V-Day is more than just a day or a play. It’s a vision to see women living safely and freely, and a demand to end rape and sexual bondage. It’s a direct response against violence towards women and it’s a catalyst to raising awareness for the cause.
Although domestic abuse has no association with love or happiness, V-Day is strategically placed on Valentine’s Day to celebrate women.
V-Day began in 1998 from the play “The Vagina Monologues.” Its author, Eve Ensler, interviewed over 200 women and spoke with them about their bodies, and experiences with sex and sexual violence. She was amazed by what she learned, and from the stories of real women, she crafted the play.
V-Day is celebrating its 10th year and from Ensler’s vision, the day, and the play have spread worldwide.
“Breaking the silence and talking about these issues in a healthy way empowers women,” said Susan Celia Swan, media and communications director for V-Day in a previous interview. “We can’t talk about this enough.”
V-Day and its cause has been talked about so much, for it’s 10th anniversary, famous faces such as Oprah Winfrey, actresses Jennifer Hudson, Rosario Dawson and Kerry Washington will be performing in an anniversary production of “The Vagina Monologues” in New Orleans.
Everyone devoted to ending violence against women won’t be able to see the star-studded performance, but they can be guaranteed to see a production in their community.
Jenni White, who has performed in the “Vagina Monologues” for the past seven years, wanted to produce a performance in Indianapolis because of V-Day’s mission, goals and empowerment of women.
“When you see the word V-Day, it’s not just about Valentine’s Day. We need to love ourselves as women and girls so that we can claim our bodies and protect ourselves against any form of violence, be it emotional, physical or sexual,” said White.
“The Vagina Monologues” tackles tough issues such as rape, but goes beyond violence. Whether a monologue discusses a woman’s sexual experience or a funny term for the word vagina, White believes all who sees the play should not miss the big picture.
According to the Family Violence Prevention Fund, around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime. “The Vagina Monologues” weren’t written to bring viewers down, nor were they written for audiences’ amusement. The play is a call for women to reclaim their bodies.
“It’s talking about the ways we relate to our own bodies and trying to reclaim these words that have somehow become negative and unsexy. Becoming comfortable with your body is the first step to ending violence against women and children,” stated White.
“If we think those words for our bodies are dirty, pornographic or unnecessary and we shouldn’t say them out loud, that makes those body parts associated with those words even more powerful. We should remember our bodies are precious and be proud of them.”
To continue spreading the message of violence against women and a woman’s love for herself, proceeds from each plays goes directly to Indianapolis organizations that also are fighting to end violence against women.
To some, “The Vagina Monologues” is an artistic expression of a problem that affects women worldwide. The V in V-Day stands for Valentine, violence and vagina. The play covers many facets but its ultimate purpose is to spread the message of violence against women, raising money to continue educating men and women about the issue and serving as a platform for women to feel good about who they are.
For more information visit www.vday.org.
