The Vagina Monologues

I had never seen or read The Vagina Monologues before I walked into Ida Green last Thursday night. I walked in not knowing what to expect. I sat down in front of a plain stage—two rows of chairs, some stools, and a large group of women dressed in green. I had a strange feeling that I wouldn’t get the full effect of the monologues because I knew many of the actors that would be performing. Soon, I overcame this initial hesitation, and I became immersed in the characters. The Vagina Monologues was worth seeing because it was raw, thought-provoking, and full of passion. I was engaged and surprised continuously throughout the performance. The monologues were based on actual interviews of women about their experiences with their vaginas. In “My Angry Vagina”, three women discuss their horribly awkward experiences using feminine hygiene products and going to the gynecologist. The monologue was comical, discussing the awkwardness of wearing tampons (a wad of dry cotton) and seeing a gynecologist who looks at you using tools such as “cold metal duck lips.” Other monologues were extremely tragic, such as the monologue discussing the increase in sex crimes against women during wartime. Monologues also hit issues such as sexual abuse, lesbianism, the lifestyle of a dominatrix, the birth of a child, and shaving one’s vagina. In between monologues, all of the women would take turns speaking about topics such as ‘what their vagina would wear’, ‘what their vagina is called’, and ‘what happened when they got their first period’. It was interesting to hear all of the topics discussed so openly and forcefully, because I rarely hear these issues discussed publicly. I left the performance saddened by the injustices against women, specifically during wartime. I also left glad that I had come to the performance and wanting to tell someone about it.