V-Day events to end with celebrated stage play

By REUBEN CONTRERAS

Violence against women and children will be presented through education and entertainment at Fresno State today and Saturday, as the Vagina Monologues will be performed. The event will be held in the Satellite Student Union at 8 p.m.

“Our goal is to raise awareness and to stop violence against women and children,” women’s studies major and V-Day student leader Geri Yang said. “We want to bring it to a local level.”

Yang said the problem of violence toward women and children is global. Women on college campuses tend to be more aware of abuse problems and of places to seek help, she said.

“Solutions must begin in towns and neighborhoods and homes,” she said.

Diane Blair, communication professor and V-Day adviser, said the monologues are a form of movement to reach the goal of awareness.

“It empowers women to come to voice, and encourages greater awareness and action on the part of all of us to stop violence against women and children,” Blair said.

Stories in the monologues are about women in violence and war, Yang said. Topics will deal with homeless women and women in different countries that include Bosnia, Iraq, and Mexico.

“Collectively, all the monologues have the same purpose: to raise awareness of violence against women,” Yang said. “The audience will be shocked and surprised.”

Blair said the monologues are both funny and poignant.

“It explores women’s experiences, especially as they relate to their sexuality, and it is told from multiple perspectives,” she said.

Director of the play and drama professor Janine Miskulin said using humor is a good way to approach a very serious subject.

“Some people might be scared of the subject. [The monologues] is a well written piece that tells people that this is a serious subject that should be discussed,” Miskulin said.

The monologues are educational and entertaining, Miskulin said.

The entertaining and humorous topics include orgasms, and talking vaginas.

Miskulin said university president John Welty will give a speech before the monologues and discuss local statistics, such as the number of rapes in the Fresno area.

The monologues are benefit performances with profits going to anti-violence organizations.

Yang said the local beneficiaries this year are: Healing for Survivors, Rape Counseling Service and the Pride Against Family Violence program of Central California Pride Network. An international beneficiary this year is Women in Iraq.

The monologues are a part of V-Day, a student-run organization. Yang said its existence depends primarily on the interest, time and energy of student volunteers and community support.

Tickets for the monologues are $10.00 for students and $15.00 for the general public.