Although the Vagina Monologues discussed in the previous post do not fight domestic violence specifically it is important in the horrible problem of domestic violence. The way society sees women is at the root of domestic violence and violence against women. Anna Bower is a sophomore Philosophy major with a concentration in Women's Studies at Furman University. She produced the Vagina Monologues at Furman. I interviewed her after the final show of the Monologues.
What made you interested in the Vagina Monologues?
This is actually a question I've been thinking a lot about lately. And honestly, I'm not quite sure I know the answer. I've been involved with raising awareness for gender issues for quite some time now, and I can't say that there is really one specific experience or incident that made me interested in becoming an advocate for these issues...Instead, it has been the simple fact of going through life as "female" that has made me aware of the need for productions like "The Vagina Monologues." The author Sue Monk Kidd said that women act as "translators" in this world, and I think what she meant by that is that a woman's life is dictated by a language created by man and created for man. And as such women are always forced to translate this language and apply it to their unique experiences. In my view "The Vagina Monologues" is basically saying 'fuck the language of Maleness....let's create our own.' And I think there is a real need for that sort of attitude...an attitude of creation. So I guess I just I felt like that creative spirit, as well as TVM's aim to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual abuse, was something worthwhile for me to thrown myself into.
What was your favorite part?
My favorite part by far was getting to know the cast. I would dare to say that they are the most badass group of people on campus. Their passion and dedication to the production was inspiring. After the closing night performance we all had a cast party in the theatre with cookie cake, pizza, and sweet potato cake from Brick Street. We had tons of fun just telling stories and talking about our experiences with VM. We even had a professor, Dr. Carmela Epright, participate in the production and then come to the party and it was very cool to get to know a professor on a level outside of school.
What is your favorite monologue ?
My favorite monologue was one that my friend, Layla Tumler, participated in. It is actually the Introduction so it is not typically what people would call their "favorite," but I loved it because I was so proud of my friend for having the courage to say "VAGINA" in front of 300 people. She is not the type who would typically be comfortable doing that, and I thought seeing her up on stage just represented everything that VM stands for: a bringing together of all women, whether it be theatre nerd, sorority girl, athlete, etc
What other events does Furman put on that advocate for an end to violence against women?
The Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARP) committee puts on many events that aim to end violence against women. Upcoming events include Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project.
Thanks for reading, and look out for new posts about Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project.
What made you interested in the Vagina Monologues?
This is actually a question I've been thinking a lot about lately. And honestly, I'm not quite sure I know the answer. I've been involved with raising awareness for gender issues for quite some time now, and I can't say that there is really one specific experience or incident that made me interested in becoming an advocate for these issues...Instead, it has been the simple fact of going through life as "female" that has made me aware of the need for productions like "The Vagina Monologues." The author Sue Monk Kidd said that women act as "translators" in this world, and I think what she meant by that is that a woman's life is dictated by a language created by man and created for man. And as such women are always forced to translate this language and apply it to their unique experiences. In my view "The Vagina Monologues" is basically saying 'fuck the language of Maleness....let's create our own.' And I think there is a real need for that sort of attitude...an attitude of creation. So I guess I just I felt like that creative spirit, as well as TVM's aim to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual abuse, was something worthwhile for me to thrown myself into.
What was your favorite part?
My favorite part by far was getting to know the cast. I would dare to say that they are the most badass group of people on campus. Their passion and dedication to the production was inspiring. After the closing night performance we all had a cast party in the theatre with cookie cake, pizza, and sweet potato cake from Brick Street. We had tons of fun just telling stories and talking about our experiences with VM. We even had a professor, Dr. Carmela Epright, participate in the production and then come to the party and it was very cool to get to know a professor on a level outside of school.
What is your favorite monologue ?
My favorite monologue was one that my friend, Layla Tumler, participated in. It is actually the Introduction so it is not typically what people would call their "favorite," but I loved it because I was so proud of my friend for having the courage to say "VAGINA" in front of 300 people. She is not the type who would typically be comfortable doing that, and I thought seeing her up on stage just represented everything that VM stands for: a bringing together of all women, whether it be theatre nerd, sorority girl, athlete, etc
What other events does Furman put on that advocate for an end to violence against women?
The Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention (SHARP) committee puts on many events that aim to end violence against women. Upcoming events include Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project.
Thanks for reading, and look out for new posts about Take Back the Night and the Clothesline Project.
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