Arguing that the play contradicts Catholic beliefs, the president of Providence College decided on Jan. 18 to ban on-campus productions of "The Vagina Monologues," a move that resulted in protests and counter-protests from students.
In a statement released on the college's Web site, President Rev. Brian Shanley, said he believes the play does not celebrate female sexuality - as it is commonly credited as doing - but rather degrades it. He said he reached this conclusion after carefully reading and studying the award-winning Eve Ensler play, which also stirred controversy when it debuted on Broadway 10 years ago.
"Far from celebrating the complexity and mystery of female sexuality, 'The Vagina Monologues' simplifies and demystifies it by reducing it to the vagina," Shanley said. He also objected to the description of the play as "a bible for a new generation of women" and to a specific scene in the play in which an "alcohol-fueled seduction" of a female minor by a 24-year-old woman results in "salvation" and "a kind of heaven."
Erica Rioux, the PC senior who was coordinating this year's production of the play, said she was "devastated" when she heard of the news.
"I feel that it sets a really negative precedent for the years to come for women on this campus," Rioux said.
Particularly devastating to Rioux was the timing of the ban, which came just three weeks before the play was set to run, and the fact that PC's production was used as a charity fundraiser. For the past four years, PC students have run "The Vagina Monologues" on Valentine's Day, as part of a national effort to raise money for and increase aware-ness of female anti-violence groups. Rioux said last year's production at PC raised about $2,000 for the local Sojourner House women's shelter and Sisters Overcoming Abusive Relationships.
Rioux said she is now scrambling to find another venue for the play. She said her cast and crew of about 60 women is still rehearsing for a Feb. 14 show in hopes that a venue will be found.
Student reaction at the college, a school of about 5,000, has been mixed. This was particularly evident at a Jan. 25 demonstration at the college's main entrance in which 100 protestors of the ban were met by about 30 counter-protestors - mostly members of the PC College Republicans.
Junior Kyle Drennen, president of the College Re-publicans, said his group was planning to demonstrate against "The Vagina Monologues" even before the ban.
"We felt a need to have some sort of counter-event - not necessarily a protest, but an event to support more traditional and less controversial ways of dealing with the issue of domestic violence," Drennen said. He added that members of the Campus Ministry, a faith-based organization, joined the College Republicans in the counter-demonstration.
Drennen said he and other College Republicans tra-ditionally support more passive governance, but they are in favor of Shanley's ban because PC is a private Catholic college. Drennen said it would be a completely different issue if this ban took place at a public college or university.
"Our college statement is to uphold Catholic values," Drennen said.
Still, many students voiced their opposition to the ban.
"I love 'The Vagina Mono-logues,'" said Nicole Gibbs, a junior. "I saw it last year and it was very powerful."
Gibbs said she worked at the Sojourner House and was upset that the women's shelter would not be receiving any money from the PC play this year.
"It did so much good, so in that respect it's hard to see the play not being performed," she said.
