The Monologues production shifts focus to include more identities

The Monologues, a production set to take place next spring in which student narratives are performed, will cease accepting show submissions tomorrow. The production has shifted its focus to "[prioritize] female identifying, gender-nonconforming, gender-queer, and trans* individuals," according to its Facebook page.

Sophomore Morgan Freeman, one of the Monologues’ co-directors, said she wanted to make the distinction between this year’s Monologues, last year’s "Not Your Mother's Monologues" and previous years' adaptions of Eve Ensler's play, "The Vagina Monologues." While in past years gender identity has been a major theme, this year the Monologues have evolved in focus to include more than issues of gender identity, she said.

Miranda Perez, a Monologues co-director, said that the people working on the Monologues are trying to separate themselves from "The Vagina Monologues," since they have been seen as extremely gender limiting.

Freeman explained that this year's show submissions are open-ended and can range from funny and quirky to reflective and deeply personal. All that is required of a submission is that its narrative is unique and honest.

"As far as 'themes' go, I think the best way to put it is that we are looking for anything and everything," she said

Perez, a sophomore, agreed with Freeman's description of the theme and prompts.

“Our prompts are there to get people thinking about what to write, as well as for them to see that we are really accepting pieces about everything and anything," she said. "Our theme is you."

According to the Monologues' Facebook page, some of the prompts for submissions to this year's show include: “Write about your last T-STOP crush,” “Who do you need to forgive,” “Middle school (lol) - Write about it,” “What’s going through your mind right now,” “When do you feel in your body,” “What does language mean to you” and “Talk about experiences being naked in a non-sexual environment.”

Lupita Estela, assistant director for the Monologues, explained how the focus of this year’s Monologues has expanded drastically in comparison to other years.

By devoting less of the show's focus to exploring body issues and sexuality, students can look into other types of narratives that deserve attention, she said.

Issues such as sexuality and body issues are being explored but to a much lesser degree, allowing us to focus on any other issues people feel are important as well, she said.

“I do think that this change has caused confusion among the people who hear about our show," Estela, a sophomore, told the Daily in an email. "Because there's no particular theme or focus, people aren't sure what they're catering to when it comes to submitting. But we want it all. We want any experience or story that people feel need to be shared and can speak to others.”

Freeman said that the Tufts campus, like many other campuses nationally, still caters to a small number of privileged students whose stories are disproportionately shared, but she said she hopes this year's Monologues will disrupt that monotony.

Estela agreed, saying that she hopes the Monologues will provide a platform for marginalized voices.

“I hope that the Monologues becomes a space in which voices [that] are not always (or really ever) represented, are prioritized,” she said.