“The Vagina Monologues” Performed at Trinity

Isabella Chirkis

Editor in Chief

On Thursday, Feb. 12, “The Vagina Monologues” was performed by students at Trinity College’s Cornelia Center. The play was written by Eve Ensler, and directed by Selam Olson ’28. The event was used as a fundraiser for the Interval House, a domestic violence shelter located in Hartford. Although donations were not required, students and staff had the opportunity to contribute to the fundraiser. The event had free chocolates and t-shirts, and counselors present for anyone who might need somebody to talk to.  

The origins of the “Vagina Monologues” include Eve Ensler’s interviews with over 200 women, that broach a multitude of topics surrounding a woman’s identity. The play serves to eliminate gender-based violence surrounding women. With 15 different monologues performed, the audience was laughing, crying and overall emotional  with the performances of drastically different topics and challenges women face. Whether it be struggling with their identity, facing trauma from abuse, or reclaiming derogative terms used towards women, “The Vagina Monologues” covers it all. 

In an interview with Gil Wiles ’29, who performed in two monologues, she explained what “The Vagina Monologues” means to her and to our campus community: “I believe The Vagina Monologues are as important in their messages as they were when they came out as they are today in this political climate. As we speak, women and people around the world and in our country are being mistreated, and as that fear spreads, I think it is the job of all of us to take change into our hands in any way possible,” Wiles stated in the interview with the Tripod: “My biggest takeaway from the production was the power in continuing to embrace and empower women by expressing the community that women have with one another. Being able to relate to the words that were being said and realize that nobody is alone, and being able to relate to women within certain issues is a lot easier than one might think.” 

I was especially moved by Wiles’ monologue “My Vagina Was my Village.” Her authenticity and emotion through the words she was conveying was so powerful and had me thinking about the performance long after it was over. When talking about this monologue, Wiles told the Tripod: “I think understanding what truly happens to someone when [rape] is said helps acknowledge people’s experiences that transcend women and apply to all victims. When performing, I think they comprehend exactly what I was saying, the weight of my words, and what it means to be that mouthpiece” she stated. The ability to be a vessel to reach out to other women through words and help women to realize that we are all in this experience together is a beautiful thing that the entire cast of “The Vagina Monologues” was able to accomplish.  To donate or reach the Interval House, you can go directly to their website https://intervalhousect.org or access their 24-hour hotline at (860)-838-8467.