"The Vagina Monologues," produced by Project Safe from February 12-15 at Sarratt Cinemas, talks frankly about sexuality and sexual violence. Written by playwright Eve Ensler, the play originally premiered in 1996, and has since spawned a global movement to raise awareness and funding to fight violence against women.
Before writing this piece, I had heard rumors about free condoms on campus, but never actually knew where to find them. After venturing into the depths of Vandyland in search of the seemingly elusive campus condom supply, I resurfaced with an appreciation for finger cots, dental dams and the art of condom wrapper designs.
In the first days of his presidency, President Obama sharply differentiated himself from his predecessor by rescinding the Mexico City Policy. Known more commonly as the global gag rule, the policy withheld US aid to foreign reproductive care agencies that offered abortion services. By ending the restriction, Obama signaled that the United States would recommit itself to worldwide comprehensive care and reproductive rights.
Since the collapse of Somalia’s central governing authority in 1991, there has been constant conflict, often involving clans and warlords. The country’s unprotected, tuna-rich waters were soon exploited by foreign fishing fleets which illegally trawled the area and threatened coastal fishermen’s way of life.
On Feb. 9, State Senator Paul Stanley (Rep. - Memphis) introduced a new bill that would ban unmarried couples from adopting. Although the text of the bill states that it is trying to protect children from being adopted by all unmarried couples, the primary group of potential adoptive parents who would be banned are homosexual couples.
Right now, the future seems uncertain. Many students (myself included) are looking forward to graduation with trepidation, trying to settle on a path that will offer some financial security. We are cutting back, saving more, and doing a lot of worrying. Vanderbilt employees, who go into wage negotiations this fall, are wondering whether they will even have their jobs then. To cheer up, we made the theme of this issue "left-wing love," and indeed, much of our issue is about...sex!
