Spring Break
Vagina: Talking away the taboo
Monologues aim to educate, embrace female sexuality
Katie Jones
Staff writer
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
"The Vagina Monologues" is back in its seventh-annual performance at USC. The show will run Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Gambrell Hall auditorium.
Based on the award-winning play by Eve Ensler, "The Vagina Monologues" is part of the V-Day Campaign, which strives to end violence against women.
The proceeds from the production will benefit The Assessment Resource Center, which helps children that have been maltreated.
Karissa Lindsay, a fourth-year print journalism student, organized this year's production.
"It's for a good cause," she said. "It's dedicated to stopping violence against women and girls. I was involved with the play last year and I had a really good experience, and I thought it was an opportunity to get the word out about stopping violence against women."
Lindsay said her minor is in women's studies and that anything that has to do with the advancement of women interests her.
The play features a variety of monologues all centered on the vagina, in the form of rape, birth and mutilation, among others.
"It's kind of easy to say, 'OK, well, let's do "Vagina Monologues"' because it's "vagina" and we're on a college campus and that's going to catch people's attention," Lindsay said of the play. "But at the same time, the play still has substance to it."
The V-Day campaign has occurred on a national scale for 10 years, Lindsay said.
Last year, the play raised $6,000. This year, the organization is aiming higher.
In addition to the ticket proceeds, the group sold T-shirts and chocolate vaginas for the past three Wednesdays on Greene Street and held a "pink party" at Club Fusion.
"If you wore pink, you got a discount on admission," Lindsay said.
Fiona McDevitt, a social work graduate student, is narrating the play. She got involved for many of the same reasons as Lindsay.
"It's very much a woman's play and deals with women's issues that women face, not only in the United States but in the world; domestic violence, genital mutilation and discrimination against women, especially transgendered women."
Based on the award-winning play by Eve Ensler, "The Vagina Monologues" is part of the V-Day Campaign, which strives to end violence against women.
The proceeds from the production will benefit The Assessment Resource Center, which helps children that have been maltreated.
Karissa Lindsay, a fourth-year print journalism student, organized this year's production.
"It's for a good cause," she said. "It's dedicated to stopping violence against women and girls. I was involved with the play last year and I had a really good experience, and I thought it was an opportunity to get the word out about stopping violence against women."
Lindsay said her minor is in women's studies and that anything that has to do with the advancement of women interests her.
The play features a variety of monologues all centered on the vagina, in the form of rape, birth and mutilation, among others.
"It's kind of easy to say, 'OK, well, let's do "Vagina Monologues"' because it's "vagina" and we're on a college campus and that's going to catch people's attention," Lindsay said of the play. "But at the same time, the play still has substance to it."
The V-Day campaign has occurred on a national scale for 10 years, Lindsay said.
Last year, the play raised $6,000. This year, the organization is aiming higher.
In addition to the ticket proceeds, the group sold T-shirts and chocolate vaginas for the past three Wednesdays on Greene Street and held a "pink party" at Club Fusion.
"If you wore pink, you got a discount on admission," Lindsay said.
Fiona McDevitt, a social work graduate student, is narrating the play. She got involved for many of the same reasons as Lindsay.
"It's very much a woman's play and deals with women's issues that women face, not only in the United States but in the world; domestic violence, genital mutilation and discrimination against women, especially transgendered women."
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 13
Hunter
posted 2/29/08 @ 4:19 AM EST
I can hardly suppress my embarrassment as I open the "newspaper" and see this malarkey. I understand that we must be "politically correct" and "equal" to everyone, but since when is talking genitalia newsworthy? Would you print something called "The Penis Monologues?" Please report the news and keep your skewed femi-NAZI crap for Oprah and the Oxygen Channel. (Continued…)
Katie
posted 2/29/08 @ 2:53 PM EST
Glad to see that Carolina is still doing the Vagina Monologues-Was there for the 1st 3 productions, and as an alumni, I'm happy to see we are still helping the Carolina community learn about women's issues. (Continued…)
misguided empowerment
posted 2/29/08 @ 5:29 PM EST
Liberal crap like this should be barred from all colleges. While some like Yale Harvard are expected to endorse this, I would expect better from a conservative Southern campus like USC. (Continued…)
Amanda
posted 2/29/08 @ 5:57 PM EST
Am I wrong in thinking that they used to have the performances on Valentine's day? Hence the V-day? It's been a few years since I've made it down there for it. (Continued…)
paul
posted 3/01/08 @ 10:10 PM EST
Never had the occassion to see this play. As far as being politically correct, you don't have to be PC. Just live your life not by others standards but your own. (Continued…)
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