THE VAGINA

MONOLOGUES

ON A CATHOLIC

CAMPUS

BY BARBARA PIERRE AND KERIANN

CLINTON

WHAT IS V-DAY AND

THE VAGINA

MONOLOGUES?

• The Vagina Monologues was written by Eve Ensler, award-

winning playwright.

• Monologues spotlight varying themes in womanhood

• Translated into over 48 languages, performed in over 140

countries

WHAT IS V-DAY AND

THE VAGINA

MONOLOGUES?

• VDAY is a global activist movement to end violence

against women

• The Vagina Monologues has raised over $76 million for

women’s anti-violence groups through creative events

that increase awareness

• Vision and hope of campaign is to have “a world where

women live safely and freely”.

WHAT IS V-DAY

AND THE VAGINA

MONOLOGUES?

• V-day has raised over $100 Million with 5,800 V-day events

annually.

• Funded over 13,000 community based anti-violence

programs and safe houses

• “Moving work of art on violence”

ACTIVITY

My Angry Vagina

Class Reading

Anyone who wants to participate will be given a part of a

monologue to read in class.

Questions to think about:

What message is the monologue trying to convey?

Why might someone object to the monologue?

CASE SUMMARY

• Abigail Sullivan working with women’s center

to get approval to hold a performance

• After originally not receiving approval,

Abigail continued a two-month

communication with the Dean of Students,

Bishop John Malone.

• Later, agreed to panel discussion for

community feedback

PRECEDENTS AND

PAST CASES

Providence College in Rhode Island

University of Notre Dame in Indiana

Gonzaga University in Washington

MAIN STAKEHOLDERS

Saint Thomas College (STC)

• 4-year, very selective, liberal arts, Roman Catholic college

• Located in central Massachusetts in a residential, metropolitan college town.

• Enrollment has an estimated 2,800 undergraduate and graduate students in the Fall 2013.

MAIN STAKEHOLDERS

Abigail Sullivan

• Abigail, 20 years old junior year earning undergraduate degree

in Education and minor in Theatre Arts.

• attended Catholic school for most of her life and STC was her

#1 choice of colleges.

• She is the current president of the Women’s Center on

campus.

MAIN STAKEHOLDERS

Bishop John Malone

• Bishop Malone began –professor at STC for 20 years ago as a

teacher as well as other roles

• Has stated “We want our students to have freedoms to express

themselves. However there are certain expressions that go against

the beliefs of the college and the church and therefore, I cannot

support the promotion of such behavior on campus”.

CLASS DISCUSSION:

WHAT PROBLEMS DO

YOU FORESEE?

Discussion Prompts

• Ethical issues

• Social issues

• Policy issues

MAJOR ISSUES

-Stifling of creative expression/ academic

freedoms and student-run productions.

-The implementation of campus policy and it’s

impact on the student body.

-Production of The Vagina Monologues goes

against moral beliefs and traditions of the Catholic

Church as a whole and Saint Thomas College as

an institution.

THEORIES

Fowler’s Faith Development Theory

Kolberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Chickering’s Theory of Identity Development

ACTIVITY II

For this activity, we are going to have a “simulated” panel

discussion. We need volunteers to come and grab a role

card. On there will be a description of who you are and what

side of this you stand on.

If you were this person, what questions or concerns would

you have?

Would your stance change in the end?

What is it like to see things from this point of view?

RESULTS OF CASE

• Performance is allowed

• Held off campus

• Selected monologues are removed

• Modest posters

Questions?

Landree. Anita. 2011. [Promotional Poster for Claremont School of Theology Arts.]

[Illustration]. Retrieved from http://anitalandree.blogspot.com/2011/02/lady-times.html

Doe. Annabelle. 2008. [Promotional Artwork.] [Painting]. Retrieved from http://annabelleart.blogspot.com/2008/03/vagina-

monologues-art-show.html

Human. Harrison.200. [Promotion Poster for Wits Theater.][Photograph]. Retrieved from

http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/prints/vagina-monologues-below-the-belt-1941205/

References

Ensler, E. (2008). The vagina monologues. (10th Anniversary ed.). New York: Villard..

Vday: A Global Movement to End Violence Against Women. www.vday.org .

Retrieved 10/3/13.

THANK YOU.