From a “menstrual hut” where women could share their experiences and memories to white and pink balloons shaped to resemble the female reproductive system, students participated in a different sort of V-Day Saturday at Norris University Center.
Northwestern joined 230 other universities in the V-Day College Initiative, an event aimed to teach openness about vaginas, a subject that organizers said is pushed aside by a male-dominated society.
The Vagina Carnival and Vagina Monologues were a celebration of womanhood, said members of Women’s Coalition, which sponsored the event.
Women’s Co. was “thrilled” with the turnout of 700 to 900 people, said Weinberg junior Katy Quissell, the carnival’s coordinator.
“The event was incredibly successful and turnout was overwhelming,” Quissell said. “We wanted to do something engaging and lively to draw people, and it worked.”
The carnival’s kick-off on Friday night featured a performance by Magdalin Hsu-Li, a bi-sexual feminist and Chinese-American singer known for her 1998 album “Evolution,” and four speeches about sexual assault.
All profits from the event were donated to the Chicago Foundation for Women, an umbrella group providing grants to 200 women’s organizations each year.
Women’s Co. members said Saturday’s carnival went off “without a hitch.” Attendees could answer quizzes asking “How much do you know about your reproductive system?” and design quilt patches about sexuality.
Medill freshman David Kieley said the carnival accomplished its goal of being pro-woman without having anti-male bias.
“The guys could identify to some extent and can definitely walk away with something,” Kieley said. “I thought the event was an intelligent way to address sexuality and what it is to be a woman.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if some guys who didn’t attend would view it as militant feminist event, but as far as I can see, support from most guys there was positive.”
The Vagina Monologues, produced by Arts Alliance and Women’s Co., had such a high turnout that about 100 people had to be turned away at the door, said Alexandra Goldman, who directed the play.
Goldman said she received “so much positive feedback” from people who enjoyed the show.
“We felt that The Vagina Monologues wasn’t just a play, but an event and phenomenon,” said Goldman, a Speech junior. “The audience was totally wrapped around the actress’ fingers.”
Goldman said that the positive reaction shows that society is becoming more open and accepting of issues previously not discussed.
“The response shows that there is an interest in women’s sexuality,” she said. “We are moving forward.”
Performed as nine monologues discussing different women’s experience with their vaginas, the play ranged from somber to humorous. The vignettes covered topics from the rape of a Muslim woman by Serbian soldiers in Bosnia to an elderly woman’s first experience going “down there.”
Originally written by Eve Ensler who won an Obie Award for the play, the Vagina Monologues were performed nationwide on Saturday, including a show at Madison Square Garden featuring Calista Flockhart and Oprah Winfrey.
Students who attended NU’s production said the acting was phenomenal.
Audience member Brette Polin said the play put “a different light” on the female anatomy.
“The whole concept of expressing what a vagina means to women was very interesting,” said Polin, a Medill freshman. “But the acting was even more impressive.”
Kieley said exposing issues related to both sexes has a positive impact on the school as a whole.
“It’s good for everyone when people can be open about important issues,” he said. “People should be more exposed to things without the standard taboos getting in the way.”
