This week we spoke to resident Lancaster Her Campus style columnist, Floss Edward. She is a third year English Language student who loves fashion and feminism in equal amounts and shows this through her involvement in the annual performance of The Vagina Monologues here at Lancaster.
1. What is your position on the Vagina Monologues team?
This year, I’m lucky enough to be the head director in a team of 4, including a fundraising director and 2 other directors.
2. For those in the dark, tell us a little bit about the Vagina Monologues…
The Vagina Monologues is essentially a performance which is the culminating feature of several weeks of fundraising, and is also our main fundraising event for The V-Day Foundation. The V-day Foundation was set up as a charity to combat violence towards women and girls, both locally and globally. They are constantly targeting different parts of the world to stop this violence. I’d recommend checking out the V-Day site to get more coverage.
3. What sparked your interest and how did you first get involved?
Well, who wouldn’t want to spend 10 weeks getting to know an amazing group of inspirational women? All whilst fighting for a charity which I wholeheartedly believe in with the added bonus of get to shout ‘vagina’ on stage at 3 sell out performances, (It’s surprisingly liberating!). I also am passionate about theatre and in my first year saw it as a great way to get to know like-minded people.
4. How could fellow Lancaster students, and people on a wider national and international scale become involved with the Vagina Monologues?
Any self-defining woman can audition to take part in the performance and automatically become a member of the cast. ANYONE else can be involved, whatever gender you represent. We are always up for volunteers helping out! Anyone at Lancaster can be involved in the show somehow, especially this year by running for or supporting #LURADV (Lancaster University Runs Against Domestic Violence). This is a 10 kilometre whole campus run which is already looking like one of the biggest campus events of the year (taking place on Saturday Feb 1st). Come and watch the shows in the Muffield (oops, sorry, Nuffield) Theatre on Campus on the 12th, 13th and 14th of February. It’s the most hilarious, emotional and thought provoking way you could spend an evening so I would recommend getting a ticket (*not yet on sale) quickly as they sell fast! Anyone not at the University should look for local performances and events, believe me, they happen in lots of places both nationally and internationally!