Portayal of Religion at Drag Ball Offensive

To the Editors:

Although Drag Ball was nearly two weeks ago, I still find it imperative to bring up a subject portrayed by Oberlin students during the runway show.
As most of the student body knows, a skit portraying the Holy Family was enacted that mocked and degraded Christianity. Many of you may say that it was done in the spirit of fun and jest. However, there was an underlying opinion the skit was attempting to portray; that Christianity has been an institution dominated by a patriarchal hierarchy that fails to acknowledge women and people of different sexualities, and sexual lifestyles. However, this issue is clearly one that cannot be defined so objectively. One can also validly say that society has caused such pervasive inequality and that God and the Holy Family did not, for the only message God has offered has been one of agape, deep love for every living being.
Moreover, Drag Ball is meant to advocate positively the cause for acceptance of differing sexualities and lifestyles. Was there anything positive that resulted from this lewd and deeply offensive portrayal of Christianity? Although the idea of drag and transsexual living has been persecuted by society, why then must Oberlin respond with a similar form of persecution? Oberlin has prided itself on acceptance and understanding of all people. We must honor that tradition by advocating our ideas in a respectful manner, for if we don’t (as this skit didn’t) Oberlin will be practicing a terrible form of hypocrisy. This skit has had direct offensive implications on the Christian community at Oberlin. One may not agree with Christianity, but it certainly is not morally just to insult Christians. Thus, Oberlin should not seek unethical retribution, only a deeper awareness and acceptance to the cause it is trying to advocate.

–Lorna Cobb
Double-Degree first-year