Take Me or Leave Me

        Gender equality, love, friendship, violence, spite, hurtful acts, and vaginas were all talked about this weekend. Frostburg State University hosted the 12th annual V-day and The Vagina Monologues this Saturday in the University Theater. This show was directed by the wonderful Shelby Herbert who has also been starred in the show in the past.

        One Billion Rising was the theme that these 15 beautiful women portrayed through their renditions of women over the years. "One Billion Rising is the beginning of the new world ignited by a new energy. It is not the end of a struggle but the escalation of it. NOW is the time to enact change. This is NOT an annual holiday, we are not waiting until 14 February 2014. NOW is the time to harness the power of your activism to change the world!" (V-day.org) Some stories were hopeful. Some stories were hilarious and were tales from their past. Some stories showed how much hate and malice there was and still is in the world. 

        Eve Ensler interviewed over 200 women in the world and took down their personal stories on how they viewed sex, their personal history, and their anatomy. Ensler later on went to write a book on the many stories she came across. There were stories about shaving, "The Flood", and even "My Vagina Was My Village." The actresses that played the roles at Frostburg state were phenomenal. They not only told the stories of these women, but they made us feel like we were living it. The audience could relate as the women shared the raw histories past on from many years ago. Corrie Bolcik was amazing in her performance of  "My Angry Vagina." She screamed and ranted and made the entire audience crack up as she told the story about how her vagina was "pissed off and couldn't take it anymore!" Nikki Daskal gave a heart warming rendition of "I Was There In The Room." Not only did this woman have her entire monologue memorized, but she made us feel as if we were also in the room. She acted her heart our as she told us about how she was there for the birth of that child. "The heart is capable of the sacrifice and so is the vagina." Daskal went on to use this phrase to say while some births are exciting, it can be detrimental to the body.

        V-day is also a very important organization Frostburg State takes part in. "V-day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls." This movement raises both awareness and money to help better other orginization helping to stop violence. This important orginzation helps put the spread the word that rape, slavery, and domestic viloence need to be stopped now and they will not stop until that goal has been reached. To join the movement, you can email fsuvday@gmail.com or visit www.vday.org. 

Title credit: Rent - Take Me or Leave Me performed by Idina Menzel and Tracie Thoms.