A law student at the University of Michigan has filed a complaint with the schools Central Student Judiciary, on the grounds that the casting policy of The Vagina Monologues violated the University’s nondiscrimination policy and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The student, Pierce Beckham told the Michigan Daily that “Whereas my identity as a male might exclude me for certain reasons from The Vagina Monologues, (the organizers’) decision to exclude certain people was impermissible, given the University’s policies,”

What led Beckham to file a complaint was the producers decision last fall to use an all-minority cast which would then be discriminatory on the basis of race.

The law student though wasn’t the only one to criticize the producers and directors of the show but he was the only one to file a formal complaint.  Students and members of the local community have also made their feelings known saying that the policy runs contrary to the V-Day College Campaign’s goal of female solidarity and empowerment. 

It also violates the stipulation that the show must be open to all women regardless of race that the V-Day organization requires groups to adhere to.

To get around this stipulation the organizers cast white women that “identify” with other colors.  The paper noted that one cast member identifies herself as “pink.”

So now “women of color” are not necessarily black, brown, yellow etc? but white women who identify themselves with colors. 

But even that is an opportunity for discrimination.  What if the producers don’t like the color red?  Will they eliminate all the people who identify themselves as red or blue, yellow or any other color that they just don’t happen to like?  Or maybe they will ask the person to change their color choice to one they prefer.

Where is Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition when you need him?

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