Befuddled by the final frontier of the female anatomy? In the dark about "down there?" Have no fear, "The Vagina Monologues" are here!
This Friday marks the return of Eve Ensler's infamous and Obie Award-winning play, a celebration of the female body's Bermuda Triangle.
Having caused quite a sensation since its 1998 debut, "Monolgoues" has inspired V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls that has raised more than $25 million during its seven-year existence. In support of this goal, all venues performing the play donate 10 percent of their proceeds to a specific "spotlight" cause, while the rest of the proceeds go to women's charities of the organizer's choosing.
At Tufts, the production of the play runs in conjunction with Vulvapalooza, a combination fair and information session that publicizes issues of women's health and violence against women. Events held during Vulvapalooza include a game of "Vagina Jeopardy" and a live performance by an all-woman band. Vulvapalooza will take place at 6:30 on both nights in the sculpture court.
According to the national V-Day organization, the 2005 spotlight cause is for the women of Iraq, who have been profoundly affected by the chaos brought on by the regime change. There have been reports of an increase in sexual violence, keeping many women from pursuing already limited employment and educational opportunities.
Efforts aimed at political representation for women have also been threatened. The swearing-in of Najaf's first female judge was postponed, and one of the four women members of the interim cabinet has been assassinated. Another member survived an attempt on her life that resulted instead in the deaths of three of her bodyguards. Funds raised will go to help effect change for Iraqi women in both public and private arenas.
This year, Tufts has chosen to donate the remaining 90 percent of the proceeds to two local charities. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides free services to survivors of rape and sexual assault. It is the second oldest organization in the country of its kind, and served 8,500 residents in just the last year. The second benefactor, the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence, operates New England's only multilingual emergency shelter, runs a round-the-clock hotline, and provides comprehensive support services for women and their families.
"The Vagina Monologues" serves an important purpose outside of its extensive charitable endeavors. By turns hilarious, poignant, and political, the play's potency ultimately lies in the fact that these are the words of real women. The monologues are the product of more than two hundred interviews that Ensler conducted herself, and the result includes the diverse voices of an old woman, a Bosnian rape victim, a six-year-old girl and many others. They range in subject matter covering everything from first loves to the frustrations of tampon insertion, and are anywhere from humorous to tragic in tone.
Director and senior Christina Hanson said of the production, "Every woman can relate to something in every one of the stories. I wanted the production to evoke that shared experience."
Louise Wood, head organizer of the event, said, "For me, being in the show brought me words and the empowerment to act... every woman deserves that gift."
Hanson displayed a similar level of enthusiasm. "[It's] a reclamation of our position as women... it's such a powerful experience to talk about your vagina without blushing," she said.
Her vision was to focus on this "every woman" aspect, and the large cast of 19 women exudes an amazing sense of collective
energy. As has been true in the past, many of the actresses in this play will be making their theater debuts.
Assistant Director Kasey Collins has high hopes that "everyone who comes to experience 'The Vagina Monologues' leaves feeling more free to live inside her beautiful body."
In its fifth year running here at Tufts, the show has indeed known on-campus controversy. There have been reports that some of the posters, featuring an artistic representation of a vagina, were torn down. Judy Neufeld, a producer of "Monologues," said that, "people seem to be very uncomfortable with the word 'vagina.'"
Nevertheless, most students comfortably accept the posters that seem ubiquitous on campus. "I appreciate them challenging conventions," junior Russell Sargent said, "People should expect that here."
Challenging conventions is exactly what those involved with Vagina Monologues are looking to do. The show is a complex work that deals with complicated issues and is designed to spark dialogue, not to serve as an all-encompassing manifesto for feminism.
To follow up the show, a discussion-based event, The Vagina Dialogues, will be held Monday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 in Alumnae Lounge. There, those who saw the show will be able to discuss their reactions.
Those who haven't seen the show - men and women alike - can experience the play for themselves and form their own opinions, while remembering that many believe that being born a woman is a liability. Rape, incest, genital mutilation, and physical abuse are realities for millions, and sexual pleasure - especially female sexual pleasure - remains a largely unspeakable subject.
Ensler, however, screams about it, and while the end effect may be a little shocking or even offensive to some, the aim of establishing an open dialogue about sexuality will surely be met.
