On Friday Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. and Saturday Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Michigan State University performed the Vagina Monologues at Pasant Theatre in the Wharton Center.
The Vagina Monologues is a collection of various monologues based on Eve Ensler’s interviews with women from around the world on relationships, sex, violence against women and the perception of vaginas. With that, the Vagina Monologues is involved with the V-Day movement, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to putting an end to violence against women and girls around the world. Each year, 10 percent of Vagina Monologue ticket proceeds benefit a spotlight region of the world chosen by V-Day. The remaining 90 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales benefits a local organization; this year the Firecracker Foundation was chosen, a foundation that specializes in supporting children who have experienced sexual victimization.
After leaving the Vagina Monologues, I felt empowered; truly, I did. That’s the best way that I have to describe it – the only language that I feel best fits how I was feeling. And I even held very high expectations. On the most basic level, each and every one of these expectations were not only met, but surpassed. There were several monologues, some centered on the language society uses to describe vaginas, others depicting accounts of sexual violence, and even many coming-of-age stories about sexuality.
For me, I was probably most struck by the “Because He Liked to Look at It” monologue. I loved the subtle humor to introduce the skit when they said, “This next monologue is based on a woman who had a good experience with a man.” (All of my feminists out there will appreciate that one.) After the initial laughs, however, I fell in love with the dialogue about appreciating, loving, and looking at the vagina. I thoroughly enjoyed how the monologue addressed the idea that the vagina is a part of the female body; it isn’t just a separate, completely detached sexual part. While a man can readily see and appreciate his penis, a female’s relationship to her vagina is just as important, even though she cannot see it with as much ease. With that said, it should be viewed as just as beautiful as the rest of the woman’s body.
Ultimately, I highly recommend the performance because there is just so much to take away from of all of the stories about different women from around the world – women of different sexualities, races and backgrounds. With an open mind, the performance will not only reach you, but it will change you.