Barely two days after a couple of women announced their intentions to stage a show on what they reffered to as a play to "preach and teach about women rights", there arose strong criticism over the play “Vagina Monologues”.
The fight against America Eva Enslers” play was started by the Media Council which set a stiff condition for the organisers of The play, demanding that some parts be struck from the script before it goes on stage.
The council said in a ruling that alongside issues of violence and abuse of women, the play "prominently promotes and glorifies acts of unnatural sex, masturbation, lesbianism or homosexuality."
"To the extent that the play promotes illegal, unnatural sexual acts, homosexuality and prostitution, it should be and is hereby banned. This will not be the case if the organisers expunge all the offending parts to the satisfaction of the council," the ruling said.
It said the play offends and corrupts public morals and should be restricted to adults.
"They must inform the public that the play contains scenes and language of a graphic nature that may be offensive to sections of the public. The organisers should make prominent advertisements in the media, on the tickets as well as the venue that there are age restrictions," it said.
The play, which was to be at Ndere Centre in Kampala on Saturday, became the first to receive a blow from the Media Council in many years.
However, sources said the organisers said on Tuesday that "the title, content, as well as the dates on which the play is to be staged are non-negotiable."
"The Council was informed by the organisers that the title could not be changed due to restrictions of intellectual property rights dictated by the author of the play, Eve Ensler," the sources said.
"The council finds that the play addresses several cases of violence against women. It describes unimaginable and unacceptable forms of mutilation, violence and pain suffered across the world. The council is unequivocal on the urgent need to address these cases with a view to stop the inhumane, degrading, abusive and cruel treatment of women," it said.
Ethics and integrity state minister Tim Lwanga yesterday told Parliament, "The Vagina Monologues is not going to be shown."
Council chief Fr. John Mary Waliggo said yesterday that the fate of the play lay with the council.
Kefa Ssempangi (Ntenjeru South), who raised the issue in the house, said "The Play is obscene and pornographic although it was under the guise of women liberation." He called for an injunction.
By press time, the organisers were still locked in a meeting, plotting their next move.
Meanwhile, churches and civil society organisations yesterday backed the council to block the play.
Eighteen church leaders and the Coalition for Morality, Ethics and Integrity-Uganda petitioned the Presidency to stop the play, which they said touched on morals.
They said the play was a smokescreen for graphic lesbian pornography and it demeaned women.
They said the play was viciously anti-male and it was obscene.
They also said the title of the play was likely to "open a can of worms" and it reduced women to their sexual organs. The Church of Uganda, Seventh Day Adventist, the Orthodox Church and Kampala Pentecostal Church signed the memorandum.
They accused the author of being "obsessed and fixated with the female sexual organ to the extent that the word "vagina" is repeated more than 100 times in the play."
They said the play contains graphic descriptions of masturbation, rape, and genital mutilation in manner that is "abhorrent, outrageous and disgusting."
In another reaction to the play, a Christian-founded NGO in the north said it had withdrawn from NGOs to receive funds to be generated from The Vagina Monologues show.
Christian Counselling Fellowship (CCF) based in Pader yesterday demonised the play by Ensler as an unclean show for people in the north.
CCF director Alice Achan said the organisation could not be associated with a play, which promotes immorality and undermines African values.
"We were invited to watch the play and after that receive cheques, but we disassociate ourselves from this money. If they have other programmes which are acceptable to our morals, we shall co-operate," Achan said.
"How shall we explain this play to Pader girls because they will ask us how we got the money."
CCF was invited by ActionAid, one of the lead NGOs promoting the play.
Achan said she had forwarded two reports of girls who had been raped and assaulted in the displaced people's camp.
The promoters of the play argue that it is intended to expose the violence suffered by women.
The Government has, however, opposed the show, saying it destroys the moral fabric of Ugandans.
Achan said CCF rejected the offer after "unearthing" the background of Ensler whom she described as a known lesbian.
"She (Elsner) was encouraging parents to allow their children to play with their private parts during an interview with CNN. She was encouraging children to masturbate, those acts are totally taboo in our culture," said Achan.
Achan said the content of the play was unclean for Pader people which she described
as a vulnerable society with displaced people.
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