‘The Vagina Monologues’ brings awareness to sexual and domestic violence

More than a dozen monologues were performed at the Utah State University Access and Diversity Center’s rendition of “The Vagina Monologues”– some that made the audience laugh, and some that made them cry. But the room fell silent as USU student Jasmine Despain delivered the monologue, “My Vagina Was My Village.”

“My vagina. A live, wet water village. My vagina, my hometown,” she said, her voice high-pitched and holding back tears. “Not since they took turns for seven days, smelling like feces and smoked meat, they left their dirty sperm inside me. I became a river of poison and pus and all the crops died, and the fish.”

The monologue, which was written by Eve Ensler, resonated with one of the goals of the performance, which was to raise awareness about sexual and domestic abuse.

“The Vagina Monologues” were performed in the Taggart Student Center auditorium Feb. 10 through Feb. 12. All proceeds went to Citizens Against Physical and Sexual Abuse (CAPSA), a nonprofit organization in Logan that gives shelter and support to those who have survived sexual and domestic violence. This is the show’s fifth year at Utah State, and last year it raised more than $2,000 for the shelter, said Jenna Lynn Hase, one of the performers.

Of everything that could raise awareness about domestic violence, why the vagina? Kathryn Christian, the show’s assistant coordinator, said calling body parts by their appropriate name is one way to make people aware of abuse, especially children.

“If they have the self-awareness of who they are and what that terminology is, they have a better chance of standing up for themselves and knowing that what’s happening to them is wrong,” she said.

“The Vagina Monologues” serve as a forum to discuss sexual abuse, an issue communities often overlook, Christian said.

The show also creates a safe discussion place for women who have survived sexual assault, Hase said. One year, she said, a woman approached the performers and told them she was sexually assaulted but never had the courage to tell anyone, and seeing the show gave her the courage to speak up.

Some of the show’s performers are survivors of sexual or domestic abuse, and they find the show’s message empowering. Despain said she performed “My Vagina Was My Village” as a tribute to herself because she resonated personally with the piece.

“I was a victim of rape, and it actually happened here at Utah State University in 2012,” she said. “I was looking for ways to feel like myself again and to get that strength and power back that I got taken away from me. When I found Vagina Monologues, I fell in love with the piece.”

The show is a powerful tool for sharing emotions, said Anna Lantis, the director.

“During some of the rehearsals, we just break down and cry because a piece moved us,” she said. “But some of the stuff is quite empowering. There are some nights when women are in the audience going, ‘Hallelujah, Amen!’ and stuff like that. It makes you want to do something about it, to say something and stand up for women everywhere.”

Although the show raises awareness about violence against women, some performers shared disappointment that the show doesn’t include men’s stories of sexual and domestic violence.

“When we talk about domestic abuse and assault, we always assume women,” said Macy Keith, the show’s coordinator. “That is something I feel is lost in this play is we’re not talking about the men’s stories.”

But the show isn’t meant to exclude or demean men, rather to empower women and promote equality, Hase said.

“We really do forget the vagina. We don’t talk about the vagina. It makes women embarrassed about who they are, you know?” she said “But women are strong. We’re not better than men, we are equal to men. This show just shows that we go through terrible things as well as men. We’re not weak; women aren’t victims. This show, to me, just paints how strong women are, and I love that.”

Lesther Papa, a grad student who attended the show, said more men should see the monologues to learn about the issues women must overcome.

“A lot of it was painful. It was just torturous a lot of the time for me. I started to feel some guilt. This is a story of women that were oppressed by men and I participate in that all the time, you know?” he said. “I say everybody should go. There were a lot of women in this audience, but I would say it’s probably more important for men to see and hear the messages.”

Macy Keith, the show’s coordinator, said humanizing women, like the monologues in the show do, can help stop violence against women.

“As women, we’re not sexual objects. We’re not one-dimensional,” she said. “We’re a full person. To humanize a person, humanize a woman helps the violence to decrease.”