As young women in college, there is no doubt that most, if not all of us, have insecurities about our bodies. We all look in the mirror and see things we want to change, but maybe this mentality is something that we can change. The idea of this shift was highlighted in Eve Ensler’s play The Good Body, which MC Players put on Valentine’s Day weekend. HC had the privilege of speaking with both Ryann Wenke (’15) and Jo-Ann Mullooly (’16) who were involved with the production, as Wenke served as co-director and Mullooly as an actress.
The Good Body is a part of the “V-Day” movement, which was started by Ensler. Ensler has written several plays, which serve to empower women as well as men in regards to their self-image, most notably The Vagina Monologues. This play is a compilation of interviews Ensler conducted with women across the world, and they all surround body image. “It’s very interesting to see the comparison of how women from all around the world have dealt with their body image,” Mullooly says. “[Ensler] interviewed women from New York and L.A who have dealt with aging and have had plastic surgery, and what these women have done just to feel comfortable with their body, as opposed to women from other parts of the world who can’t even fathom not loving their bodies.”
Wenke, left, with her co-director.
Photo Credit: James O’Connor
Mullooly and Wenke both say that they are happy with the impact of this V-Day event, but they wish it was bigger. Last year, these ladies participated in the movement, which had events for an entire week. “This is our 40th year of coeducation on Manhattan’s campus, so I think the fact that we’re doing something like this, which is very centered around women and how we treat ourselves, is so important … It’s saying that women have to be appreciated and have to be talked about, which is a great because it is the 40th year,” Mullooly says.
As girls living in an age when there’s still such an evident divide between men and women, Ryann and Jo-Ann weren’t surprised to hear that the feedback for the play was not all positive. “I heard that boys were leaving and said they didn’t like the show because it made them feel ‘bad’ about being boys,” Wenke says. “I’d like to think that that was just a minority opinion because I know from my own personal experience that it made me feel better about myself.”
“The goal of it wasn’t to shame ourselves or shame them, but it was meant to celebrate ourselves,” Mullooly adds. “So instead of saying all these things like ‘the media is doing this to us’ or ‘men are doing this to us,’ it was about women taking control and celebrating what they have.”
These two women have, for the past few years, played an integral role in trying to help increase the self-image of women on Manhattan’s campus. Ryann has been involved with V-Day events for the past three years, and Jo-Ann has been a participant for the past two. While each of Ensler’s plays have an important message, The Good Body’s message is important for right now.
Mullooly, center, with her fellow actresses.
Photo Credit: James O’Connor
“The Good Body’s messages isn’t saying don’t take care of your body; it’s saying stop comparing yourself to others because that only brings negative feelings to yourself, and that’s what we were trying to get across,” Wenke says.
When asked about the overall message of the play, the girls referenced a sign they made for everyone who participated and attended the movement, which said, “I pledge to stop fixing my body and start fixing the world.” Mullooly then followed up this idea by saying, “It’s never too late to start fixing the world.”
If you’re interested in seeing what else Jo-Ann and Ryann are doing with MC Players this semester, be sure to check out their upcoming musical, Little Shop of Horrors, this spring.