Julessa Oglen

Managing Editor

On Sunday, a group of talented students put together a shockingly funny and entertaining event that brought awareness to women’s lady parts.

The National Organization for Women (NOW) on campus organized the Vagina Monologues event to educate students about the reality of violence against women and girls. There were two more performances on Monday and Tuesday evenings in Cochran Ballroom.

The monologues were performed in conjunction with the V-Day campaign, which is a non-profit international organization that works to change social attitudes towards violence and raises funds for anti-violence groups in local communities. MUW has used this platform to raise money for Safe Haven, the only shelter for women in North Mississippi.

The Vagina Monologues are based on a play written by Eve Ensler that explores the relationship women have with their bodies, men and women. The monologues are a compilation of interviews of women and their experiences with their vaginas. Some are witty and amusing, and others bare the painstaking truth of rape and rejection.

There were 10 monologues, and they were performed by Lillian Bryant, Shelby Bracey, Sarah Witt, Alex Torres, Casey Duke, Leah Thompson, Kristi Ezernack, Sarah McLain, Katrina Dupont, Ashley Morgan, Allison Jones, Emily Wicker and Megan Cannon.

Allison Jones, a freshman, performed the most provocative monologue of the night, “The Woman Who Liked to Make Vaginas Happy.”

“This is a cause that I care deeply about, and I plan on going to grad school and major in sexology to teach women about sex. I also have a background in theater, and people know that I have no shame and that was the reason why I chose that monologue,” said Jones, a psychology major.

Emily Wicker, an English major performed, “I Was There in the Room.”

“I have really enjoyed being a part of this great cause. I researched everything before I decided to do this, and it is a great way to give back to the community,” said Wicker.

“I did it my sophomore year and, as a theater major, this was a great way to perform and encourage others to come and see it,” said Katrina Dupont, an elementary education major and theatre minor who also performed that night.

NOW sold T-shirts for $15 and cupcakes for $1 at the event and, although there was not an admission price, there was a suggested donation of $2. All proceeds go directly to Safe Haven.