In a previous post by Jan Birney, the change of this production's title is listed
in the Star-Gazette article Jan references. The article is by Kathleen Costello and
is most unflattering to librarians, but it does point out the ridiculous change in
the title of The Vagina Monologues on a Florida theatre marquee. It was changed to
The Hoohaa Monologues. I'm not sure if the location was Ft. Meyers or not. Can you
imagine changing vagina to hoohaa? It's like a bad joke. No wonder kids look at
adults like we're stupid sometimes. This action is certainly a prime example of
studpidity at its best/worst. It's interesting that the name of a well-recieved,
popular play (with correct anatomical term) is found offensive, and, yet, we still
have Hooters restaurants. I'm suggesting a movement against that restaurant's name
and I have never eaten there, so I can't comment on the food. And, yes, I know that
there have been complaints against the name. It just seems to me that the use of !
hooters is a lot more offensive than the word vagina. We sure do send kids a lot
of mixed messages. Luckily, they seem to have a better grasp on the sense of the
absurd than many adults do.
Kathy Reel
Former English/Writing Teacher
New Librarian Looking for Job (Either in O'boro area or Tampa/St. Pete)
Owensboro, KY
-----Original Message-----
From: bjrowan@COMCAST.NET
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: Lucky and Vagina Monologues
I have been travelling and have not had access to a computer so this may have
been mentioned. In Fort Meyers FLA, The Vagina Monologues is being presented.
The name of the play has been changed in the ads because someone complained that
it was offensive. I am not sure where copyrite fits in here but I read the story
in the local paper.
Jean Rowan, LMS, retired
Downey Community School
Brockton MA 02302
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Lori Feldstein <LFeldstein@HEWITTSCHOOL.ORG>
> I have not read The Higher Power of Lucky, but I did work on "The Vagina
> Monologues" for many years. I always thought that the disgust, shame, and
> horror that exists around the word vagina was based somehow on an underlying
> desire to keep women ashamed of and baffled by their own bodies. If women
don't
> control their own bodies than others can come in and take over. This, I have
> always felt, was part of the reason that 1 in 4 women in the United States
will
> be sexually assalted in her lifetime.
>
> I still feel this way. But I now see how deeply disturbed we are as a culture
> when it comes to any word describing "private parts" in men as well as in
women.
> What, I wonder, is the rationale for this? Where did this come from and, much
> more importantly, when is it going to go away?
>
> As School Library Media Teachers, what can we do to make sure that these
public
> venues, like The New York Times and NPR stop portraying librarians as people
who
> wish for this rediculous puritanical behavior to continue? We all know that
> there is a problem. What are we going to do to try to help fix it? Can we
> write letters to the editor? Can we write or call NPR and try to get another
> side heard? Let's try to do something! Many of us are being totally
> misrepresented and we need to make sure that other sides are heard - loud and
> clear.
>
> Lori Feldstein-Gardner
> Lower School Library Media Teacher (K-3)
> The Hewitt School
> New York, NY
> lfeldstein@hewittschool.org
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Kathy Reel
> Sent: Sat 2/24/2007 11:43 PM
> To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: Lucky and Vagina Monologues
>
>
>
> I read an article in the news about the nation section stating that a board
> member of a theatre/performing center somewhere resigned because the Vagina
> Monologues playing there included the word "vagina" on the theatre's
billboard.
> The rest of the board refused to demand its removal. The man complained that
he
> didn't want children to have to ride by the theatre and see that "word." The
> absurdity of this man's outrage made me realize just how excessive some of the
> initial reaction to the word "scrotum" has been in The Higher Power of Lucky.
> What are body parts supposed to be called? Did the guy want them to put the
name
> up as the "Female Private Part Monologues," or worse yet, "Female
Unmentionables
> Monologues?" Why is it inappropriate to call body parts by their appropriate
> names? Isn't it better for children to learn the actual names, than to use
> euphemisms that make body parts sound like a dirty little secret? If we treat
> body parts like they're something to be ashamed o!
> f, then what bizarre lesson are we teaching children? Of course, on the other
> hand, opposition of these appropriate terms and the controversies that ensue
> sure do provide excellent free advertising for the products that contain the
> "words." I'm not so sure that I would have run out and immediately purchased
The
> Higher Power of Lucky if the surrounding controversy hadn't erupted over it. I
> just finished reading it, and I am grateful for the controversy sparking my
> curiosity. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was charmed by the Lucky
character,
> as well as Miles and Lincoln. As Lucky is scientifically inclined, the
> appropriate name, scrotum, fits in nicely. Her curiosity about its meaning is
a
> natural curiosity, in sync with her character.
>
> Kathy Reel
> Former English/Writing Teacher
> New Librarian Looking for Job
> Owensboro, KY
>
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