Vagina Monologues
The Vagina Monologues, or Project V-Day, are a theater group that perform feminist plays at Barnard.
In fall 2013, they came under scrutiny for deciding to cast actors of color exclusively.
Their press release stated:
"Barnard-Columbia V-Day is excited to announce that our annual production of The Vagina Monologues will feature an all self-identified women of color cast this year. This decision was made unanimously by the Barnard-Columbia V-Day board and is a product of both self-determination and allyship.
The Vagina Monologues has historically overlooked the empowerment of women of color, queer women, and trans* folk, among others—often replicating and perpetuating the same systems of power and privilege that prompted the playwright, Eve Ensler, to write The Vagina Monologues in the first place.
The marginalization and erasure of these groups in such a generative and influential feminist play speaks to a failure to consider the effects of power structures outside gender within the feminist community. We hope that an all women of color cast of The Vagina Monologues will continue a serious dialogue on campus regarding the shortcomings of mainstream Western feminism."
On the bright side, ticket sales went WAY up!
External links
"Barnard-Columbia Vagina Monologues will not consider white actors" Editorial about vaginas
