From:       Don Barry <don@isc.astro.cornell.edu>
Reply-To:   don@isc.astro.cornell.edu
To:         editor@cornellsun.com
Cc:         dean_of_students@cornell.edu, kic2@cornell.edu, js58@cornell.edu, jpt62@cornell.edu, editor@cornellsun.com
Subject:    An Open Letter on the use of the Sage building for this year's Vagina Monologues
Date:       Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:04:56 -0500

Dear Dean Hubbell,

Word is spreading throughout the academic side of Cornell that religion and its eternally backwards stance is rearing its decidedly ugly head in censorship of a performance space for the current Women's Resource Center's production of the Vagina Monologues. Needless to say, this seems a very 19th century issue, and entirely out of place with a modern research University. I'm surprised and considerably discomfited that religious sensibilities and discomfort would indeed play any role in deciding the scope and content of performance pieces, or in fact anything, on campus in this day and age.

As I understand it, the Women's Resource Center asked for and were given a commitment to perform this year in the larger space at Sage, holding 800 seats. They had reasonably expected to sell out this space, considering the popularity of this annual production and the rapidity at which previous year's performances sold out. Having printed tickets and flyers, they were blindsided by news that Cornell United Religious Work had suddenly found that it was "uncomfortable" to envision this work performed in Sage, and that "others who use the space might be offended." I note with particularity the difficulty in engaging the anonymous "other", which is a most troublesome euphemism, one particularly unwelcome in an academic setting.

In recompense, they were offered instead the performance space in Anabel Taylor, that they had used in previous years -- an auditorium that seats fewer than half the number (350) of Sage (800). And further, that CURW would offer $500 in recompense for the inconvenience, against a maximal potential loss in revenue of $3600. I also note that this revenue is dedicated to support of local non-profit Advocacy Center, and I decry its loss.

I strongly urge you to use the power of your office to overrule the misguided decision of Cornell United Religious Work and restore the use of Sage immediately to the Women's Resource Center for this year's performance of the Vagina Monologues.

Don Barry, Ph.D.
Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Spectrograph Team,
Department of Astronomy
Cornell University