What do you get when you mix orgasmic moans, humorous rants and serious accounts of domestic violence and rape? These varied subjects all make up the provocative collection of stories known as "The Vagina Monologues."
Every Valentine's Day weekend, college campuses around the country sponsor performances of "The Vagina Monologues" to raise awareness and money for a women's charity. This year, director junior Angel Veza, along with producer junior Eugenia Lee, chose to donate the play's proceeds to Girls' LEAP (Lifetime Empowerment & Awareness Program), an organization dedicated not only to violence prevention, but to healthy conflict resolution and self esteem.
"We really wanted to focus on a program that was empowering and that focused on prevention," Lee said. "A lot of people will donate to women's shelters, but we wanted to do something that would work with young girls before the problem even hits."
Veza, a women's studies major, feels deeply connected to women's issues for personal reasons. Veza, who transferred to Tufts in the fall, experienced an abusive relationship while at Emory University.
"I ended up pressing charges through the school against the person who abused me, and even though they found him guilty of all my charges, they let him stay at the school, which is completely wrong on so many levels, and that just sort of sparked my passion in terms of me getting involved with women's issues," Veza said.
Veza became involved in putting on "The Vagina Monologues" after she went to the Tufts Women's Center and found out that no one had taken on the responsibility of organizing the play. The production of the monologues has been completely student-driven and both Veza and Lee have dedicated time and hard work to the play.
"Angel and Eugenia did an incredible job, and the show really manages to capture that," stage manager freshman Sam Jaffe said.
Playwright Eve Ensler created "The Vagina Monologues" after interviewing numerous women about their sexual experiences, their bodies and their vaginas. Some of the monologues are funny, others horrifying, but all are true.
"There is something in it that speaks to everyone, boys and girls," Jaffe said. "It's funny, and it's sad, and that's what good theater is all about."
The play has been translated into 45 different languages and performed in 130 countries. The monologues' global success allowed Ensler to start a movement called V-Day. The movement is dedicated to stopping violence against women and celebrating women.
Every year, in addition to supporting various women's charities, V-Day focuses on one issue related to women. This year, the spotlight fell on the strife of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). United Nations personnel and other armed forces have been implicated as perpetrators of sexual violence in the DRC. Genital mutilation, rape and sexual humiliation are among the reported cases of gender-based abuse.
Survivors of the violence face many challenges in addition to physical and psychological trauma. Barriers in receiving health care can account for increasing rates of HIV, and survivors face legal injustice and social stigma when dealing with reporting their abuse.
The V-Day Web site is also promoting a letter campaign aimed at Congolese President Joseph Kabila, asking that he do more to stop violence and abuse against women.
Veza refers to "The Vagina Monologues" and their role in inspiring this global movement as a "domino effect." The monologues are at the root of Ensler's worldwide movement, a movement that so far has raised over $70 million to stop violence against women.
"I hope the audience will understand that there are a lot of women's issues that need to be addressed. People hear ‘The Vagina Monologues' and think it's so funny and make fun of it, but they have no idea the big impact it has on certain people. I just really hope it will inspire people to want to do something. It's a great way to start a dialogue," Lee said.
There will be two showings on Feb. 13 in Cohen Auditorium, the first at 6 p.m. and the second at 9 p.m.
Pins and chocolate vagina lollipops will be sold in the lobby before the play and all proceeds will be donated to Girls' LEAP.
