The Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance club held its version of Eve Ensler’s play “The Vagina Monologues” on Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Teleconference Center.
Twenty FMLA members performed the monologues that dealt with women who spoke about gaining acceptance of the human body, empowerment and putting an end to violence against women.
“V-Day” is a global movement that draws attention to fight and stop the violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery.
All the proceeds from the performances were donated to the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency that was founded in 1975, who promotes the end to violence against women and provides prevention education.
More than 120 people attended the two-night performances that were directed by English major Jonathan Mota and sociology major Adela Amaya.
Although the play contained explicit content, students that attended said that they walked away with an appreciation and understanding that there is a way to end the violence against women.
Brian Valdez, speech major, said that the performances from all of the FMLA members were great.
“The monologues gave insight to feminism as well as insight from a person’s experience.”
Joe Torres, psychology major, had a more enthusiastic point of view of the play,”Vaginas rule!” he said.
Michelle Garcia, psychology major, said she had read the book version of the monologues and attended because one of her friends was in the play.
“I also had the opportunity to see the monologues in New York,” she continued, “but the one that the FMLA did was also just as well done.”
However, Cerritos students were not the only ones in attendance during the monologues. Veronica Romos, an Anaheim High School graduate, said that the entire performance was eye-opening.
One of the performances that stood out to her the most was philosophy major Gredma Casasola’s moaning during the closing performance, Romos commented.
“From the sound of it she had put a lot of practice into it and it showed.”
ASCC Vice President Jason Macias agreed.
He too said that Casasola stood out, “so there is talent not only from her but from everyone who performed.”
As for the overall message to end the violence against women, not only in the United States but around the world, Macias said that it is unfortunate that information that was spotlighted within the monologues only is addressed once a year.
“I do believe that if the event was held in the Student Center more students would have attended and walked away knowing that there is a way to end the violence.”
But what impressed Macias the most was that the FMLA took the time to organize an event such as the “Vagina Monologues” and that an issue such as ending the violence toward women mattered.
There was a more meaningful aspect to the monologues for Elizabeth Silva, animal health major.
FMLA member Rosalie Reynoso’s performance of a woman’s great relationship with a man named Bob stood out.
“Women have a connection to other women,” Silva explained, “and what the performance has done is show that there is compassion for all women and I thought that was great.”
