Vagina Monologues

I've been hearing about this work for most of my adult life - as a touchstone for some people and a punch line for others - but I had never experienced myself. My daughter read it for one of her high school classes, and I like to read along with her so I finally had motivation to find what out what lies behind the infamous reputation. I was going to read the book without ever having seen the piece performed, but I found it was available for streaming on HBO Now and watched it first. Then I read the book immediately afterward. And except for the few pieces that relied heavily on sound effects, I preferred the written version. It was easier for me to pick out and contemplate the interesting ideas and speed through parts that interested me show more less. I like that the book includes a few performance pieces that were missing from the HBO special and this edition has uplifting correspondence from V-Day fundraiser participants. I'm very impressed and now side with those who consider this a touchstone. show less

This work created a sensation as it toured the country (and the world) for V-day celebrations. So much talk of vaginas can be offputting for women; my own discomfort raised the question: why do women find it so difficult to talk about their vaginas, when men seem to have no difficulty expounding for hours about penises? It is an artistic wake up call - the monologues talk about how women feel about their vaginas, and the message comes through loud and clear that we are not comfortable. It isn't penis envy that shows through these monologues, but rather an ambivalence and uncertainty about what it means to be a woman, about the risks of being a woman in a world designed by (and for) men, and how much we really want to talk about the one show more thing we don't want to talk about. If that makes no sense...well, read the book. show less

Once in awhile a friend gives you a book that resonates deep within you. This is such a book. Yes, the name goes for the shock value, as the author tells the stories of numerous women. I laughed, cried, thought, laughed, and cried some more. This book reminds me of why I am so proud to be a woman, and why I don't believe in shoving the truth under the cover. I want to look at it head on, know about it, and tell others about it. I want my daughter to grow up strong and confident, and I want that for all of my friends and their daughters. Being a woman is so mystical, so powerful, so wonderful, and yet bad things do happen to us, many times just because of the fact that we are women. Being a lawyer and a lawyer's wife, I well know that, show more but so many do not know and worse, don't want to know.

Not knowing won't change anything. But knowing can.

I read this book to give my thoughts to PCT Off Plaza about whether to do this play. I hope they will, but regardless of that, I hope you will read this book. Read it for yourself, and for your mom, wife, daughters, and friends. You will learn something. And your knowledge will help someone. show less

I wish I'd managed to see this staged. In text form, there's certainly something missing from a piece that is supposed to get us over the taboo of saying vagina out loud, only to read it silently and then not say vagina out loud. It's awesome to see how important the monologues were to the interviewees and the author regardless; a lot of the power remains, even for someone with zero experience of vagina possession. The paperback does come with explanations/backstory that rivals the length of the associated monologue at points, which is interesting but breaks the flow; I'm curious as to whether staged productions include these/whether more monologues have been added since the publication of this book.

People like to critique that which is popular. "Even though it's popular it's not good," they like to say. But here is the thing... it becomes popular for a reason. It broke rules and did so in a way that was accepted by the mainstream. And perhaps one of those rules is one you liked. Perhaps you're stuck on what you believe is "good theater" or "good writing." But in the end it is good because it touched people. It is good because it changed people. And this book which I read for the first time this year, and the play which I saw for the first time over ten years ago, are good because they change me. Present tense. The monologues come back to me when I'm having conversations with people or when I am thinking about womanhood or show more masculinity. They become a part of how I think about myself, my sisters, my wife, my nieces. Eve Ensler did something amazing. And this is one of the most well-known books about women and what it means to be a woman for good reasons. show less

This is the book version of Ensler's popular stage show, in which she talks about, well, vaginas. It features some of her own thoughts, a few anatomical facts, and several pieces based on interviews she did with other women, although it seems as if most of those stories are somewhat fictionalized, or interpreted, or maybe just paraphrased.

And... OK, first off, I have to say, I very much approve of what Ensler's trying to do with this. Like a lot of girls, I grew up with the distinct sense that my genitalia were something dirty and shameful, or at the very least something embarrassing and taboo, an implicit but fairly clear message that that particular piece of human anatomy should not be named, touched, or even thought about more than show more strictly necessary. And that ain't right. It especially ain't right in a society in which male genitalia come with associations of pride and power. (And other associations as well, of course, but those are definitely there in a way that they're not for women.) Demystifying women's bodies, making a vagina something that's nice to have and fine to acknowledge having, that's a good thing. Ensler also talks about sexual abuse and rape and genital mutilation, and these are also things that should be acknowledged and talked about and not turned away from. So, in principle, I'm all for this.

In practice, however... I have to say, most of it did very little for me. There weren't really any moments where I felt she tapped into something that I, personally, could relate to, and there's a bit too much mysticism and flowery language and weird metaphor for me. My vagina is not not a seat of power, it's not a fragrant meadow, and it doesn't wear a beret. I just cannot make myself take that sort of thing seriously. I did, somewhat to my surprise, quite like the poem about childbirth. But otherwise... Well, maybe it's better if you actually see it performed live. Or maybe I'm just not the right audience for this, whatever anatomy I happen to be possessed of. show less

This is a series of monologues and ensemble pieces cobbled together by Eve Ensler from various interviews she had with women regarding sex, sexual violence, and vaginas. Each year the script changes, with various updates by Ensler. The updated scripts are for performance only and different than the published version. Also they are only available to the groups who are planning on performing the monologues in association with the fight against sexual and domestic violence - against women and girls.
There's some strict rules:

1. These are true stories and the performers should tell/perform them with a certain respect to the actual women who told them.

2. Usually the performance is a staged reading, with little to no direction. The performers show more do not memorize the script and read it off of index cards.

3. The entire script must be performed and it must be no longer or shorter than 90 minutes.

4. Everyone who wants to be involved should be provided with some role or means of involvement, and this should be a healing experience.

5. The directors/producers of the play should see themselves as activists first and directors second.

6. Only those people who have lived their lives with a vagina (note not necessarily born with one) may perform the roles. Roles are open to transgender women who have a vagina via medical means and women born with one. Men can be involved in other ways but not in performing the roles. (Which makes sense when you read it - the roles are definitely characters with vaginas. It would be odd for someone with a penis to perform these roles, and disrespectful to the actual women whom the roles/monologues are based.)

The monologues are rather moving. It is not a "man-hating" play as has been presumed. It's an informative piece about how our society has dealt with the concept of vagina, women, and violence against women and transgender. And I highly recommend that people of all genders either read it or if they get a chance see a performance. show less