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Group Fights Rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
NPR’s Scott Simon talks with Eve Ensler, playwright and activist, and Dr. Denis Mukwege, the founder of a hospital in Congo that’s helping victims of rape and mutilation, about their upcoming tour to raise awareness of what’s happening to women and girls in Congo.
Listen to it here. It’s a 6 minute interview. The focus for this years V-Day Spotlight Campaign is rape in the DRC. It’s shocking. It will bring you to tears. Especially if you have a daughter.
Tis the season. Hope ya’ll had a fine Valentine’s Day. I received an email from a good friend stating that because of me, she no longer thinks of Valentine’s Day as just that, but also V-Day. Vagina. Valentine. Victory. You know. The V-Day movement to stop violence against women. That friend of mine made me feel pretty darn good, as I have felt a bit guilty about my inability to commit to a V-Day project this year, especially because it’s the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the V-Day movement.
Valentine’s Day marked the beginning of V-Season. For those of you new to the movement, the V-Season lasts from Valentine’s day to International Women’s Day, March 8th. During this season women (and men can help too!) put on benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues to raise money and awareness to stop violence against women and girls. This year the season lasts a little longer, well into the end of March. This is in order to celebrate ‘V to the Tenth’ with a culminating event in the Super Dome in New Orleans at the end of April. The spotlight campaign this year is on The Women of New Orleans and the Gulf South.
On Valentine’s Day, Ali and I searched the news to see what was being said about the beginning of V-Season. Eve Ensler and Jane Fonda were interviewed on The Today Show. View the excerpt of her clip here, taken from youtube because the version on the MSNBC site cut out her ‘vulgarity’. The big word she used was – gasp – cunt. The most disturbing thing to me is not that she said the word ‘cunt’ on national television, it is that there had to be an apology issued in order not to offend the American viewers. The reason I find this so ridiculous is that Jane Fonda was referring to a monologue entitled ‘Cunt’ from The Vagina Monologues, which she had been approached by Eve to perform and had declined. This was before she became involved in the V-Day movement. The word was not being used in a vulgar way. It’s amazing how far forward we have come, yet still have to go. Ten years ago even the word vagina was taboo. And people are still afraid to say it. But as a society we have no problem with saying ‘dick’, ‘cock’, or ‘penis’? What is that? Here ends my rant due to lack of energy and the need to make dinner.
There are further video clips of the interview with Eve and Jane found here including an article about The Vagina Monologues fifteen years on.
Saturday marked International Women’s Day which usually brings the season to an end. As I mentioned, there are still events going on throughout the month of March and anyone can attend the event in New Orleans in April. Stop by the V-Day website to find out where there are events going on near you. Or just take a look at all the amazing things women around the world have done together to STOP VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
I’ve had a lazy Sunday. In between loads of laundry and cleaning up after our small dinner party last night, I spent time moving some poetry over to my site from a previous blog. It’s still a work in progress as I have made new pages and created a link, but need to sort through some of the code to get it looking all nice and pretty. Spacing is a bit off, so bear with me on that.
I’m also digging into a new V-Day project. Couldn’t stay away long! Will update as I learn more about it myself and get a stronger grasp on it.
Ali heads back to Arabic classes this week. So while he is at class, I’ve decided that I will dive into the hundreds of photos we took in Australia as well as get some much deserved thank you cards out. I will be creating them myself, and have an art project idea in the works. I sure do love to be busy!
Hopefully I will know by the end of this week my ‘workabouts’ for next year. Keeping it on the DL (down low) until I hear back from a couple of interviews I had at the start of last week.
Returned to the Free Tibet Campaign on Friday and it was great to see everyone and catch up. I also have a new project to work on that involves more than stuffing envelopes and sending off merchandise orders. I am sourcing possible future merchandise as well as t-shirt designs/designers. Fun stuff.
I’m also going to work on writing creatively again as well as setting aside time for blogging. Even if it’s a short update. And post pics. I have so many and such an awesome camera, I want to post more. Hmmm. Lots of goals. I’m going to begin by taking a bath, reading my Marie Claire (US edition) and head to bed a bit early.
Originally uploaded by kara melissa.
Thanks for a fantabulous experience ladies. We couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you. And that goes for the men helping behind the scenes as well. All of you. Vagina Warriors. Well done!
Originally uploaded by kara melissa.
V-Day Islington 2007; A Huge Success
The women stared back at me after I had handed each one of them a personally made card with two cast photos, one silly and one serious, with a note from myself inside. As each card was delivered, it was accompanied with a round of applause. For each of these women are amazing. And it was just moments before we had to line up and get ready to take the stage. Before we did so, one of the women lamented how she wished she had thought of something like this to do for me. I told her and the rest of the cast that wasn’t necessary. Just them being there was my dream come true. My dream to organise a theatre production which would raise awareness to stop violence against women was happening at that moment. Our SOLD OUT show, seating over 200 people, would begin in minutes. In hindsight, I wished I had more time to keep a journal of my own journey with organising this production, but I find that I am recalling quite a bit in my reflections while just lying awake in bed in the morning before I start my day, every day since the show on Saturday.
At our dress rehearsal, the women were asked to describe their experience with V-Day in one word. I didn’t get to read those words until after the show, after the cast party, and until I woke the next morning. They were beautiful. I was able to fully realise the impact that I have had on these women as well as the impact that they have had on me throughout this process of putting together our benefit production of The Vagina Monologues. I’d like to share those words now to also describe simply, what the experience was like for all of us.
