Monday, January 14, 2008

"V" to the Tenth


"Where I Want to Be"


Every year, mainly in the months of February and March, colleges, communities and companies perform 'The Vagina Monologues' all across our nation in a larger event called "V-Day". These groups use the show as a means to raise funds to stop violence against women, on everything from a local to an international scale. This is the tenth anniversary for this event, and Eve Ensler herself is throwing the biggest party.

In the original article from the New Orleans Times-Picayune, one reads that New Orleans will be home to "The Big V-Easy", a weekend long soiree to celebrate women and to honor the struggles and victories of Katrina warriors. While this is all quite serious business, many aspects will be the mood light and silly. For example, the Superdome will be turned into a giant vagina. That's right, the Supergina. Eve's sense of fun and humor are part of what has made her project so contagious and world-changing.

Eve's star-studded performance will include Salma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, Jane Fonda, Jennifer Hudson, Glenn Close, Julia Stiles, Ashley Judd, Marisa Tomei, Calpernia Addams, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Ellen DeGeneres, and musicians Joss Stone, Common, Eve, and Charmaine Neville. A few of these women have shown up in this very blog before for their beauty and bravery.

I would give quite a bit to be able to attend this event. Some of my fellow Vagina Warriors and I were hoping to make a road trip out of it. As it turns out, I will be unable to go but for happy reasons; I myself will be in a production of 'The Vagina Monologues' in my hometown. Of all of the reasons I could come up with, this is the best.

I hope you are as inspired by the work these women do as I am. I hope you get involved. Even if all you do is go to see a production of it, you have helped to spread awareness. To find an event near you, follow this link.