Bringing a voice to the silent

MACKENZIE KINTIGH; Arts & Culture Editor; kintigmf@plu.edu

Pacific Lutheran University’s Theatre Department debuts “Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign” on March 2-3, which presents stories inspired by women’s true experiences with abortion. Crafted by the 1 in 3 Campaign, the show aims to bring conversations about abortion to the forefront in effort end stigma and shame.

“Out of Silence” and the 1 in 3 Campaign build upon the reported statistic that one in three women will have an abortion in her lifetime. The campaign uses storytelling as a way to prompt action and strengthen support for women’s access to abortion services.

“The show aims to start conversations about the highly stigmatized topic of abortion,” senior and show director Gabby Dolan said. “It aims to end the ‘silence’ of real abortion stories in a cacophony of political discussion.”

The show is 11 vignettes, each starring two people. The cast includes six women and two men.

We don’t promote abortion at PLU, nor do we practice censorship. Our mission as an institution of higher learning is to provide a space for difficult conversations and controversial issues.

-Gabby Dolan, Senior

The show is one of two productions sponsored by Vpstart Crow, an organization run by PLU students. Vpstart Crow works to support innovative and creative art that explores big questions and opens audiences to dialogue. The organization produced August Wilson’s “Fences” earlier this year.

Senior and light designer for the show Madisen Crowley said she supported “Out of Silence” as an Vpstart Crow’s production because of the perspectives the show brings to women’s right to choose.

“I believe in [the show’s] message: that women’s reproductive health is not taboo, that the folks who choose to get abortions are human beings with complex everyday lives,” Crowley said. “A woman’s right to choose what happens with her body and how [it happens] is a basic human right.”

Conversation about abortion and women’s rights constantly occur both at national and university levels. The topic is one that can bring hostility from all sides of the issue.

A woman’s right to choose what happens with her body and how [it happens] is a basic human right.

-Madisen Crowley, Senior

Dolan said the goal of this show is not to make a political debate easier, but to introduce a new perspective on the topic and start new conversations.

“We don’t promote abortion at PLU, nor do we practice censorship. Our mission as an institution of higher learning is to provide a space for difficult conversations and controversial issues,” Dolan said. “Giving that space for listening, education and understanding and perspective-taking, is what PLU is all about.”

“Out of Silence”comes a week before PLU Students for Life’s own event, Stand with Unplanned Parenthood. Stand with Unplanned Parenthood is panel discussion that focuses on giving advice to young women who are dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. PLU Students for Life President Carly Stauffer said it is a chance for those on campus to understand the pro-life side of the conversation.

Stauffer wants to show Students for Life’s desire to have open conversations about the topic of abortion with those who may not agree with the club’s stance.

“We think it is really important to come from a place of compassion and love,” Stauffer said. “As a pro-lifer, I will even acknowledge that a lot of pro-lifers have done a really poor job in the past in presenting their message and [have come] across as dispassionate and judgmental. I really want our club not to be like that.”

Stauffer also said she does not agree with how “Out of Silence” frames abortion. Students for Life, she said, endeavors to have open conversations about abortion on campus. However, the club “would have problems with the bias or version of the truth that is being presented” in the show.

We think it is really important to come from a place of compassion and love.

-Carly Stauffer, Senior

Stauffer spoke with LifeNews.com about the upcoming “Out of Silence Event” and told the outlet she was disappointed by the presentation of abortion as “problematic not because it is unjust, morally evil and ultimately oppressive to women, but because it simply isn’t talked about enough.”

Although she doesn’t agree with the show’s approach, Stauffer said she fully respects that alternative ideas from her own can and will take up space on campus.

“I believe that [the show] is absolutely relevant. I believe it’s appropriate in the sense that there are going to be events that take place on campus that I might completely disagree with, but I totally acknowledge their right to exist on campus,” Stauffer said. “A university is a place where a bunch of different ideas that clash come together.”

“Out of Silence: Abortion Stories from the 1 in 3 Campaign” premieres March 2-3 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre in Karen Hille Phillips Center. Tickets are available online and at the Concierge desk for $5.

The Stand with Unplanned Parenthood event, hosted by Students for Life, takes place 7 p.m. March 9 in Xavier 201.

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