Controversial feminist play gets second boost from PCUSA The Layman Online Tuesday, February 14, 2006 The home page of the Presbyterian Church (USA) today is promoting VDAY, a movement opposing violence against women. The movement grew out of performances of The Vagina Monologues, a one-person feminist production with graphic sexual descriptions. While violence against women is condemned repeatedly in Scripture, no Scripture is used in the PCUSA Web promotion of VDAY, which continues through March. The PCUSA focuses on secular opposition to violence against women, including The Vagina Monologues. The denomination's Web site does provide links for purchasing or ordering what it describes as Scripturally based material. The PCUSA also provides a link to a VDAY Web site that suggests that local groups can raise community funds for anti-violence programs by sponsoring benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues. The PCUSA home Web page urges: "Proclaim Valentine's Day as VDAY until the violence stops. VDAY is a global movement that generates attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. You can help end this violence by sponsoring or hosting an event to raise awareness, donating to the cause, shopping at the V-day online store and learning more about the issue." Among the wares in the VDAY online store are tee-shirts, key chains and toboggans imprinted with "Vagina Warriors." This is the second time the denomination has done promo work for The Vagina Monologues. In November 2002, The Layman Online published a story about the PCUSA's use of a Web page to invite workers at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Ky., to buy tickets to a local production of The Vagina Monologues. That story provided details about the controversy surrounding the feminist production. It also spawned a backlash by Presbyterians who complained to staff leaders. Two days after The Layman Online story, the denomination's leaders decided to make its Web page aimed primarily at employees off-limits to the general public. This time, the promotion is on the open-access, home page.

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