Hanna Neumann and other members of the cast perform “My First Period.”
Mary Laing / Special to The Leader
CHRISTINA CONCEICAO
Sports Editor
This past weekend, SUNY Fredonia put on its 13th annual performance of “The Vagina Monologues,” a play written by Eve Ensler, a Tony Award winning playwright, performer and activist, sponsored by the Women Student Union. Ensler not only wrote “The Vagina Monologues” but also created what is called the V- Day campaign, which started on Valentine’s Day of 1998. This year marks the show and campaign’s 16th anniversary.
The V- Day campaign is a movement that has activists taking part all over the world to help end violence against women and young girls. In over 140 countries “The Vagina Monologues” performs to help raise awareness, money and the spirits of those who have faced violence, such as rape, battery, incest, sex slavery and female genital mutilation.
Seniors Alyssa Menard and Megan Warsoki directed this year’s production and had a cast of about 50 women from various different majors. When reciting their monologue, each girl was given a red card, which signified that they told another person’s story. Senior Britni Forman, who played Ensler in the production, explained the purpose of the red card at the very beginning of the play.
The play was divided into two acts, which were separated by an intermission in which they raffled off baskets, gift certificates and other goodies to the audience.
“I’m not exactly sure how much we’ve raised so far, but from what I have calculated on my own, I know we are going to have over a thousand dollars,” said Menard.
All of the proceeds that were raised are going to the Anew Center in Jamestown, a shelter that helps women who have faced violence in their life, as well as to the V-Day campaign.
The V- Day campaign currently raises more money than any other foundation dedicated to helping stop domestic violence.
“In retrospect that sounds like it should be a good thing, but we really only raise a couple million dollars a year. So, in retrospect it really isn’t a good thing. We should be raising a lot more money than that. That is why we do the show every year, to help raise money for V- Day to help stop domestic violence against women,” said Menard.
Every year, Ensler has written a new spotlight monologue based on the most important foundation to the V-Day campaign. This year, she wrote it for the V- Day campaign itself, as well as a continuation of last year’s start of “One Billion and Rising for Justice.” Selected to perform this monologue for SUNY Fredonia was senior Zija Lubin-West.
“To be chosen as the person who gets to speak the words and fight, and basically be the frontrunner in that cause for these few nights, is such an honor, and I am so thankful to Megan and Alyssa for choosing me for this,” said Lubin-West.
Though Ensler featured her own stories throughout most of the play, this monologue is the closest to her story it has ever been.
Lubin-West said, “What it is, is about not necessarily being able to find justice with the person that hurt you, but being able to find it with in yourself and come to terms with what has happened and find that moment of peace and Zen and just being able to move on from it.”
This year’s show was much more gender neutral than it had been in the past, and the directors wanted it that way.
“We tried to make it very gender neutral so men would feel comfortable participating in everything for the show to raffles and anything else,” said Menard.
At the closing of the show they gave the audience an opportunity to participate, asking if they were comfortable enough to do so, to stand if they have experienced violence, know anyone who has experienced it or will do something to help stop the violence. There wasn’t a single person sitting down.
For more information on The Vagina Monologues and V-Day, visit Vday.org and onebillionrising.org.