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It's wonderful for our community to get a group of people involved in the discussion surrounding domestic violence, human sexuality, and gender. This past spring, Women's Mountain Passages was successful in rallying support for V-Day and Until the Violence Stops, both national campaigns to end violence against women and girls, with our production of The Vagina Monologues. Undoubtedly, some of the attendance was due to curiosity surrounding the play's name, but most was due to strong community support around these issues. The goal of the production was threefold. First, the play acts as an annual fundraiser for Passages so that we may continue to provide services for women and youth in our community. Second, the play's production raises funds for the national V-Day campaign. Lastly, the presence of a production like Monologues within a community inherently brings about dialogue surrounding the issues of human sexuality, domestic violence, and social taboos. Dialogue and awareness are what bring about positive change and support in a community such as ours.
This year's production was a great success. Not only did we raise money for both Passages and the national V-Day campaign for women, we took the chance to speak out about violence and sexuality in the lives of women around the world. It was evident that the production (and its title) got people talking. Complaints were made about the appearance of the word "vagina" on the flyers around town. Men were overheard asking questions about the play's content and wondering if some of the stories told by the actresses were actually true. It is within these comments that we see the deeper, truer impact of a play like the Vagina Monologues, not just a fundraiser, but an awareness-raiser. Another success of the play was its diverse cast and audience. Men and women of varying ages attended the play and women of a variety of ages and backgrounds came together to make the play possible. So, when people asked me after the production, "Was it a success for Passages?" I can proudly nod my head "yes." After all, we not only raised money, we raised the issues.
March is National Women's History Month and March 8th is International Women's Day. These are both good reasons for Women's Mountain Passages to celebrate the strong women we know whose courage, foresight, and resolve have changed our lives. Watch for more details about upcoming events throughout the month of March 2009.
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