Ryan ChartrandMy name is Tanner Agron and I am the director of “The Vagina Monologues” at Cal Poly. I am writing in response to Brian Eller’s column (“Celebrate Valentine’s Day, Not V-Day,” Feb. 14). I don’t have a problem with controversy. I don’t have a problem with debate. I don’t have a problem with someone being against “The Vagina Monologues.” In fact, one of the great reasons about being on a college campus is the arena to encourage dialogue about issues that affect our generation. This cannot be achieved, however, when spokespeople for our campus write articles and use made-up information as fact.
Brian Eller consistently writes articles that infuriate students not because of his stance on issues, but because of his lack of knowledge on those issues. In this week’s particular column, Eller has turned a very sensitive and serious subject into a type of misinformative farce. The quotes he uses are not accurate and therefore the assumptions he makes about them are wildly false.
Saying that “The Vagina Monologues” promotes rape is an example of uneducated bias at best. The play isn’t about a bunch of vaginas talking; the money from Cal Poly’s V-Day does not mostly go to Planned Parenthood; the ‘V’ in V-Day does not stand for mostly male violence against women; the stories aren’t vulgar – they’re a celebration and reflection on feminity’s most defining physicalization: the vagina.
The play does take practical steps to promote self-defense, awareness, tougher law advocacy and a request to not be objectified. The play does not center on things that happen TO the vagina and the male characters are not all singled out to be rapists, and the list goes on and on. Almost every sentence in the column is a sensationalized generalization or untrue statement.
As I read this column today, I noticed a letter to the editor complaining about Eller’s made up facts. I have to think that there must be a time to step in and advise the Mustang Daily about credible journalism. If this column is so rampant with misinformation, how can I believe that anything in the Daily is credible or factual? I urge you to consider directing Mr. Eller to research his topics or to listen to the Mustang Daily’s readers and find someone willing to not make a farce of the campus newspaper.
Tanner Agron
“The Vagina Monologues” director