Local scripts written for ‘The Vagina Monologues’

What will the world look like when there is no violence against women and girls?

This was the question posed to many Boise State students, faculty and staff when the Women’s Center recently conducted workshops on campus.

“The folks involved in V-Day do not ask could, should or would. They asked what would the world look like when there is no longer violence against women and girls because they’re going to make it happen,” Women’s Center Coordinator Melissa Wintrow said.

The Women’s Center collected responses and distributed them to Professor Tom Peele of the Department of English and former BSU student Lauren Tweedy. Each received anonymous male and female responses respectively.

Peele and Tweedy were selected from a committee set up through the Women’s Center to compose new monologues for this year’s performance of The Vagina Monologues.

Peele has a Ph.D. in English, although his concentration is in gay and lesbian studies. He presented papers on The Vagina Monologues concerning why it would be a good text to have in the classroom.

Originally from New York, Peele was acquainted with Eve Ensler, the author of The Vagina Monologues.

“We were in the same social circles. She is a remarkable woman,” Peele said.

Peele said he chose a variety of perspectives and loosely fit them into a dialogue to include an abused woman, a religious woman, an intellectual woman and a skeptical woman.

“Many people wrote about the issue of safety. They said women wouldn’t have to know where the blue phones are on campus. I was really struck by that and wanted to emphasize that,” Peel said.

Despite his involvement with The Vagina Monologues, Peele does not consider himself a feminist.

“I think it’s problematic for men to be feminists. I hesitate to join this particular political movement because I’m a man speaking for women, and I think that one of the key features of feminism is women speaking for themselves. I don’t understand all the issues, and I don’t know what it’s like to be a woman,” Peele said.

Lauren Tweedy, on the other hand, proudly calls herself a feminist.

She said, “Feminism means gender equality. I’m not asking for special rights; I’m asking for equal rights. This is inclusive of men. There should be no gender, race or sexual identity boundaries on feminism.”

Tweedy was the assistant director and stage manager for The Vagina Monologues last year and has been publishing her own independent ‘zine, titled Defase, for the past three years.

Even so, taking on the construction of a brand new monologue was a challenge for Tweedy.

“Honestly, I think it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” she said.

She compiled a collection of answers that appealed to her.

“The answers were so real. One woman wrote, ‘I can finally see the world in color. I wouldn’t be looking through bruised eyes.’ Picking out the ones I liked the best was really hard. All of these answers are valid,” Tweedy said.

“Through the monologue, I have discovered that it takes a strong woman to stand up for herself, and an even stronger woman to continually stand up for herself. I dedicated this monologue to my mother because in my eyes she’s the strongest woman alive.”

For more information call Boise State’s Women’s Center at 426-4259.

If you go…
The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler.
February 14, 15, 16 in the Special Events Center.
Tickets are available at all Select-a-Seat locations or online at www.idahotickets.com.

Tammy Sands, The Arbiter

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