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zestfiveFriday night I saw a performance of the Vagina Monologues. I had heard about it years before and even listened to the performances by Eve Ensler on a CD that I borrowed from the library. When I first listened to it, some of the monologues were pretty intense. I shared the CD with P one day when we were driving to the next state. Sometimes, my eyes would tear up.
I've realized over time that I'm like my dad, I'm very sensitive, very empathetic and compassionate. For so long I've kept myself locked up pretty tight because I needed to keep on keeping on. With P, I've been able to be much more emotional and it's very trying sometimes. I don't like being so sensitive, emotional, weepy. I can't help it, especially when I hear about people being hurt. I was really glad she was by my side as I attended it even though she was watching me to see if I'd cry.
At the performance, I can't say that the monologues were unfamilar but to see the performers really opened up some emotional stuff again. It makes me feel angry, sad and powerless....as well as powerful. They had probably a dozen or more women dressed in black with hot pick accents (hair, ties, ribbons, sweaters) in all shapes, sizes and styles(meaning there was one woman with a hot pink mohawk who was dressed in a button down black shirt, black tie and black pants and masculine in presentation-most others were more "girly"). Due to the nature of the auditions, they were all college students (or in that same age range) only 1 woman of color.
I was pretty amazed by almost all of the women. They start the monologues that help you identify as a woman, talking about "down there" or every other word used for vagina (or to be more accurate your vulva ~ but that word sounds weird to me) amusing choochi snorcher. They move on to talk about menstration and the experiences we've had such as when we first got "it" Aunt Flo. Moving on to women's sexuality and orgasms and then to the highlight of the night, domestic violence against women. One of the most poignant stories for me was called "crooked braid" was based on interviews of american indian women, also the one about women who were raped during war (bosnia-herzagovina). If you are interested in reading some of the stories that are similar in nature go to http://www.vday.org/contents/victory
It was also interesting because one of the monologues is from the point of view of a young woman who while growing up to age 13 has had lots of damage to her vagina through molestation, landing on a bed post (ouch!) and being punched there at age 5, she goes on to be picked up at age 13 and spends the night with an adult lesbian who teaches her about sex with women. This is pretty controversial in my opinion as if the older woman was a man, it would be statutory rape (well, and legally it is that for another woman too) but it's presented in a positive light from the girl's point of view.
To summarize, content was nothing new even though I still reaction emotionally to it. I was amazed at the skills of these young women to present it. I don't know that I could be a part of that and not bawl my head off. Although during one of the last monologues "crooked braid" I thought I saw more than one of the seated performers wipe away their own tears.(thank gawd, I'm not the only one). If you don't think you'll ever get a chance to see it in person, listen to the cd, but if you get the chance to see it...GO!
I've realized over time that I'm like my dad, I'm very sensitive, very empathetic and compassionate. For so long I've kept myself locked up pretty tight because I needed to keep on keeping on. With P, I've been able to be much more emotional and it's very trying sometimes. I don't like being so sensitive, emotional, weepy. I can't help it, especially when I hear about people being hurt. I was really glad she was by my side as I attended it even though she was watching me to see if I'd cry.
At the performance, I can't say that the monologues were unfamilar but to see the performers really opened up some emotional stuff again. It makes me feel angry, sad and powerless....as well as powerful. They had probably a dozen or more women dressed in black with hot pick accents (hair, ties, ribbons, sweaters) in all shapes, sizes and styles(meaning there was one woman with a hot pink mohawk who was dressed in a button down black shirt, black tie and black pants and masculine in presentation-most others were more "girly"). Due to the nature of the auditions, they were all college students (or in that same age range) only 1 woman of color.
I was pretty amazed by almost all of the women. They start the monologues that help you identify as a woman, talking about "down there" or every other word used for vagina (or to be more accurate your vulva ~ but that word sounds weird to me) amusing choochi snorcher. They move on to talk about menstration and the experiences we've had such as when we first got "it" Aunt Flo. Moving on to women's sexuality and orgasms and then to the highlight of the night, domestic violence against women. One of the most poignant stories for me was called "crooked braid" was based on interviews of american indian women, also the one about women who were raped during war (bosnia-herzagovina). If you are interested in reading some of the stories that are similar in nature go to http://www.vday.org/contents/victory
It was also interesting because one of the monologues is from the point of view of a young woman who while growing up to age 13 has had lots of damage to her vagina through molestation, landing on a bed post (ouch!) and being punched there at age 5, she goes on to be picked up at age 13 and spends the night with an adult lesbian who teaches her about sex with women. This is pretty controversial in my opinion as if the older woman was a man, it would be statutory rape (well, and legally it is that for another woman too) but it's presented in a positive light from the girl's point of view.
To summarize, content was nothing new even though I still reaction emotionally to it. I was amazed at the skills of these young women to present it. I don't know that I could be a part of that and not bawl my head off. Although during one of the last monologues "crooked braid" I thought I saw more than one of the seated performers wipe away their own tears.(thank gawd, I'm not the only one). If you don't think you'll ever get a chance to see it in person, listen to the cd, but if you get the chance to see it...GO!