Flash mobs, TED Talks, a promotional video gone-viral, thousands of dollars worth of fundraising and a cast of over 100 students: this spring, the Connecticut College Vagina Monologues is taking this campus by storm. Dozens of driven, ambitious young feminists have chosen to connect with women all around the world by participating in the College’s 12th annual performance of the Vagina Monologues, a play originally written and first performed in the 90’s by Eve Ensler. The producers are extremely pleased with the high participation numbers, and have high hopes for fundraising this year—in 2012, the Vagina Monologues raised $5,000. Last year, they raised $10,000, and this year they are shooting for $15,000—a goal they are hoping to meet by adding in a third show time on Saturday.
Senior Meg DeJong, a PR Co-Chair for the Vagina Monologues, is very excited about the organization that the fundraising money will go to. “We’re trying to raise $15,000. Ninety percent of the profits will go to Safe Futures. The other ten percent goes to One Billion Rising,” explains Dejong. Susanna Mathews ’16, co-chair of supplementary events, explained that the majority of the money is raised through ticket sales, but money also comes from a silent auction and a “raffle on the day of the show using donated items from the New London community,” as well as donations from Conn academic departments and centers. Co-producer of the show Alia Roth ’14 also received money for the event through a grant that was used as a “base point for jumping off” for fundraising.
One Billion Rising is the foundation that was started by Ensler to help women and girls who are affected by violence. Every Vagina Monologues chapter donates to this foundation. The other foundation that the producers have chosen, Safe Futures, is a local New London organization strives to eliminate violence in our local community by empowering and providing resources for women who find themselves threatened by sexual assault and domestic violence. Anna Marshall ’16, the chair of VWeek, said that sexual violence isn’t just an international issue, but an issue that “hits so close to home locally,” and that the organizers of the show wanted to raise awareness that this is an issue that can impact anyone.
DeJong explained that part of what makes the Vagina Monologues different this year is the size of the cast. “We have an awesome cast this year, we’re so excited that so many people are into it. It’s really unique that we have so many people involved, not all colleges have that. Everyone has been very enthusiastic,” said DeJong. “We have so many women on campus who consider themselves feminists and want to be involved. And we have such great resources, like the Women’s Center, for example. I think people are just aware of the issues that The Vagina Monologues addresses.”
Roth and her co-producer Ari Holden ’14 have gone out of their way to make sure that The Vagina Monologues has a vibrant presence on campus this year. “A lot more work was done last semester to let people know that we’re here. Last year it kind of popped up and it wasn’t on people’s minds,” explained Mathews. Last semester, Roth produced a promotional video, 100 Men Rise for V-Day: Why Are Vaginas Important to You? The video quickly went viral and now has over 150,000 views.
“The video that Alia did got so many people talking and created a great dialogue,” said DeJong. “I think Alia’s video broke a lot of stereotypes about what it means to be a feminist. “Most men on campus are pretty supportive of the Vagina Monologues—there’s a perception that to be a feminist, you have to be a woman, and that’s not true—you don’t have to be a woman to be a feminist. We need men to be a part of the feminist movement too.”
The main event will take place on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. and on Saturday Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Evans Hall. Tickets are currently on sale for $8 for students at $10 for non-students. •
