Running Head: DIVERSITY EXPERIENCE ESSAY

Diversity Experience Essay

Cameron Jernigan

Florida State University

I identify as a Black American, heterosexul, cisgender man. When I consider my

identities, there is one that is most salient to me when I think about the privileges I benefit from

on a daily basis. That identity is being a man. In the patriarchal society we live in, I am

constantly reminded of the privilege that comes with holding this identity. According to Sensoy

and DiAngelo, power is defined as “the ideological, technical, and discursive elements by which

those in authority impose their interests and ideas on everyone” (p. 73, 2017). All it takes is a

little bit of observation of society to see that men hold the lion’s share of societal power, if not

all. As a man, a feminist, and a student affairs professional, I feel it is my duty to work against

this. I hold a certain level of power and privilege, regardless of my marginalized identities (such

as being Black) that allow me to push to create change in a way that someone who is not male

cannot. Because of this, I have no choice but to do so. For this reason, I chose to attend an

cultural event sponsored by and focused on women. I chose to attend the Vagina Monologues,

which were hosted by the FSU Women Student Union.

Written by playwright Eve Ensler, the episodic play originally premiered

Off-Off-Broadway in 1996 at the HERE Arts Center in New York City. The play features

personal monologues focused on many different topics surrounding the female experience.

Topics of monologues include: body image, masturbation, love, reproductive health and justice,

sexuality, sexual assault, as well as a host of other topics. A common theme among all the

monologues is the personification of the vagina and as the vagina as a tool of female

empowerment. Originally performed solely by Eve Ensler, the play is now performed by a

diverse collection of women worldwide. Many colleges and universities also perform their own

versions of the play every year. I chose to attend the event because I had heard that it was a great
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play and that it was a very empowering and affirming space. Many people recounted attending

the Vagina Monologues as the impetus for them becoming feminists, so I figured it had to be a

great experience. Prior to attending the event, I was somewhat familiar with The Vagina

Monologues. I had learned a bit about them while I was an undergraduate student, but had never

attended a performance, nor had I read or watched any of the monologues online. Most of what I

knew about the monologues came from things friends more familiar with them had told me, or

critiques I had heard from feminist scholars I had read over the years. So, while I had somewhat

of an abstract idea of what to expect, I came into the experience largely unfamiliar with the

specifics of it.

I will say that I definitely came into the experience with a bit of negative bias towards the

play, primarily for one reason. Although I had not attended a performance prior, I made the

assumption that it was not very inclusive of trans women and their experiences. Vaccaro (2012)

notes that “research suggests that heterosexism, genderism, homophobia, and transphobia are a

reality on contemporary college campuses” (p. 430). In some cases, this can play out in the

action of excluding trans women from events, programs, and organizations designed specifically

for women. Given the fact the play seemed very body-centric (given the title and what I had

heard about the play prior), I guessed that the play spoke to a specific idea of what womanhood

is, and that not all who identified as women would be able to take part or see themselves in the

play. Hammers (2006) notes “there are two different, but interrelated concerns raised by the

VM's emphasis on the vagina as the source or site of quintessential female experience(s). First,

there is the concern mentioned above, that this emphasis does lend itself to a reductive view of

female identity-one that, for instance, would arguably exclude transgendered individuals who
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might identify as female regardless of anatomical sex” (p. 235). Prior to the event, I decided to

do a bit of research to see if there had been any controversy surrounding this. Not to my surprise,

I found that there was, and that several colleges and universities had created monologues that

were more inclusive and affirming, and spoke more to the fluidity of gender.

Overall, while I did come in to the experience with this concern, I still was very excited

about attending and believed I would enjoy it. Aside from that concern, I had heard nothing but

glowing reviews from those that had attended. Additionally, if something empowering women

has been celebrated by women across the world over several decades, I am pretty sure that I as a

man do not have a place to dispute the validity of their opinions on its artistic merit.