Describe your V-Day experience in one word: over 20 women responded…
Fun Cuntalicious Warm Liberating Powerful Fab Illuminating Almost unbelievable Healing Awakening Loving Moving Embrace Freeing Empowerment Exciting Sorority Growth Focussed Exposure Courage Empowering
I’ve posted photos taken by Ali, with my fantastic new camera, on my flickr site. But you must be invited to view them. If you’d like to be invited, then leave a comment and I will get in touch with you.
Now for some rest and the follow up report!
It’s official. Ali received the call from Reuters on Friday afternoon while working – for free – at The Independent on Sunday. He has been accepted into the two year Graduate Journalism Programme for Reuters. The first year is spent in London training and the second year on location, ideally somewhere he can use his Arabic language skills.
I am so proud of you husband. Out of over 900 applicants, you were chosen with five others to enter the programme. You ROCK. Well done. We celebrate Wednesday evening, just the two of us.
My V-Day Islington show is Saturday! Then Spring Break begins the following Thursday, 29th March. Belated Honeymoon, here we come! With much much much to celebrate.
Back to it.
So much to say. So little time to think it. That is the state I am in. Working towards a few different deadlines, all culminating with our 24th March production of The Vagina Monologues for V-Day Islington. Therefore, I have no time for anything else. Even taking pictures with my new Nikon D-40 (yes, thank you again everyone, you know who you are…edifying post to come eventually) coincides with my V-Day celebration agenda. Currently working on the programme with a ‘less than a week’ deadline. Trying to keep my sanity, while also enjoying every minute of the busyness. Especially the resuscitating kisses from my husband trying to help me keep my head above water.
So, in case you were wondering if I’d gone on sabbatical, now you know. Trying to stop violence against women, for all the reasons you know about, and some you don’t want to know about.
Peace. Reclaim it. V-Day 2007.
V-Day. The V in V-Day stands for: Victory. Valentine. Vagina.
Happy V-Day everyone! V-Season has arrived and I’ve been preparing for it already for weeks. Although our benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues will be post V-Season, on March 24th, I want to give some of you heads up to where you can experience V-Season in your own communities. V-Season runs from Valentine’s Day, February 14th, to International Women’s Day, March 8th.
Click on the links below to find a V-Day celebration near you. Remember, we won’t stop, until the violence stops. Any form of violence against women is unacceptable and I’ve joined the rest of the Vagina Warriors to do my part in creating a world without violence. I challenge you to do the same. Every little bit helps. See what’s happening worldwide as the V-Day Campaign kicks off today.
Michigan, US (there are 22!!!! One at Hope College, get out there, friends!)
North Carolina, US Portland, OR Hawaii, US NYC, NY
Chicago, IL Texas, US Wyoming, US Pennsylvania, US
London, England Melbourne, Australia Bangkok, Thailand
To find other events near you: V-Day Search Events.
Love yourself. Love your womanhood. Love your vagina. Love the vaginas in your life. Mothers, sisters, daughters, cousins, aunts, girlfriends, fiancees, lovers, wives. Join the movement to stop violence against women today!
While reviewing the visitors to my site on sitemeter, I discovered that someone in the States found my site when they put ‘optimism’ into a google blog search. What came up? Four-hundred blog posts matching optimism. The first ten were listed on page one, and among them was my post, ‘The March’, lined up at number four. Number 4 out of 400. That made me feel pretty darn good. Heck, I would even venture to say it made me feel optimistic. Yee-haw.
Adding to the optimism that has been found in the very post about marching for safety and women’s rights, I shall mention my two successful V-Day presentations this week. While the first presentation was attended by just four eager women – and Ali, of course – there were at least a dozen in attendance this afternoon. Everyone had gathered together to learn more about V-Day and discuss joining my efforts, ambition and approved status as a V-Day event organiser, to organise a benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues for this years’ V-Season. And fellow readers, all I have for this adventure is complete optimism. What was that? O-P-T-I-M-I-S-M. Spells optimism. That’s right. Over a dozen women are interested in taking part in the performance as well as supporting the event in various other ways. And you know what? That’s plenty to begin with since I was a one woman team that didn’t make it to the performance last year in Switzerland. And this year? It is going to happen.
Mark your calendar. March 24th, Islington – exact location to be announced – will host a benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues. V-Season is forthcoming. And I can’t wait to go all the way.
I will be posting updates and information in regards to our V-Day event on my blog, V-Day: Stop Violence Against Women. I will perhaps mention my journey in stories and how it weaves its way through my daily life, here, but all other informative posts will be located on my topic blog. Please visit and leave feedback as you like.
The colour pink has been reclaimed by the V-Day movement. And I like it.
My head is pounding. Physically and emotionally. Thoughts don’t stop when it hits the pillow. Many nights are sleepless. But I make it up in other moments. Somehow.
Eve Ensler is the role model women around the world are searching for. I hope you have found her because she is amazing. “Welcome to V-World. You are now in it.” Violence against women is not tolerated here. And we vagina warriors do all that we can to stop it.
My husband is the most supportive person in my life. I am proud to have his name attached to mine. I have not taken on a new man’s identity. I have included it with mine. And it fits perfectly.
I will wash the day from my face. Throw back my hair. Bury my face in my pillow. Curl up beneath my comforter. Imagine him sleeping next to me. And fall into slumber. Where my headache no longer keeps my thoughts caged. But where I dream freely.
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