58 V’s The Vagina Monologues (formerly Eve Ensler)
In This Chapter
Author Background
Eve Ensler, born on May 25, 1953, is an American playwright, performer, feminist, and activist. She is best known for her groundbreaking play The Vagina Monologues, which has been performed worldwide and has become a symbol of empowerment and advocacy for women’s rights.
Activism
Eve Ensler was born in New York City. She grew up in a Jewish family and had a difficult relationship with her father, which influenced her work and activism. Ensler began her career as an actress and playwright, but her work shifted towards activism and advocacy for women’s rights. She founded V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. V-Day organizes performances of The Vagina Monologues and other events to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence organizations.
Besides The Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler has written several other plays and books exploring themes of feminism, body image, and social justice.
After writing her memoir, The Apology, which excavated the dead father who violently abused her throughout her childhood, Ensler changed her name to V as a way to free herself from her paternal identity.
Writing Career
Some of her notable works include Necessary Targets, The Good Body, and In the Body of the World. V (formerly Eve Ensler) has received numerous awards and accolades for her work as a playwright, performer, and activist. She was awarded the Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in 2011 for her humanitarian efforts through V-Day.
Background on The Vagina Monologues
Published in 1996, The Vagina Monologues is V’s most well-known work. The play has been performed in numerous countries and translated into over 50 languages. It premiered off-Broadway in 1996 and has since been performed worldwide, becoming a prominent part of feminist theater and a catalyst for discussions on women’s experiences, sexuality, and gender-based violence.
V wrote The Vagina Monologues based on interviews she conducted with women from various backgrounds, exploring their experiences, feelings, and attitudes towards their bodies and sexuality. The play aims to celebrate and reclaim the vagina as a source of empowerment and to address issues of violence and discrimination against women.
The Vagina Monologues is composed of a series of monologues performed by one or multiple actresses, each representing a different aspect of womanhood and sexuality. They cover a wide range of topics, including sexual desire, body image, childbirth, menstruation, rape, and female genital mutilation.
The play has had a profound impact on feminist discourse and activism. It has been performed by diverse casts around the world, including professional actors, community groups, and college students. While The Vagina Monologues has garnered significant acclaim and popularity, it has also faced criticism for its portrayal of certain topics and its exclusion of transgender women. Some critics argue that the play essentializes and simplifies complex issues related to women’s experiences, sexuality, and gender identity.
Regardless, The Vagina Monologues continues to be performed globally, sparking conversations about gender, sexuality, and women’s empowerment. It remains a significant piece of feminist theater, prompting reflection and activism surrounding issues of gender equality and violence against women.
Test your knowledge of V’s life and work by answering the true/false questions below.
You can create an account, borrow, and read the full text of The Vagina Monologues for free here:
https://archive.org/details/vaginamonologues00ensl/page/n3/mode/2up
You can also view a theatre production of The Vagina Monologues produced for Imperial College London’s drama society here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaPEeQyy6u0
The following discussion questions can serve as a starting point for engaging conversations about The Vagina Monologues and its impact on perceptions of women’s bodies, sexuality, and gender-related issues.
For Discussion
- What were your initial thoughts and feelings about The Vagina Monologues before watching or reading it? Did those perceptions change after experiencing the play?
- How does The Vagina Monologues challenge social norms and stereotypes surrounding women’s bodies and sexuality? In what ways does it empower women to embrace their bodies and reclaim their sexuality?
- The play covers a wide range of topics related to women’s experiences, including pleasure, menstruation, childbirth, and violence. Which monologue resonated with you the most, and why? How did it impact your understanding of that specific topic?
- Discuss the role of personal narratives in The Vagina Monologues. How do these individual stories contribute to a broader understanding of the female experience? How do they foster empathy and solidarity among women?
- The Vagina Monologues has been criticized for its exclusion of transgender women and its focus on cisgender women’s experiences. What are your thoughts on this critique? How could the play be more inclusive and representative of a wider range of gender identities?
- In what ways does The Vagina Monologues challenge taboos and promote open discussions about sexuality and consent? How can these conversations contribute to dismantling rape culture and creating a safer society for everyone?
- How has The Vagina Monologues influenced public discourse on gender, sexuality, and women’s rights? Have you witnessed any changes or shifts in attitudes and awareness as a result of the play’s impact?
- The play delves into the sensitive topic of violence against women, including rape and female genital mutilation. How did these monologues make you feel? What actions can we take as individuals and as a society to address and prevent such violence?
- Discuss the significance of humor and satire in The Vagina Monologues. How does the use of comedy help to engage and educate audiences about serious and sometimes uncomfortable topics?
Sources
Akbar, Arifa. “The Apology by Eve Ensler Review — My Father Who Abused Me.” The Guardian, 12 June 2019, https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jun/12/the-apology-eve-ensler-review
Ensler, Eve. The Vagina Monologues. Villard Books, 1998.
“The Vagina Monologues.” You Tube, uploaded by Colonel Duck, 2 May 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaPEeQyy6u0
“V-Day: Until the Violence Stops.” https://www.vday.org/
V’s official website. https://www.eveensler.org/
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience.
Satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