Once I got to the event, I was surprised for many reasons. A preconceived notion I

definitely held without realizing until I was in attendance was the idea that both the Women

Student Union and The Vagina Monologue performers would be comprised of mostly white

women. I held the same preconceived notion about those in attendance. I did not expect to see as

diverse of a group of women as performers, members of the Women Student Union, or attendees

as I did. This notion was probably influenced by the fact all of my friends who have been

involved with the play, on several campuses in several states, were white women. As a result, I

assumed that that was the norm, and would perpetuate itself at a predominantly white institution

like Florida State University. Additionally, I am aware of how many feminist spaces, both within

predominantly white campus contexts and in greater society, are not always the most inclusive of

women of color. This also painted my preconceived beliefs about the event.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the event. The performances were great, and many of the

monologues incorporated dance, spoken word, and music, which I did not expect at all. Many of
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the performers were women of color, were queer, and came from a wide range of backgrounds

and life experiences. I was happy to see that my preconceived idea about the types of women

who would be involved was wrong all along. I was disappointed, but not surprised, at how few

men (or rather, humans who I read as men) were in attendance; I was one of three.

Throughout the event, I continued thinking about the role of men in fighting oppression

of women. Yes, we can take the first step in educating ourselves and other men about sexism,

take up less room in spaces, and use the power we hold to help women enter spaces they

typically are barred from. But I struggle a lot with knowing when I am successfully using my

privilege to educate, or when I am taking up space that a probably more qualified woman could

be in to speak her own truth. Men spend so much time within society speaking for and over

women. There’s a fine line between being an ally and speaking up for women in a space they do

not typically occupy, and using that action to continue occupying that space when a woman

could be there. I think that is why events, works, and spaces like the Vagina Monologues are so

important. Dedicated spaces for women to speak about their experiences, without the intrusion of

men or the male gaze, is so important. Ropers-Huilman et al. (2016) note that “in our research,

we found that women college students often felt monitored in classes, with friends and faculty, in

recreational settings, and at social and extracurricular events” (p. 117). While dedicated spaces

for women college students to express themselves will not solve the potentially negative impact

of embodied minds, in my opinion, it is a start.

These thoughts continued into the discussion portion of the assignment. After the event

ended, I talked with Daralene, a Women Student Union member in attendance. I mentioned to

her my pre-event concerns about trans women and how the Vagina Monologues may not be the
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most inclusive in 2019. I also admitted that it felt a bit weird to say that to a woman as a man.

She admitted that my concern was very valid and that that was a very real concern when it came

to the performance. We also talked about how diverse in race, sexuality, and background the cast

was and how that is not always the case. Additionally, we also discussed the necessity of spaces

like these. 1, for educating others on the concerns and experiences of women, and 2, to simply

have a space for women to speak their truth. Our conversation showed me that I was not off in

some of my initial concerns or in my thoughts about what it means to be an ally.

When thinking about how this event has impacted me as a student affairs professional,

my first reaction is that my current role has left me a bit stagnant. In an office where I am one of

2 men on staff (both professional and student staff), where women hold all of the leadership

positions, I realize that I sometimes forget this is not the norm outside of the walls of my office.

Because of this, I think that I am realizing that I need to take a more active role in working to

combat sexism in spaces I enter where women are not the majority and do not hold power. It is

not enough to simply highlight my office as a beacon of anti-sexist student affairs practice. If I

am seriously committed to combating sexism, then I need to be intentional about the spaces I

enter and the work I can do to change them.

References

Hammers, M. L. (2006). Talking about “down there”: The politics of publicizing the female

body through The Vagina Monologues. ​Women's Studies in Communication,​ ​29(​ 2), 220-243.

Ropers-Huilman, R., Winters, K. T., & Hakkola, L. (2016). Embodied minds: College women’s

experience and the panopticon of higher education. ​NASPA Journal About Women in

Higher Education,​ ​9(​ 2), 115-132.

Sensoy, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). ​Is everyone really equal?: An introduction to key concepts

in social justice education​. Teachers College Press.

Vaccaro, A. (2012). Campus microclimates for LGBT faculty, staff, and students: An

exploration of the intersections of social identity and campus roles. ​Journal of Student

Affairs Research and Practice,​ ​49(​ 4), 429-446.