 |
|
Lane Blackmer
Ten years ago, telecommunications junior Brandon Jaksim would not be sitting in a room full of vaginas with stories to tell. “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler is a play promoting V-Day, an international day where the issue of violence against women is brought into focus. This year, Ensler focuses on New Orleans and in the production calls it “the vagina of America.” Jaksim does not have a vagina. Recently, he attended The Vagina Monologues put on at MSU’s Wharton Center. “I didn’t think it was awkward being one of the only males, but I certainly couldn’t relate to 98 percent of it,” he said. There were notably fewer men in the crowd than women, and the men in the crowd were seemingly either huddled next to their girlfriends (giving them an “excusable” reason to be attending The Vagina Monologues) or sitting in packs. After e-mailing one of my high school teachers telling her I was attending The Vagina Monologues, she told me to “take a look around, and if there are any straight guys there, marry them. Any guy who goes to that play deserves it.” Written in 1996, the Obie Award winning Vagina Monologues was formed from a collection of interviews of over 200 women. No, the play is not simply about vaginas; it relates more to typical subjects women associate with the vagina and femininity. Topic matter consists of tampon use, pelvic exams, lesbianism, child birth, sexual pleasure, masturbation and vaginas in association with identity. Several famous women were involved in New York productions of the play, such as Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey and Melissa Etheridge. The MSU production of The Vagina Monologues consisted of 30 female actresses dressed in all purple and black outfits holding note cards to create the visual effect of an interview. (The cards actually had nothing written on them.) From the perspectives of individuals open to pillow talk verses the perspectives of those who are not open to pillow talk, the Vagina Monologues is not-so-surprisingly awkward and uncomfortable for everybody. Actresses involved in sexual monologues were known to seductively touch themselves and make exceptionally realistic moaning noises. These unconventional monologues, however, are nothing short of entertaining and hilariously well-put. Junior Alyn Kiel, Agricultural Resources and International Studies, liked The Vagina Monologues. “Everyone’s yelling words they can’t yell in public,” said Kiel referring to an interview in the play where a woman urges everyone in the audience to yell the “c-word” because she is reclaiming the word as appropriate. “It pushes conventions.” Particularly pushing conventionalism, one specific monologue presents the idea that wearing skimpy clothing is simply for the sake of feeling confident, defiant and liberated, not as an open sexual invitation. “My short skirt is not asking for it,” the character in the skit “My Short Skirt” proclaimed. “My short skirt and everything under it is mine.” One of the main messages out of the play was the strength and beauty of female empowerment. The Vagina Monologues portrayed the idea of feminism not being a weakening quality, but being the opposite. Courtney Morra, a journalism junior, played a 6-year old in the play and explained that last year The Vagina Monologue staff was given T-shirts reading “Start a Revolution. Stop hating your body.” Morra explained that “there was a week where I wore that T-shirt every day because I needed it.” Another message of the play is that it encouraged women not to be afraid of their sexuality because it is a large part of who they are. Just as men are said to “think with their penis,” women consequently do the same thing. This may not be as negative as society always thought. Perhaps our sexuality being a big part of who we are is a positive thing. Other benefits from The Vagina Monologues went toward MSU Safe Place located directly on MSU’s campus in Wilson Hall. MSU Safe Place caters specially to those experiencing an abusive relationship or domestic violence. For more on MSU Safe Place, visit www.msu.edu/~safe. Questions? Comments? Contact Lane Blackmer at blackm43@msu.edu |
|
||
