The Crier Thursday, April 2, 2009 Issue 23 Spring 2009 The Vagina Monologues: Gender Perspectives The Vagina Monologues were held at 171 Cedar Arts Center on Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28. The play was sponsored by the Rape Crisis of the Southern Tier. By Caitlin Woodruff By Nate Atkinson On Saturday night I went to see The Vagina Monologues with my girlfriend. Even though the show was actually incredibly entertaining and enjoyable, I feel like the sponsorship was the only thing that detracted from the experience, and only if you’re a man. Don't get me wrong, I’m not trying to say the Rape Crisis of the Southern Tier shouldn’c exist. Hell, I spent $15 to support them, but I think their strategy to tackle rape is a bit off-track. The moment I stepped into 171 Cedar Arts Center I was confronted by a giant poster board with the faces of three male minorities and one white dude telling me that only I can stop rape because I am a man. My first impression was how sexist this was given the cases, however rare, when men (well, elementary school boys) are raped by women. The representatives from the Rape Crisis of the South Tier gave a small presentation before the show about all the services they offer - to women. What about men? About 25% of the audience was men and for the rest of the presentation we were singled out and I felt like the representatives insinuated that every man in that building was a rapist. The organization seemed to skip over the fact that men can be victims, too. I suppose that all of the men who dropped the soap in prison are not included in rape statistics. I didn't go into The Vagina Monologues expecting there to be no man-bashing: however, I didn’t expect to come out of the show feeling as though it was my job as a man to make a conscious choice to not be a rapist and to put a stop to all rape in the entire world. The psychological mindset of a rapist is very specific, not something that is engrained into every man at birth. Rape is about an effort to gain power and control over another human being, be it man or woman, and is rarely about sex, and most men do not consider rape as an acceptable means to have sex. Vagina - an uncomfortable word to say, and certainly an awkward topic to discuss. However, this taboo was the obstacle surmounted by the Rape Crisis of the Southern Tier’s presentation of 7he Vagina Monologues. As a woman, I couldn’t help but laugh at the outrageous monologues, empathize with the sarcastic rants, and squirm at the tragic stories. I left the night feeling what I assume was the intention of the performance: resolution that all of these aspects, good and bad, add up to the humorous, powerful, sometimes painful, sometimes repressed reality of modern womanhood. The show pulled at our heartstrings with stories of social repression, accounts of abuse, and overwhelming statistics about genital mutilation and rape in Africa. Women are victims of violence and sexually-driven crime. I could walk down an alley at any time and become a victim. This is an unfortunate truth in all parts of the world. However, the elimination of this violence is the goal of the Rape Crisis Center and the V-Day organization orchestrating the event, and the show conjuncts perfectly with this intention. Violence happens, but we don’t have to stand for it. Women shouldn't have to be afraid of parking garages. Women shouldn't be afraid of their significant others. And perhaps most importantly, women shouldn't be afraid of their own sexuality. In a society where such expression is stunted and many women still feel shame or inferiority or ignorance regarding their sexuality, performances like this are invaluable. We are woman, hear us roar! Be proud of your vagina! Be proud of being a woman! As much as The Vagina Monologues inspired me to take a self-defense class or two, I also walked away believing that I can be strong and empowered with the extent of my life that I can control. Remember, education is power, so learn more at vday.org. Above: A new art exhibit opened in the Atrium Gallery in the Classroom Building last week. Paintings and bronze sculptures by artist David P. Dowler are on display until April 17. Right: Black and white, documentary, fashion, portraits, and digital art photographs can be found in the “Holding Her Own” photography display by Juanita Wald in the Cooridor Gallery. Thursday, April 2, 2009 Page 2 I Pwur SaunderS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS The Saunders Experience. RIT RII's Saunders College where students learn to innovate and connect m order to succeed. ► Eight undergraduate programs, taught by faculty wnh global business experience ► F<- in MBA programs, wit’i snore than 20 concentration areas that allow you tc customize your degree ► T|iic(! VS proyiams for n depth study ► Full and ?)art tisne study available to 1 • your schedule ► Six n'.cnths of paid cooperative education with top employers lo develop roal business connections ► Ranked among the top 5% of business schools by fiosmesstVee*: and U S News and World Report Innovate. Connect. Succeed. Learn more Oy visrttng seunders rtteHu, or cell us«»? 