Ridiculous, narrowminded, conservative, frustrating opposition

I mean, COME ON! It's the Vagina Moonologues... so it talks about the female anatomy, a topic no one likes to discuss much because, let's face it, most people think it's disgusting. That's the point, though. It's kind of a problem when you're a woman and you spend your life thinking you're disgusting. I've been reading these letters of oppostion to the show in general from bishops and other church leaders, calling for a reevaluation of what's being accomplished by the performance of this play at universities around the country. They claim that it belittles women, that it makes the vagina solely a center of pleasure, debasing sexuality and removing it from its role in love.

Oh, please.

I'm almost convinced I ought to ignore this sentiment. Almost.

This play isn't about revealing any great truths about the nature of female sexuality, in my opinion. It's simply the telling of the experience of certain women, the women depicted in the show. It's the reality of their sexuality, and whether or not it happens to be representative of other women's views and experience is beside the point. Funny thing is that many women do in fact connect with the views shared through the piece. Some, on the other hand, find it offensive, and that's fine, too. But enough women seem to connect with it that it lives on. Women don't like to think that any part of them might be distasteful, disgusting, dirty, or unapealing. No one wants that, man or woman. And I would hazzard to say that a great many women feel that way about their nether-bits. Men have a sort of "love-hate" relationship with the region as well, while it's possible that many women experience more of a "hate-hate" situation... or maybe a "somewhat like-often despise" sorth of thing. The point is that young women attending liberal arts colleges (and whose mommy and daddy are footing the bill) like to talk about this sort of thing, usually at great uncomfortable length. I could do without it, personally, but not because I'm repulsed. I'm just over it... I've done more talking than most, and I'm done for now. In regard to my special anatomical fixture, I don't love it or hate it... I just go about my day, and it goes along for the ride, and we get along fine.

I don't like that bishops seem to have so damn much to say about it, though. They make a great many assumptions about the female experience, then attribute their rationalizations to religious precepts. That's foolish... religion provides guidelines, but it doesn't interpret experience for you. Bishops should think on that for a moment. And if the Vagina Monologues weren't being performed, do they really think such ideas wouldn't be voiced elsewhere? And as for those voices... are they really being heard by these religious leaders for what they're really trying to express? My guess is a pretty resounding no. Seriously... is it so hard to let people speak their minds? Does it get under your skin so much that people have not-so-holy thoughts once in a while. even talking about them with one another? After all, we let you guys spew your wrath... is common courtesy so much to ask?

Yeah... I figured as much. Doesn't matter, though... we'll never shut each other up, will we? Good.