Self-love and the empowerment of women were in the air at Eastern Michigan University’s Student Center as the 11th annual production of “The Vagina Monologues” took stage. Every year the event helps to bring awareness to domestic abuse against women and children.
During the three-day run of the show, audiences were entertained by a variety of skits.
Among the stories were “The Flood,” a true about a 72-year-old woman who bashfully spoke about her vagina as “down there;” “Because He Liked to Look at It” featuring a woman who believed her vagina was ugly until a sexual encounter with a man who liked to look made her see its beauty; and “They Beat the Girl Out of My Boy… Or So They Thought,” which discussed the struggles many transgendered individuals face during their progression toward
becoming physically female.
Nicole Carter, who participated as an actress in the monologues for three years, was a standout with her roles in “Hair,” “Vagina Happy Fact” and “The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could.”
What attracted her to being involved is the ability to “give back through performance” and how the positive feedback from the crowd equals great energy.
Dominique Byrd, a freshman at EMU, brought laughter with her controversial skit “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy.”
The skit expressed how this event not only made the actors close but how they viewed themselves as women.
The event came to a triumphant end with producer Jess Klein, who gave an inspirational reading of Eve Ensler’s riveting 2011 Huffington Post essay “OVER IT!,” revealing her frustrations about what seems to be a cultural acceptance toward physical abuse, and how statistically one billion women around the world have been violated in one way or another.
Ensler proclaimed Feb. 14, 2013 is “when one billion women will rise to end rape because we’re over it.”
Lauren Jimerson and Dorthea Thomas, both students and program coordinators for the monologues, explored and
discussed the impact the stories have had on women.
“It’s about women getting to know their vaginas and not being so shy about it,” Jimerson said. “Taking what was once derogatory terms about our vaginas and repackaging it as something very liberating.”
“The support has been phenomenal,” Thomas said. “Every year we sell out the show. I think a lot of people appreciate this type of initiative, and I also think that men are happy to learn about women and how we really feel on the inside.”
The event has received positive reaction from audiences, applauding the actors and the overall message.
Will Daniels, an EMU graduate student, enjoyed the comedic, yet serious approach to the variety of stories and the “depth to the performance.” He’s interested in continuing his support of the monologues by influencing his male friends to attend.
Caroline Sanders, who acted in the first monologues in 2001, said she “enjoyed it tremendously.”
Ten percent of the proceeds from ticket sales of this year’s monologues will benefit V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. The remainder of the funds will be donated to the First Step and Safe House Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the 11 years of production, EMU has successfully donated $100,000 to these organizations.
Students interested in volunteering, visit the Women’s Resource Center, room 356 in the Student Center.