0/851475-7835. in the Corridor Gallery connecting the Learning Pictured above is just one of the photographs in the exhibit “Holding Her Own”, a series of photography by Juanita v Resource Center and the basement of the Library. This exhibit opened last week and will be on display until April 24. Thursday. April 2, 2009 Page 3 What’s Happening in Student Government? By Anthony Popkin Student Trustee Each week your Student Association Government Assembly (SAGA) meets to discuss issues and concerns that affect students, college wide. You may be asking, what is SAGA? As any other governing body, it is comprised of several different levels of government in order to keep a form of checks and balances. It consists of the Executive Board, the Student Senate, and the House of Representatives, each of which each plays a significant role in allowing communication, between students, staff, faculty, and administration. Your SAGA began meeting since the second week of the semester; below are some of the areas that have been going on and are being discussed. Your feedback is important, if you have any questions, concerns, or comments please see members of your SAGA, located in the lower level of the Commons building. Elections Student Association elections took place on March 30 and 31 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Commons building. The results of the election should be published on MyCCC by the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Senate Scholarship SAGA was given a resolution to establish a permanent Student Senate Scholarship Committee. The purpose of this committee is to keep continuity in the ongoing Make Change Scholarship Program project. SAGA will be making a decision on this resolution this week. Powderhouse Road It was brought to the attention by neighbors of CCC that some of the roads leading to the college were littered with trash. Though it is not likely that students are the main contributors to the litter, we feel that it is important to know that we should keep our educational environment clean. SAGA is currently in talks with Social Welfare Committee and some clubs to do a cleanup of this area. Currently there are talks with the town of Corning to see if it is viable to do this. Local School District Held Science Fair in Corning By Bradley Lee Contributing Writerfrom Mansfield University Corning-Painted Post area grade school students eagerly arrived to their annual science fair Sunday. West High School in Painted Post once again opened its doors and gym to the parents and children of the Coming-Painted Post area. The Corning-Painted Post students and their friends and family attended the annual science fair. Students got to put their brains to use by creating clever scientific displays for the public to come in and see. The students each had their own display spaces within which they set up their science projects. There were over a dozen rows of long tables set up in the gym.The students used the tables to set up their science display areas. Over two-hundred people attended the annual Science Fair event. Students were taken to West High School to set up their displays by their parents the day before the event. They were asked several questions on their projects by a panel made up of scientists. When they arrived the following day they would find their placement ribbons sitting on the table next to their display Shawnie Brown, mother of Haley and Leagan, attended the event with her two children. “We wanted to do a science project with them that was science-based, but something they were interested in. It was fun for us all,” Brown said. Christina Tobey, a fifth grader in the Corning-Painted Post School District, participated in the event. “It was fun for me. I like science,’’Tobey said. Eileen Bowen, who has been the director of the annual science fair for twenty years, attends the event each year. “My favorite part of the event is watching the children talk to the evaluators to see the kids and community scientists share information,” Bowen said. Students, parents, and elementary school faculty gathered at West High School in Painted Post for the science fair on Sunday, March 29. Thursday. April 2, 2009 Page 4 Bachelor degrees offered • ArclvtrCturaf technology • Business Adirurvvtraban • Compute* T*chi>>o£y • Ckyv&6rug • fonsnsac Sc^'o-h technology • Information Security A Assurance • information technotojEy * Applications Software Dev » Network Adminresraoori * Web Development • Manufacturing technology • Meehan oal F n£r Technology • SurvRyi <"g fry Torrwdogy • Technology Management Alfred State College R I fv V College ■' ( Fee hitnlr>gy Visit us. tvv.'.v.. ' ..i 1 hen decide, Open House Oate: Spring 2009 Sunday. Apr 19 Call 1-800-4-ALFRED ...w - Disappointments By Lindsay Woodruff I. You’re hanging over an edge And I can’t help you up "Long live the king?" Not for me. I can’t just sit here and watch you fall I can’t just let you disappear. The abyss, The path of least resistence -Fine. But you could do so much better in time. II. Riding the trunk of a white elephant How could you deny it was there? How could you pretend to be so strong When you’ve been broken and lost all along? You can search for your angel, I don’t care, But you’ll never live for yourself again. Untitled By Michael Coates | broken- both broke and beaten: tired beyond retreating, nothing works for working ' nor any effort great and small I makes waking worth the while nothing seems to sparkle, here, I nor shine with aught but grim-grey ice I the cold has bitten to the bone and shattered the brittle edge of’nice” I birds above and below us cry there, fallen at the roadside quiet the last crow explains 1 the pained current behind the days with no adventure, nor valor valued what really is the point? I with nothing to say, and no rabbits left in the hat, I there is no saving this particular day nor illusion to pray for one better III. I want to reenact that old cliche scene Where a person does everything they can I To not let someone fall. I There is always a cliff or an edge With doom and catastrophe at the bottom 1 Waiting to rip you to shreds. | Such as is life, But I’m not strong enough. I don’t want to see what’s left. Ruths iVtk-t Roaster Bob and June's Organic Coffee TU4 South 1 runklm Sim*! Wat kin* Glen, NY I4RU1 (*07-210-4214 w »v *\. b i '»b.i mi f u n om I v>ing the right thing >t«*;vr titled * %■< * ■»/ jinn in the •yfhnt •* cffftr nni'tt The Crier Staff Student Association Bradley Lee • • Editor Representative _ Lindsay Woodruff Daniel Gustina Anthony Popkin # Treasurer Advisor Caitlin Woodruff • Michael Coates Paul McNaney _ Secretary Reporters Photographers • Bradley Lee 9 Caitlin Woodruff Nate Atkinson Dan Gustina