Research Paper

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Erotic Vaginas Not Wanted
‘It wants sex. It loves sex. It wants to go deeper. It’s hungry for depth. It wants kindness. It wants change. It wants silence and freedom and gentle kisses and warm liquids and deep touch. It wants chocolate. It wants to scream. It wants to stop being angry. It wants to come. It wants to want. It wants. My vagina (Ensler 73).’ The Vagina Monologues converse about female sexuality in its entirety. The play, with its account of relationships, defenselessness, and sexual salvation has swept not only the country but the globe. The play has even been referred to as a new Bible for a younger generation of women. Over two hundred women were interviewed by Eve Ensler, the play write, they were asked to give their vagina’s voices, looking into their deepest fears and their deepest fantasies (randomhouse). As of now the play can be found in over forty-five different languages and has been reenacted in over seventy-six counties. Although The Vagina Monologues were written to tell the stories of women and the their encounters with violence the play has still been banned in numerous countries for its erotic, sexual and explicit content, lesbian rape stories, and a live display of sixteen different sexual moans.
Through The Vagina Monologues a global epidemic has developed, appropriately titled V-Day. V-day is an anti-violence organization that deals with rape, FGM, battery and sexual slavery against all females. The organization has been viewed as a hate group, depicting men as beast, but serves no other purpose than to stop violence against all females (V-Day).
Alfred comes up from behind and pulls my new underpants down and sticks his big hard penis into my coochi snorcher. I scream. I kick. I try to fight him off, but he already gets it in. My father’s there then and he has a gun and there’s a loud horrible noise and then there’s blood all over Alfred and me, lots of blood. I’m sure my coochi snorcher is finally falling out. (Ensler 79)
With the saying of the word ‘vagina’ 136 times, having 16 simulated moans (Sova 298) and scene titles such as My Angry Vagina, Different Types of Organisms, Cunt and The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could (“Vagina Monologues”), it is no wonder that an uproar of anger would surround the play. The most outspoken and recent banning has been from Nsaba Buturo a minister in Uganda. He has called the play offensive, vulgar and has said that it is against his country’s culture. A Ugandan rights group was set to stage the production on February 19, 2005 to protest against the violent rape against women in Uganda. However, Buturo stated that only a small section of the play dealt with violence toward women. Buturo then said, “The rest is a promotion of homosexuality, lesbianism and worship of the female sex organ.”
In addition to Buturo banning the production, the Uganda censorship board and Media Council have also banned the production of the Vagina Monologues. The Council released a statement stating, “To the extent that the play promotes illegal, unnatural sexual acts, homosexuality and prostitution, it should be herby banned.” The Council however said that the play could be presented if all ‘offensive’ scenes or sayings were taken out. An organizer, Sara Mukasa, stated that the play must be performed in its entirety or not at all. Mukasa, also a program manager for Akina Mama WA Afrika, told the group that she was looking into overturning the ban. Nevertheless, with all the controversy surrounding the play Mukasa took comfort knowing that the violence against women in Uganda has now been brought to light. Mukasa then stated, “Although the play has been banned, our point has been made…Our major concern was to raise issues about violence against women and sexual harassment (V-Day).”
In Kuala Lumpur The Vagina Monologues were closed after one performance. Authorities shut down production of the play in February 2002 after the Kuala Muslim Scholars Association complained about the obscenities in the play to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall. Following much outrageous protest and an official petition the Kuala Lumpur City Hall allowed the productions to continue. Also in February 2002 at Ateneo de Manila University, Manila, Philippines, students planned and intended to do their on rendition of The Vagina Monologues. After the students had completed a cast roll, the University banned students from performing in the play.
Anna Miren Gonzalez-Intal, the vice-president of the University, disapproved of the play stating, “As an official activity of the Ateneo de Manila University,” the play could not go on. However, Gozalez-Intal also said that the students may perform the play if they, “do so as individuals, in a venue of their choice outside the Ateneo.” The ban was made for the University because of the word ‘puki,’ meaning vagina, was said too often. University officials alleged that, “Puki is heard at every turn, grates on the psyche, until the metaphor is lost. What is left is a physical image of the vagina…There is no need for The Vagina Monologues.”
“The play is offensive, questionable in its portrayal of violence, and not in keeping with respect …with religious tradition,” stated Reverend David Tyson, president of the University of Portland (Sova 299). Homosexuality has been banned in the Christian faith forever due to the Bible defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman, The Vagina Monologues deals with a very open lesbian rape scene between a sixteen year old girl and a twenty-four year old woman.
She asks me if I like to kiss boys, I tell her I do not like that…she leans over kisses me…just our bodies rubbing makes me come. The she does everything to my coochi snorcher that I always thought was nasty before, and wow. I’m so hot, so wild. She says ‘your vagina, untouched by man, smells so nice, so fresh, wish I could keep it that way forever.’…In the morning I’m worried that I have gone butch because I am so in love with her…I never see her again. I realize later she was my…politically incorrect salvation (Ensler 80-82).

