Vagina – one word can have a powerful impact

The word vagina makes many people uncomfortable; so uncomfortable, in fact, they will not say the word out loud, preferring instead, to say “the v-word” or use one of the many nicknames that have been given to the female body part “down below”, such as “va-jay-jay”, or “hoo-ha”, or “cookie”, to name a few.

Many young girls have grown up thinking they should be ashamed of their “private parts” and vaginas are rarely discussed; this was especially true in 1990 when Eve Ensler started a conversation with women around the world about their vaginas that lasted five years and opened a dialogue on a subject that, for so long, had been taboo.

Ensler went around the globe conducting more than 200 interviews with women about their sexuality, their insecurities, and their vaginas. Giving a much-needed voice to the often-silent issues of violence against women, Ensler wrote The Vagina Monologuesto capture the essence of the wide array of stories the women had told her. With themes such as rape, love, cruelty, and self-discovery, the monologues offer an intimate glimpse inside the hearts and minds of women from every walk of life.

What started as a one-woman play in the basement of a small café in New York City has become a national phenomenon that has been performed by many of the most respected actresses in the business, as well as thousands of students, members of activist groups, and women worldwide.

Wanting to stop violence against women, Ensler also began a grassroots movement called V-Day to help women’s groups around the world spread awareness even further. Every year, hundreds of college campuses and communities are invited to perform the play and host benefit events during and leading up to V-Season, which is Feb 1 – Apr 30; the purpose of these events is to raise money and awareness about the cause, and as long as 100% of the proceeds are donated to a local charity - Ensler allows the groups to perform her play without paying any royalties.

The University of Houston – Clear Lake has been a proud participant in V-day activities, including performances of the Vagina Monologues, for the past five years. Jennifer Clark, Assistant Director of Student Life, has participated as a director in every production and has seen the powerful impact these events have had on the students involved in the performance as well as those in the audience.

Clark said, “I have witnessed women discover their voices and speak up more about experiences they have had, abuse they have experienced, confront stigmas and stereotypes, and become empowered and more confident in themselves…It is difficult to be a part of this show and NOT be changed in some way.”

This year, the performance and events were produced entirely by student organizations. Students from PAVE (People Against Violence Everywhere), WSSA (Women’s Studies Student Association), and BSA (Black Students Association) all worked together to raise money for the production of the monologues, which was held in the Bayou Theater on March 16.

The student organizations held several fundraising events on campus, including a bake sale on Valentine’s Day where the students sold flowers and, oh yes…chocolate vagina-shaped suckers. This year, the only sorority at UHCL, Delta XI NU, also held a bake sale to help support the V-day organization and events on campus.

Kendra Riney, the co-president of PAVE and president of WSSA, has been involved in the UHCL V-day events for the past four years.

Riney said, “The greatest challenge this year has been balancing being in charge of the production, working part time, being a part time student, and a full time mother to a sixteen-year-old boy.  It became a second job, but I am glad that our organizations put it together…Through participating in the production, I have met some really incredible women.  Many who have been victims themselves, including me, and it has kept me coming back each year.”

The proceeds from the performance and V-day events, will benefit Bay Area Turning Point, a local organization that provides shelter, counseling, and a multitude of services to victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence.

It should be noted that March is National Women’s History Month, and with Congress recently passing the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, and the thousands of V-day events being held around the world, this is the perfect time to celebrate the women in your life.

For more information on the V-day organization, visit their website: www.vday.org.

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Side Bar:This year’s V-day theme is One Billion Rising; the concept comes from the staggering statistic that 1 out of 3 women will experience violence in her lifetime, more than one billion women worldwide will be impacted, and can possibly become empowered by the movement’s efforts.