First off, “The Vagina Monologues” is not JUST a fundraiser for wacky political leftist groups. All of the proceeds from the Cal Poly production go to Sexual Assault Recovery and Prevention (SARP), Sexual Assault-Free Environment Resource program (SAFER), and SLO Planned Parenthood. Brian Eller criticized V-Day for not taking “practical steps” like promoting self-defense. However, SARP teaches monthly women’s empowerment and self defense classes to the community, offers private workshops for schools, and also provides training of more self-defense instructors.
And teaching men to not objectify women? Well, SARP is involved in the MyStrength marketing campaign to educate boys against objectification and actively involve them in rape prevention. Not to mention their clinical counseling, crisis services, youth education programs and victim advocacy.
SAFER is a Cal Poly program that works with the campus police and the women’s studies department to raise awareness and prevention of sexual assault on campus. They organize ReMEmber Week and are responsible for the red handprints all over campus that represent sites of actual sexual assaults. It includes the SAFER Men who provide education to men (by men) to prevent objectification and assault. SLO Planned Parenthood’s purpose is to provide free or low-cost quality reproductive healthcare to local clients (77 percent of which are living below the poverty line).
It may be only organization here with a “political agenda” – a portion of which is to continue providing safe, legal abortions – that is, like it or not, a right guaranteed by the Constitution.
Let the celebrations continue.
Kaitlyn Alaimo
Political science senior