Last Updated:3:35 PM EST 2/24/10 Section: News

Media Credit: Erica Henriksen Junior Jenny Stamp performs her act, "Outrageous," a skit that jokingly discusses states that do not allow vibrators.

The Vagina Monologues are St. John Fisher's annual performance which raises awareness as well as funds to support abused women in countries all over the world. This year's performances took place on Feb. 19 and 20.
This year, the V-DAY campaign has once again chose to send 10 percent of their proceeds to support women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). About 500,000 females are raped and physically and sexually abused annually in the DRC. Ninety percent of the profits will be sent to support Alternatives for Battered Women.
The Vagina Monologues strive to raise awareness and end violence against women. The award-winning play is based on V-DAY founder Eve Ensler's interviews with over 200 women.
"Turning pain into power," this year's theme, allows for the liberation of the word vagina and encourages women to take control of their bodies as well as their lives.
The show's director, senior Amanda Hackett, said that through this theme they are "taking women's stories and using them to educate people and inspire them to get involved with the work we're doing."
The monologues seek to give voice and power to the experiences and feelings of women that are not generally exposed to the public.
The acts range from humorous topics to serious issues that women are facing in today's society.
Among the many feelings and emotions of the monologues, controversy over sexuality can be easily identified through the racy yet empowering monologues.
Senior Stephanie Woodward's monologue put a spin on a socially negative word.
"You can take something that's supposed to be a degrading word and make it into a positive thing," Woodward said.
Freshman Julie Moslow played a humorous old woman who had a bad sexual encounter early in her life. Her message was that one can be scarred at a young age and that it can affect them throughout their life.
"The true message of Vagina Monologues is to empower women to actually stickup for themselves and to not be afraid of who they are," Moslow said.
The Vagina Monologues are a take you by surprise, grab your attention, bluntly honest portrayal of women in today's society who are striving to break down the walls of silence surrounding sexual abuse and violence on all levels.

gmd04402@sjfc.edu

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