Not My Idea of Empowerment

    I did not particularly enjoy reading The Vagina Monologues, as it included statements and ideas I found to be offensive and uncomfortable. I certainly did not laugh at any of the monologues, as I know countless audiences did, and I honestly could not wait to be done reading the dialogue. Many of these feelings probably do stem from my background as a conservative Christian and as someone who does not like to confront people or get into heated debates about personal topics, such as religion and politics. Despite my shy nature, however, I do understand and commend some of the motives behind The Vagina Monologues and V-Day. The efforts made to bring awareness to violence against women have been tremendous and the resulting social stimulation and change most likely could not have come about without such a shocking and outspoken play.
    My experience with The Vagina Monologues is very similar to that of The Book of Mormon, which I read for a theater class in the spring. Both of these pieces present ideas and dialogue that are funny to some people and offensive to others. No matter what a person’s reaction to these plays is, however, Eve Ensler, Trey Parker, and Matt Stone have raised awareness and sparked a greater interest in important social issues that people were often afraid to talk about before these productions. I also found The Book of Mormon to be offensive at times, but I was able to understand the greater message that society needs to learn the truth about important issues, such as AIDS.
    In The Vagina Monologues, I felt that only some of the stories actually revealed the violence that occurs against women and furthered Ensler's overall message. Most of the monologues, on the other hand, only discussed women seeking sexual pleasure, which I think strays too far away from the ultimate goal of V-Day. After reading some critiques of the play, I understand that Ensler was trying to evoke a message of empowerment for women, but I found nothing empowering about the monologues. I would have rather read about women who are accomplishing great tasks, despite adversity, than having read the actual dialogue of the play. To me, true empowerment comes when one is doing the most good for other people and focusing his/her time on the needs of others, instead of seeking to help oneself.