Letter writer: Our VOICE’s role is to advocate, not mediate

Graphic by Lori Deaton

After reading this article, [“Jagged Little Pill: Local Playwright Stages a Satire About the Manosphere,” Aug. 17, Xpress] I want to clarify a few points. First, at no point did Our VOICE lead a mediation between the playwright and those who did not want to play to move forward. Our VOICE was invited and participated in the mediation conducted by the Mediation Center at both parties’ request. Our role as an organization is not to mediate but to advocate for individuals impacted by sexual violence.

Since the play was brought to our attention, we have been consistent in expressing our concerns. First and foremost, we believe that individuals impacted by sexual violence have the right to hold and share their own stories. We are concerned that any level of specificity that ties the play to actual events in the community would revictimize those that were impacted by the Waking Life scandal.

We sincerely hope that our concerns were heard as well as those who took part in the mediation. While parody has its place in artistic expression, making light of victimization is no laughing matter.

As always, we encourage the community to take part in dialogue regarding rape culture, how it contributes to sexual violence and how it can be dismantled. How a community conducts this dialogue sets the stage for whether those who have been impacted by sexual violence come out from under the shadows. We at Our VOICE believe that this community can create the best possible environment for empowering victims to seek the justice and healing they deserve.

— Angelica Wind
Executive Director
Our VOICE
Asheville

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4 thoughts on “Letter writer: Our VOICE’s role is to advocate, not mediate

  1. boatrocker

    You might want to clarify that to Ali Marshall, who claimed in the comments section from her original article that her version of history was correct. As correct as a Mtn X article can be.

  2. boatrocker

    Asheville ladies, get familiar with ‘Lysistrata’.

    So much for the ‘drama major’ posters not recognizing the recycled plot.
    411 BC. It’s a play.

    The play was written by a dude who recognized the battle of the sexes for humor’s sake in 411 BC.
    Sorry, it was written by a dude with a sense of humor.
    If only I could write the name of the Greek play in Seinfeldspeak.

    Hate to break it you, but most normal males don’t act like a West Asheville hipster coffee house dork who actually hangs out in coffee houses (barfing noises), tries to pick up (barfing into their hand) a West Asheville female in a bar (huuuurk), and (barfing on frat and sorority houses with Greek letters/ barfing into the little pocket sewn into the pocket of modern blue jeans where you keep spare change)

    Stop picking up people in coffee houses. That %^&* is disgusting. If you accomplish that through social media of any sort,
    uggggggh, gross, you are part of the problem.

    Skanky.

    • boatrocker

      Just out of curiosity, how is that?

      Maybe you mean Raleigh, the center of bonehead laws for what a gal can do with her womb?
      I’m just curious as to why one would say women are behind here vs. Anytown, NC.
      I’m a guy. by the way. As if that matters. It does not matter.

      I once was roped into a conversation (figuratively, mind you) with a Warren Wilson student (she claimed to be a women’s studies major) who fumed that it was called ‘menstruation’ as the prefix ‘men’ was so oinky oinky sexist. When I pointed out ‘menses’ is Latin for month or monthly, she did the ‘auuuuuhhhhhh’ breath exhalation and rolled the eyes. I’d ask for my tuition money back, but hey.

      I also conversed with a man once who claimed that women and black people being able to vote is what led to 9/11.
      We don’t keep in touch.

      I think both sexes are morons for not bothering to learn a thing called history.

      Histoire in French can mean history, a question or mystery, or a problem.

      The Dark Ages in Europe’s history ( if that is what you refer to?) had a lot more problems than the Glass Ceiling (77 cents on the dollar) or a slap on the ass.

      I hope you do not speak for the entire Eastern Band of Cherokee.

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