V-Day: VM's-stop violence against women
by: Craig Payton and Becky Fortner
February 14th is associated with love; chocolate; roses; or, for those of us who lack a significant other, a night of total utter boredom. But there is more to Valentine's Day than you may think. Valentine's Day is also a day to celebrate the strength of women in times of hardship and abuse. It is a day for women to really shine. It is V-Day.
The first V-Day was in 1998, and the goal was to raise awareness to the abuse of mothers and young women. As time has gone on, the cause has spread world wide. Groups all over the world hold large events leading up to the main event: the performance of The Vagina Monologues.
The Vagina Monologues, written by Eve Ensler, is a compilation of many stories of women and their hardships. Though some of these stories may be comical, the subject matter it deals with is all but comedic. The content of The Vagina Monologues is about the oppression and hardships of women and their sexuality. Although these monologues are very eye opening, informative, and inspirational, why they came about is quite saddening.
Eve Ensler was inspired to write start writing these monologues because of her history. When women.com asked her, "What prompted her obsession?" she replied, "Growing up in a violent society is a big part of it. I lived in a very brutal household, so all that deeply shaped this." So, from her troubled past and the past of the two-hundred plus women she interviewed, The Vagina Monologues came into being.
These monologues deal with every aspect of the vagina. From the controversial and taboo monologues containing comical and witty remarks to the more saddening and brutal monologues that much one cringe like the monologues about the rape camps in Bosnia, viewers are sure to be affected by some aspect of the show. These and many other monologues make this piece very powerful and informative. If you would like to purchase The Vagina Monologues, you can order it from http://www.randomhouse.com/features/ensler/vm/bkshelf.html.
This year, the V-Day celebration is spotlighting the women of Katrina, aka the Katrina Warriors. Donations collected at V-Day events will go towards aiding these women as they continue to rebuild their lives. If you are interested in attending a local V-Day celebration the University of Southern Indiana is holding a performance of The Vagina Monologues Februrary 14th at 7 P.M. in the Carter Hall in the University Center.
