Shankar sent me this video of Eve Ensler talking about The Vagina Monologues, and how VDay came about. It’s worth a watch, even if you don’t love The Vagina Monologues. The first few minutes are of Ensler reciting the opening monologue of the play, but after that she discusses the epidemic of violence against women and how the V-Day campaign has offered valuable resources to women all over the world to combat violence in their own communities. It’s a fantastic campaign, and college V-Day performances have been crucial fund-raising opportunities.
Which is why I am extremely irritated at groups that try to shut down V-Day campaigns on college campuses. The (mostly conservative) opposition rests on the idea that the play is “obscene” because it uses words like “vagina” and “cunt” and describes lesbian relationships. It also “reduces women to their anatomy” — which would be problematic, were it true. Talking about vaginas doesn’t turn women into walking vaginas. And, given that people with vaginas are routinely abused, and that the vagina is too often a locus of that violence, I’d say it’s pretty damn relevant. According to one of the anti-VDay groups:
The Cardinal Newman Society’s 2006 campaign to stop “The Vagina Monologues” performances and public readings on Catholic campuses across the United States was a success. A then-record-low 22 Catholic colleges and universities hosted the “Monologues” in February and March, a significant decline from 27 performances or readings in 2005, 29 in 2004, and 32 in 2003.
The Cardinal Newman Society: Proudly de-funding anti-violence groups. Just imagine how many women lost out on valuable anti-violence resources because of the Society’s good work. Just imagine how many divorces were averted because abused women had no way to escape. Bravo.
And check out who their newest employee is. Dawn’s gotta be racking up some serious heaven points there.