The writing on the wall

8 THE CAMPUS PRESS MARCH 21 - APRIL 3, 2006 MARCH 21 - APRIL 3, 2006 THE CAMPUS PRESS 9

INFOCUS»Does crying in a bathroom stall

make someone Emo? This is one of the important issues that women “discuss,” and they are writing on bathroom stall walls to do it.

If women use stalls to write about what is on their minds, then everything from the political, the

philosophical, the excessively girly and the just plain inappropriate is apparently what matters most.

“Itʼs a good way for women to communicate. Itʼs a forum for ideas,” said Deborah Bock, a senior environmental studies major and reader of bathroom graffi ti.

In several CU bathrooms, an ongoing debate between those who are anti-abortion and those who support abortion rights has not yet reached a conclusion, but certainly con-tains thought-provoking remarks.

“You sluts who get pregnant are the ones getting the abortions. Itʼs called birth control. Use it,” reads one angry statement.

On the issue of rape, women offer advice on how to protect themselves. Some advocate boycotting fraternity parties, while others suggest avoiding alcohol.

In a fi rst fl oor Hellems Arts and Sciences stall, one female offers an especially controversial solution to the problem.

“Castrated men donʼt rape.” “Isnʼt that raping them?” responds another.

Other women simply want to air their personal griev-ances, or need questions of self-discovery answered.

“Last semester I gained 30 pounds!” wrote one woman in a bathroom on the fi rst fl oor in the Cristol Chemistry building.

“How do you know if youʼre a lesbian?” asks another. A response urges the confused girl to experiment. And then there are the obligatory complaints about

men. “I love Sam but he doesnʼt love me,” one heartbroken

statement proclaims. The rational arguer replies, “Well (expletive) Sam, he

doesnʼt deserve you.” Certain buildings on campus possess their own unique

brand of student graffi ti. For example, in Hellems, which houses the English Department, women criticize their fel-low students ̓scholastic aptitude.

“Do you think you are more cool because you have bet-ter grammer?” asks one professed English major, respond-ing to a message.

Pointing to the incorrectly spelled “grammer,” another woman retorts, “You spelled this wrong,” and signs the mes-sage “fellow English major.” This literary-minded woman also forgot to point out that “more cool” is also grammati-cally incorrect.

In Ketchum Arts and Sciences, where the Political Science department is located, the women complain about the condition of the facilities on the fi rst fl oor.

“The Coalition of Ketchum Women Against Dirty Bathrooms,” one woman labels the users of the stall.

Bathroom graffi ti is so popular that Pearl Streetʼs

Catacombs bar has posted chalkboards in their womenʼs bathroom stalls to accommodate budding writers. On any given night, a chalkboard contains name signatures, profes-sions of love and of course, drinking themed graffi ti, such as “drink ʻtil heʼs cute!”

Patti Adler, a professor of sociology at CU, said several scholars have explored the subject of bathroom graffi ti. She has even assigned to her classes a magazine article about women at Brown University who posted names of alleged rapists in bathrooms as a warning to women.

Anakija Fostvedt, a senior English major, wrote a paper on bathroom graffi ti for a folklore class.

“I considered (the graffi ti) part of the modern folklore on campus,” Fostvedt said.

In the class, she learned that one of the characteristics of folklore was that authors are often anonymous, as they are in CUʼs bathrooms.

“People seem to enjoy reading graffi ti,” said Adler, who also said it is an old form of communication.

Adler also said that whether students are using pens or fl iers, public bathrooms become more personalized via graf-fi ti; it makes using the facility more interesting.

Men s̓ restrooms around cam-pus have some unique traits to themselves, too.

“Itʼs not just normal tag-ging, itʼs people drawing stuff,” said Andrew Hirsch, a freshman Chinese major.

Found in a men s̓ bathroom in the UMC, the words “Go to hell Bush” demonstrate a common theme of wall writing around campus. Many graffi ti markings have a political mes-

sage, as in the “(expletive) BUSH for-ever” found in the Sibell Wolle Fine Art building, along with “Bush > Pussy President.”

“Most of the things up there on the walls are either political or comical, and usually about Bush, usually nega-tive,” Hirsch said.

Political messages range from blatant anger toward the government to anger toward local political fi gures. For example, “Ian VanBuskirk is the biggest douche in the uni-verse,” is written on a wall in the Farrand dorms.

“Whatʼs really funny to me as College Republican president, I support gay rights, Iʼm pro-life. They still con-sider me this crazy guy,” said graduate student, frequent

hate-graffi ti target and College Republicans President Ian VanBuskirk.

VanBuskirk fi nds the incidents of graffi ti bearing his name “pretty funny.” He does not, however, think highly of his opponents ̓ways of disagreeing.

“I could never imagine going and writing on the walls about someone who I disagree with about political issues,” VanBuskirk said.

But graffi ti is not limited to political messages. In a men s̓ bathroom in the fi ne arts building, the 108-word poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost can be found in its entirety. It s̓ even illustrated with snowfl akes.

“Some people write stories up there,” Hirsch said. The same bathroom is also bursting with contemplative

thoughts and questions. “Whatʼs Love Got to Do with It?” is written on the

toilet paper dispenser sandwiched between “Be Clean” and “Letʼs be human beings.”

Love confessions also seem a popular choice for the bathroom novelist.

“I Love My Girl Susannah” was found on a toilet paper dispenser in a menʼs bathroom.

It seems as though the bathroom is a welcome outlet for almost any budding artist or writer. Even comedians have a spot on the wall. “In Mother Russia Toilet Seat Pees on You”

was found on one bathroom wall. Drawings and art have a place, too. A large pair of eyes

and eyebrows with a surprised expression was on one wall in a bathroom in the fi ne arts building. Also not uncommon are body parts and pornographic depictions of sex.

Graffi ti does not go unnoticed, nor does it have much time to reach an audience. It also ultimately costs students money.

“We estimate that hundreds of thousands of dollars of labor and materials are spent in repairs, maintenance and cleaning resulting from vandalism in our facilities,” wrote Curt Huetson, director of Facilities Services for the Department of Housing and Dining Services, in an e-mail.

In fact, students living in dorms foot the bill for their fellow students ̓work.

“A signifi cant amount of students ̓room and board pay-ments fund the removal,” Huetson wrote.

Hirsch, however, said he fi nds the graffi ti useful. “I like it; it gives you something to read while youʼre

in the bathroom.”

Story by Libby McCarthy and Justin Kutner ~ Design by Debra Thiegs

CP Photo Illustration/Haydn Strauss

CP Photos/Niall Bouzon(Left and Right) Scenes on Tuesday, March 14 in Sibell Wolle Fine Arts men’s restrooms, prime targets for graffi ti artists.

CP photos/Lauren Contillo

Graffi ti in the women’s bathroom in the Hel-lems Arts and Sciences building on Monday, March 13.