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.