The Vagina Monologues is one event that piques the interests and curiosity of almost everyone, and this year Wright State will be hosting it during February. The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance [FMLA] at WSU will be putting on the event for the first time in three years.
FMLA focuses on feminist activism in the community, advocacy, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, questioning) issues, along with equality and women’s rights. For the President of the Wright State chapter, Ashtin Stanaford, these monologues explore “the different experiences of women.” She says they are “empowering,” some being survivor stories, others reclamations of words.
Members of the community volunteer to select and read one of the monologues: be it about sex, love, birth, etc. These performances are a part of V-Day, an event screen-writer Eve Winsler created. According to their website, V-Day is an “activist movement to end violence against women and girls” using “creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize… existing anti-violence organizations.”
In fact, the profits from the Vagina Monologues will be donated to WSU’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Fund.
This event will take place on Feb. 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. and 16 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be on sale at the beginning of spring semester in both the Women’s Center and the box office at the Creative Arts Center at presale prices of $5 for students, $7 for general admission and $10 at the door depending on ticket availability.
The monologues evoke various sentiments and are always an experience for all who see the performances. For Stanaford and the FMLA Event Coordinator, Jennifer Money, these monologues have greater significance.
“Feminism awoke inside of me and it was a stepping-stone to the feminist I am today,” Stanaford said.
“The Vagina Monologues was a discovery of a big part of myself,” Money said.
Each of these women has their own favorite monologue as well. Money likes “Reclaiming Cunt” and Stanaford enjoys “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy” because, “it’s a subject people don’t want to talk about.”
After all, Money believes the Vagina Monologues is about “removing the silence” and opening up for discussion many taboo topics and other subjects.
Stanaford welcomes others to join in and become involved with this event, be it through selecting and performing an actual monologue or working behind the scenes. One can become more involved in not only this event, but also within the FMLA by attending meetings—12:30 p.m. in the Women’s Center every Thursday—joining them on Orgsync, liking the group on Facebook or emailing Stanaford at her email address stanaford.2@wright.edu.
Stanaford encourages all to come out to this “fun, educational and empowering event.”
