Vagina Monologues empower women

by Liz Shirey
Staff Writer

For many people, V-day signifies Valentine's Day, a day to celebrate love with someone special. For Eve Ensler and many others, V-day means Vagina Day, a day to celebrate women and their sexuality.

"Vagina. After you've said it for the hundredth time, for the thousandth time, it becomes your word, your home; you are aware of this precious, beautiful, life-bearing part of you between your legs."

Ohio University senior Melanie Maltry read this excerpt from Ensler's world famous ••Vagina Monologues•• last night in The Front Room at Baker University Center.

Eighteen women and two men, members of the Feminist Majority or the Swarm of Dykes, read pieces from Ensler's novel, to a relaxed and responsive audience of more than 100 people. The novel is based on interviews with more than 200 women, dealing with the power, pain, humor and excitement of a woman's vagina.

Some giggled as Margaux Cowden read in a New York accent, "We didn't do this kind of thing when I was a girl ... I can't do this, I can't talk about down there; it's just there, like a cellar, it has to be there though 'cause every house needs a cellar."

Others gasped or covered their mouths as another character told her story of rape and genital mutilation by a group of seven soldiers.

Since the publication of the ••Vagina Monologues•• in 1998, it has been performed every year on Feb. 14 in conjunction with universities across the United States, Maltry said. This is the third year the Feminist Majority has sponsored the event at OU.

"I like to say vagina - to be as open as possible, which comes off to many people as being vulgar," Maltry said. "I believe it is very important for there to be a public forum for women to talk about their bodies and things that have happened to them, especially because we aren't supposed to. Not talking about such things has prevented women from learning a lot about themselves."

Members of the group were accepting donations before and after the program. The money is being donated to the national V-day fund. This fund, also established in 1998, allocates money to global grassroots organizations and programs that work to end violence against women and girls, according to the Web site (http://www.v-day.org). The primary focus is on rape, battery, incest and female genital mutilation.

OU grad student Sherlonda Clarke said she walked away from the readings feeling very empowered.

"I think this is awesome," she said. "We don't talk about our sexuality enough. What we get is from men, but this was from all different types of women. It was a pure celebration of our bodies."

Dispersed among the many faces in the audience were many men. OU grad student Seth Greenfest said he enjoyed the readings for his third time.

"As always it was funny, informative and insightful," he said. "Because the topics cover so many areas from rape to medical conditions to first periods, men come away thinking and knowing that women do have a relationship with their bodies. It instills more respect in men for women, although I would say any guy who showed up already had some respect."

Maltry summed up the purpose of ••The Vagina Monologues•• with these words from one of interviewees in Ensler's book:

"I say it because I think what we don't say we don't see, acknowledge or appreciate. I say vagina because I want people to respond, and they have."

BOB: For more information about "The Vagina Monologues" or the V-day fund, set your browser to http://www.v-day.org.