2008 Woodie Awards
Letter: 'Vagina Monologues' volunteer unsatisfied with Cigar review
Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
02/28/08 - To the Cigar,
My name is Lisa Marie Carroll and I am a senior here at the University of Rhode Island. Aside from many other activities, which make me an active member of this community, I was involved in this year's production of "The Vagina Monologues."
Last week, I became overwhelmed with disappointment due to the lack of journalism in your [Feb. 19 entertainment] review, which failed to mention the impact and philanthropic focus of this year's "Vagina Monologues," among other things that were left out. My purpose for this letter is to clarify a few facts regarding the show with you and our community in response to the reporting in your "entertainment review."
Each year, this production uses humor, passion, hesitation and fear to portray the feelings of otherwise "unvoiced opinions" on taboo topics. "The Vagina Monologues" is a medium that a group of ordinary women on our campus use to inform, educate and create awareness about worldwide women's issues. With that said, I want to be clear in that humor is only one of the tactics utilized to buffer many of the difficult subject matters addressed throughout the show.
As a woman and a campus leader, I found it to be my social responsibility to take part in this forum. I took time out of my very busy senior-year schedule of being a resident assistant, family orientation coordinator and vice president of the student organization WOWW (We're Offering Women Wisdom) to make my involvement in "The Vagina Monologues" a priority.
I stood on that stage to represent women, like you, [Erin Shea], and for all the women out there whose voices need to be heard. I would love to challenge you to put down your pen, step aside from your computer and speak the words that I was asked to deliver in front of your peers, families, professors, deans, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and the president of our university.
On a personal note, I found it very unsettling that after four years of experience and campus-involvement where I have positioned myself as an influential mentor to thousands of students, to use the word "unfortunate" next to my name for a performance, in which I expressed the voice of women in "war-torn Bosnia," was a shortcoming on your part.
My name is Lisa Marie Carroll and I am a senior here at the University of Rhode Island. Aside from many other activities, which make me an active member of this community, I was involved in this year's production of "The Vagina Monologues."
Last week, I became overwhelmed with disappointment due to the lack of journalism in your [Feb. 19 entertainment] review, which failed to mention the impact and philanthropic focus of this year's "Vagina Monologues," among other things that were left out. My purpose for this letter is to clarify a few facts regarding the show with you and our community in response to the reporting in your "entertainment review."
Each year, this production uses humor, passion, hesitation and fear to portray the feelings of otherwise "unvoiced opinions" on taboo topics. "The Vagina Monologues" is a medium that a group of ordinary women on our campus use to inform, educate and create awareness about worldwide women's issues. With that said, I want to be clear in that humor is only one of the tactics utilized to buffer many of the difficult subject matters addressed throughout the show.
As a woman and a campus leader, I found it to be my social responsibility to take part in this forum. I took time out of my very busy senior-year schedule of being a resident assistant, family orientation coordinator and vice president of the student organization WOWW (We're Offering Women Wisdom) to make my involvement in "The Vagina Monologues" a priority.
I stood on that stage to represent women, like you, [Erin Shea], and for all the women out there whose voices need to be heard. I would love to challenge you to put down your pen, step aside from your computer and speak the words that I was asked to deliver in front of your peers, families, professors, deans, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and the president of our university.
On a personal note, I found it very unsettling that after four years of experience and campus-involvement where I have positioned myself as an influential mentor to thousands of students, to use the word "unfortunate" next to my name for a performance, in which I expressed the voice of women in "war-torn Bosnia," was a shortcoming on your part.