Love Story 
   
Love Story screening not needed

   To the Editor: 
   
   Last Friday's editorial in The Tech ["Porn policy must be enforced
   fairly," Feb. 8] states that Dean for Student Affairs Shirley M. McBay
   was in error by permitting the showing of Not a Love Story without
   insisting that it first be approved by the Ad Hoc Pornography
   Screening Committee. 
   
   The editorial said that Dean McBay "created a double standard" when
   she allowed the documentary's showing on Jan. 29. 
   
   Though I recognize that The Tech seems to support the showing of Not a
   Love Story, I feel that the editorial misrepresents Dean McBay's
   intentions and that it ignores her very real responsibilities to all
   students at MIT, including the women who protest the insults of
   pornography. 
   
   Furthermore, The Tech does not seem to be aware of the fact that we
   first gave notice of out intention to show Not a Love Story with the
   appearance of the IAP Guide in late Novemeber. Why did LSC wait two
   months -- until the day before our program -- to protest it? 
   
   The Policy Statement on Sexually Explicit Films at MIT states clearly
   that the screening committee's authority is limited to decisions about
   which can be shown in Kresge Auditorium. Censorship is not the issue;
   the committee can only require that pornographic films be shown in
   another location. 
   
   The policy does require at least six weeks' notice of intention to
   show "sexually explicit" films so that those who object will have an
   opportunity to prepare alternative programming. 
   
   The issue is the environment for women at MIT, and Dean McBay's steps
   to improve that environment were prompted by women students'
   complaints about harassment following the showing of pornographic
   films. 
   
   Our decision to show Not a Love Story was an effort to educate
   students about the issue of pornography and its connection to violence
   against women. We did not profit from the showing of "sexually
   explicit" material or provide such material as entertainment. 
   
   Indeed, the one-word descriptions of their responses that both men and
   women in the audience gave us following the film included "sick,"
   "upset," "exploited," "angry," "ashamed," "depressed," "confused,"
   "scared," "dehumanized," and "exhausted." 
   
   The LSC has continually and insistently misdirected the debate in what
   can only be interpreted as an attempt to reinforce their
   already-formidable monopoly on pornography shown for profit. 
   
   They clearly resent any suggestion that this might not be an
   appropriate public profile for MIT, nor do they recognize that there
   are at least five major universities in the Boston area that do not
   permit any pornography to be show on campus. 
   
   The Tech should be applauded for having the insight to see the
   educational value of Not a Love Story. But having done that much, it
   is disappointing that they should suggest anyone, Dean McBay included,
   could put Not a Love Story and The Opening of Misty Beethoven in the
   same category. 
   
   Ruth Perry
   
   Director
   
   Women's Studies Program
   
   
   
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   return to our home page. 

----
Copyright 1985 by The Tech. All rights reserved.
This story was published on  Friday,  February 15, 1985 .
Volume 105, Number 4
The story was printed on page  4.
This article may be freely distributed electronically,
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