From 2003 the Cardinal Newman Society has protested all showings of The Vagina Monologues in Catholic Universities and Colleges. Annually the Cardinal Newman Society follows any and all V-Day events, they email, campaign, and protest asking University and College Presidents and alumni to shut down everything having to do with The Vagina Monologues or they will “withdraw their financial support to that college or university until they do so.” It has been said that the Cardinal Newman Society will do nearly anything to help censor the productions, even if that mean spreading false information. The Cardinal Newman Society creates a fiery debate among towns and individuals who follow the Catholic faith. In addition to the Cardinal Newman Society the play has received criticism from many other Catholic organizations such as the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property also known as TFP. TFP has even launched an anti V-Day campaign, knighting it “another St. Valentine’s Day ‘Massacre.’”
The Cardinal New Society has named The Vaginal Monologues “a vulgar play, complete with a favorable reminiscence about a lesbian seduction of a sixteen year old girl and explicit discussions of sexuality and sexual encounters including lesbian activity and masturbation,” when in reality none of this is thoroughly true. The scene is an actual account of a real life story, the story may not be politically correct but it is true. Ensler states that is important for these women’s voices to be heard (V-Day). Another fact bothering the Cardinal Newman Society is that The Vagina Monologues have been called a ‘new Bible’ for a younger generation of women. The Cardinal New Society said this in response:
The description of the play as a “new Bible” is an indication that its depiction of female sexuality is meant to displace the traditional Biblical view that inspires the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Two positions are deeply and diametrically opposed. Nowhere is it clearer than in a monologue wherein the alcohol-fueled seduction of a sixteen year old girl by a twenty four year old woman is described in “salvation” and “a kind of Heaven.” What is thus characterized in traditional religious language is instead abusive, demeaning, exploitative, and morally wrong according to the true Bible. Precisely because its depiction of female sexuality is so deeply at odds with the true meaning and morality that the Catholic Church’s teaching celebrates, The Vagina Monologues is not an appropriate play to be performed on our campus. Therefore the college will prohibit the production of The Vagina Monologues (Cardinal Newman Society).

It has always been taboo to make any sexual references in public, let alone any sound to simulate sexual pleasure. Ensler takes taboo to a new extreme by having a scene dedicated to different sexual moans; all acted out live on stage. The act so provocative, so raw that it is wondered why this scene is banned worldwide. The play can even grow sour in some people mouths. After the play had ran for four year at Providence College is was later banned for being “morally objectionable.” It was banned by Reverend Shanley, a newly elected president. Shanley then said “a collection of women’s stories about their experiences of sexuality and abuse – raises important issues about violence against women, [but] it has no place on a Catholic college campus.” Nonetheless, Reverend Shanley has never seen nor read the play (Delarato).
The Vagina Monologues converse about female sexuality in its entirety. The play, with its account of relationships, defenselessness, and sexual salvation has swept not only the country but the globe. The play has even been referred to as a new Bible for a younger generation of women. Over two hundred women were interviewed by Eve Ensler, the play write, they were asked to give their vagina’s voices, looking into their deepest fears and their deepest fantasies (randomhouse). As of now the play can be found in over forty-five different languages and has been reenacted in over seventy-six counties. Although The Vagina Monologues were written to tell the stories of women and the their encounters with violence the play has still been banned in numerous countries for its erotic, sexual and explicit content, lesbian rape stories, and a live display of sixteen different sexual moans.
I began to feel bad about moaning. I got quiet and polite. I made noise into a pillow. I learned to choke my moan, hold it back like a sneeze. I began to get headaches and stress - related disorders. I was becoming hopeless when I discovered women. I discovered that most women loved my moaning-but, more important, I discovered how deeply excited I got when other women moaned, when I could make other women moan. It became kind of a passion. Discovering the key, unlocking the vagina’s mouth, unlocking this voice, this wild song…It was kind of like surgery, a kind of delicate science, finding the tempo, the exact location or home of the moan. That’s what I called it (Ensler 108-109).

The Vagina Monologues are very explicit and some are even scandalous. The women are not afraid to talk about “down there” or their “coohie snorchers.” The monologues are real accounts told by real women that go through everyday life. Not only does the play allow women to feel comfortable with themselves, but the play also allows them to feel comfortable with their sexuality. The wide spread of The Vagina Monologues being banned were done for one reason, people were scared. They were scared that the truth would get out, scared that women have finally found themselves, but mostly they were scared of the voice of the vagina. I do not believe that The Vagina Monologues should be banned. However I do believe the play is inappropriate for underclassmen in high school. I have read the monologues and find nothing wrong with the play being done on a college level. The people who have banned the play are scared, scared of unlocking the vagina’s mouth.