AM:You're on Wow2. Can we have an answer Julie?
Art wrote on Feb 13, 2008 11:11 AM:Art is meant to provoke thought. This certainly fits the bill! If this is not for you, don't go - it's that simple. Others may have a very different perspective after seeing this. This is a bad thing? Personally, what I find morally repugnant are some comments that some in the media are saying about Hillary and Chelsea. They certainly would not make the same comments about Obama or McCain, but somehow when it's said about a woman, they get a free pass. If the V Chronicles help in making people understand that those comments are not acceptable, then I'm all for it!
Move on! wrote on Feb 13, 2008 12:18 PM:This play doesn't really appeal to me so guess what? I simply exercise my option not to go see it. I haven't been offended, I haven't subjected my 13 y/o to something that some may consider vulgar. Nope. I just didn't go see the play. So, if you are someone who might be offended by this type of play, then don't go. Exercise your freedom not to expose yourself to it and, at the same time, allow others to exercise their freedom to see the play without having someone from the morality police casting judgement on them.
Woody wrote on Feb 13, 2008 12:20 PM:Big deal. A little over 300 locals acting stylish and hip at a second-rate play (no reflection on the performers) to raise money. Shoot, in a city of 100,000, I could get that many people to pay admission to a nose-picking demonstration. It's a poor example of a fundraiser, but a fundraiser nonetheless.
NODR wrote on Feb 13, 2008 3:37 PM:Why would an orginzation such as SAFE use a play that degrades men AND women as a fundraiser? It seams to me that this play goes against what they say they are about. Melesia Donaldson has some explaining to do.
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