To the Editor: I am responding to Paul Emmons’ letter that was published in last week’s Quad. Frankly, I think it is odd that any student, staff, or faculty member from WCU finds the word “vagina” shocking. The Vagina Monologues have been performed every year since I have been a student here and the advertisements have remained the same. It is utterly ridiculous to believe that the VM’s use of the word “vagina” is nothing but a “crowning glory of a generation of feminism,” to use Emmons’ words. It is simply advertising a performance put together by our own women on campus.
WCU’s VM performances raise money that is donated to Chester County organizations that aim to protect and help women that have been victims of violence. In other words, that word “vagina” that was so rudely cut out of a Sykes advertisement helped raise $3,200 this year alone. I am appalled that Emmons called the monologues a “ritual” as if the show were nothing more than a bunch of savage women burning bras and chanting about how much they hate men. I am embarrassed and disgusted that a member of our own faculty writes into our newspaper to spout such ludicrous ideas.
The idea that Sykes would not approve an advertisement containing the word “penis” is unreasonable. Most people are not even aware that there is a book called “The Penis Dialogues”, and it is the male equivalent to the VMs. I bet if we performed the Dialogues on campus, our students would embrace the show. Perhaps Emmons should take this task upon himself and bring the Dialogues to campus in order to prove whether or not the show’s use of the word “penis” would meet campus approval.
Instead of focusing on the word “vagina,” let’s remember what the VMs helped create: V-day, a day that brings awareness to female victims of violence. The word is there to draw people in to seeing the show and raising money for an excellent cause. That one little word represents the goal of ending violence towards women. Before defacing property and certainly before writing a crass letter, I suggest that Emmons and others who feel similarly pick up The Vagina Monologues (or “The Penis Dialogues”) and try to appreciate both works for what they are instead of getting hung up over one word.
Danielle Corrao Third-year student
To the Editor:
Usually, I’m a pretty big fan of The Quad’s coverage of campus news. As an aspiring journalist myself, I certainly appreciate the efforts made by The Quad’s staff to accurately and objectively report the most pressing issues for WCU students. But, I feel like The Quad went one step over the line when they decided it would be appropriate to use the word “cunt” in its story about the Vagina Monologues. I understand, as journalists, you want to describe events as best as possible, but I never thought I would see such filth on The Quad’s pages. As a college paper, The Quad probably thinks it has a little leeway, but it reflects poorly on your otherwise-respectable publication when you fail to censor out such profanity. The Quad isn’t The Onion and it’s not Rolling Stone, so “cunt” has no place on these pages.
Dom Enow Undergraduate student