11
“If Your Vagina Could
Talk, What Would it Say?"
by Lori Mannette
As the various sexual moan
ing noises from the “combo clit-vaginal
moan” to the “surprise triple orgasm
moan” filled Manning 209 and prompted
wild applause, I looked at the tableau of
amazing women on the stage with a smile.
Eve Ensler s “The Vagina Monologues” is
a play that cannot fail. Brilliantly writ
ten as a mix of poetically vernacular
speeches and intricately woven group
interactions, the audience will always
come away feeling inspired. Despite
the power of the script, it is not an
easy project to take on. It requires a
lot of self-exploration (which often
turns up answers we don’t like), reveal
ing of soul, and indescribable courage.
This year’s production was
vastly different from all other years.
For one, the entire process from the
idea conceived over lunch at Cosmic
to opening night was only three weeks.
This was due to the loss of the V-Day
Initiative organization on the campus,
which plans all the events surrounding
V-Day and “The Vagina Monologues”.
We sought sponsorship from the GLBT-
SA, and I became the project’s director.
These two things inspired more ques
tions and confusions than I ever would
have guessed. I address these questions
by giving myself a fake (don’t take the
questions seriously) interview. Because,
after all, I do LOVE to be interviewed.
against women, inspiring women to own
their sexuality, and striving for political
and social equality are things the mem
bers of the GLBT-SA understand more
than anyone. They have a history of us
ing performance-based media to attract
committed to equal rights for all. I have per
formed in productions they have sponsored
in the past (“Angels in America” and “Hid
den: a Gender”) and really enjoy working
with them. They are absolutely wonderful!
Q: Why would you decide to take this
project on? You didn’t seem to me like
the raging lesbian man-hater, but I
could be wrong...
A: Vagina Monologues has nothing to
do with men. Or any specific type of
feminism. Or any specific type of sexu
ality. The entire point is to end violence
against women. No matter what your
views on politics, sexuality, or theater,
you should be passionately committed
to this cause. I will not say that I agree
with every sentiment in the show. I ad
mit that I don’t spend my time listen
ing to Ani DiFranco, and I often use
phrases like “you guys.” These things
initially made me feel unworthy of di
recting the show. However, no one is
unworthy of the Vagina Monologues! I
am a woman. That in itself makes me
“worthy.”
for
The cast of ‘The Vagina Monologues”performed a stomp
routine during the monologues, ‘The Crooked Braid, ” about
Native American women who have been abused by their
husbands.
Q: Why ask the GLBT-SA to sponsor
it? Aren’t they committed to...well...you
know....gays? Why not ask a womens
group?
A: The GLBT-SA has proven itself to be
an important organization committed
to equ^ rights for all. Ending violence
attention to these causes. Also, “The
Vagina Monologues” happens to incor
porate several stories by lesbian women.
Q: What is your favorite word
your...you know..down there?
A: I have recently come to love
SCHMENDE. However, overall I
think that any word that isn’t diminu
tive (well that narrows it down, doesn’t
it?) works just fine.
Q: Are you a member of the GLBT-
SA? You don’t seem....well, you know.
A:Iamanallyoftheorganization. I happen
to identify as heterosexual, but I am also
Q: What is your favorite quote from the
show?
A: “The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is
the only organ in the body designed pure
ly for pleasure...It has twice the number
of nerves as the penis.”