I agree with you. Raising up women shouldn't come at the expense of putting men down. Unfortunately, it seems as though people have absorbed the message that it's sexist to auction off women, but it's funny/harmless to do the same thing to men (similarly, my college and highschool both had "pageants" for men, but not for women - both ridiculing and embracing stereotypes of beauty pageants). It can be amusing/thought-provoking to screw around with gender stereotypes, but it's pretty hypocritical to "auction" off men and use them as "props" for the sake of a feminist piece of art - because there's nothing feminist about it. The only justification I can see is if this is part of some performance piece and the idea is to get us thinking about men being seen as objects in the same women that women have historically been seen - but from your description, it doesn't sound like that's their intent.

I would say that the men at the auction probably would not feel like they are being taken advantage of.

If you view the auction with certain notions of patriarchy, women spending money to date men reinforces the value of masculinity, not diminishing it.

@Steven Yeah, they don't feel that way because they feel like they're doing their part of help out a cause they believe in (ending violence against women). To your second point, even if you look at it that way, there's still no feminist under pinning to it which is part of what was put into the original production of the show (even if subtly so).

@susanstohelit I'm glad you think I'm not being over sensitive. I had written on the wall for the auction expressing concerns about objectification and reverse-patriarchy (matriarchy?) and was given a passive-aggressive response about how it wouldn't be objectifying. I decided to walk away form the computer instead of getting into a war on Facebook. The ignorant will continue to be ignorant no matter how I scream, but I hope someone sees the comment and it gives them pause.

I don't think you're being overly sensitive. I get that it's a "date" auction but once you've got a person involved, and from your OP I'm guessing that the men will be up on stage as people are bidding, there's an icky connection to slave auction. I also agree that "It's like a turning of the tables instead of a shattering of the ceiling." I want equality with men not their subjugation.

You're not being overly-sensitive at all-- this reeks of creepiness. I have a problem with selling or buying anyone for sexual purposes (and a date DOES have sexual connotations), but all that aside, your VagMon colleagues aren't doing a great job of promoting the idea of feminism. They're playing into the stereotype of women as wanting to 'overtake' men rather than being their equals. That's the part of the argument I would play up if you plan to bring it up again, which...well, I'm not sure if you should.

Let me share my own story: My college is doing Eve Ensler's newer play, "A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant, & A Prayer" As a sophomore, I'm one of the younger women involved (as a co-director) and so my opinion isn't the most important. Some of the other girls decided to order our merch from American Apparel, because they use sweatshop-free labor. They know my views on AA, but they think it's more important that the clothes are sweatshop free than that they come from a company with a CEO who isn't a raging misogo-bag. I'm not sure why we can't find a company with BOTH, but...

I recognize that I'm not in charge here, and I don't want to be an antagonist. I figure that if I go along to get along this time, I'll be put in charge next year, and then we won't be ordering our merchandise from motherfuckin Dov Charney.

Point: PICK YOUR BATTLES

Much luck

Question #1: Do you go to school in Minnesota?

Question #2: Does your school also have a "Pink Party" to raise money for the local domestic violence shelter?

If the answers to question 1 and 2 are yes, I think I graduated from the school you're attending right now.

If so, we can have a bitch-fest together about it, because I was very much NOT a fan of the auction the last few years they've done it. I was also not a fan of how this dance to raise money for awareness about sexual harassment and assault was just as sketchy as all of the other dances, and resulted in incidents of harassment... and... assault.

You are not being too sensitive. Using people as props is way sketchy, no matter what gender they are. I'm surprised the feminists at your school aren't more concerned about the message this sends about feminists. Why would they want to encourage the myth that we are trying to raise the status of women at the expense of men? You wouldn't be out of line if you said something to the people organising it. Good luck.