Monologues hold nothing back

“If your vagina talked, what would it say? If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?”
Women are asked these questions and many more in the annual production of Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues,” coming to USC Feb. 11, 12 and 13 at various locations around campus.

The production — sponsored by the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA), VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood and SHARE — features about 15 out of the hundreds of interviews Ensler conducted with women about their experiences with sex, violence and relationships.

This production does not shy away from these topics and discusses sex in a very open and honest way, including a comprehensive list of sexual moans.

“The show talks about sex in a blunt, fun way,” director Spencer Cantrell said. “Audiences are also shocked at how vividly atrocities against women are described.”

Cantrell, a fourth-year international studies and women’s and gender studies student, said that both men and women can gain something from “Vagina Monologues.”

“I want women to feel empowered, but I also want to raise awareness about the variety of issues women face,” Cantrell said. “This awareness is important to both men and women so the violence can stop.”

Cantrell said the show does more than build awareness, because the proceeds from “Vagina Monologues” go to the Women’s Shelter of Columbia.

Lacy Lee, a fourth-year broadcast journalism student, said she likes that the show raises money for domestic violence victims, especially because she knows some victims personally.

“I like being on stage, especially when it’s for a good cause,” Lee said.
Jessamine Ali said after she saw the production and related to the stories, she wanted to be a part of it.

“I love it,” said Ali, a third-year international studies and economics student. “This is my second year with the ensemble. It’s a very liberating experience, and it’s an honor to speak on behalf of so many women.”

Ali is one of six women who are returning to the “Vagina Monologues” for their second or third year in a row.

“I’m so grateful that this opportunity is available at the college level,” Ali said. “It’s a great time for people to open their ears and hear those stories and learn the beauty of the vagina.”

Kassie Mae Miller, first-year public health and social work graduate student, said it is beneficial to talk about vaginas and to become de-sensitized to the word “vagina.”
“Talking about vaginas reduces the stigma surrounding them,” Miller said.

The costumes are minimal and the women sit together in a semicircle, stepping forward one by one to tell their stories, much like a support group.

Tickets to the show are $8 for students and $12 for the public. Tickets can be bought at the door or from the cast members themselves from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Greene Street every day through Friday. The cast will also be selling chocolate vaginas, which Miller said were “made with love.”