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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

FSA challenges vagina taboo

Feminist playwright Iris Dauterman explains about the "Vagina Monologues" Thursday at Sassafrass room in the Indiana Memorial Union. The IU Feminist Student Association is going to host the Vagina Monologues on Feb. 12 - 14.

Nobody wants to talk about vaginas.

At the first mention of the word, a room of about 20 women giggled, looked down and blushed.

“There’s something about saying the word that’s still very uncomfortable,” feminist playwright Iris 
Dauterman said.

Dauterman, a recent IU MFA graduate, led a writing workshop about vaginas this Thursday for the IU Feminist Student Association. The discussion was in preparation for the FSA’s upcoming gynecological productions, “The Vagina Monologues” and “My Vagina’s Story.”

Every year, the FSA is host to productions of Eve Ensler’s 1996 play, “The Vagina Monologues,” during Valentine’s Day weekend, but “My Vagina’s Story” is a new event.

“‘My Vagina’s Story’ is more personal,” FSA member Carmen Vernon said. “It transforms watching the play as an audience member from a passive act to an active one.”

Students and members of the Bloomington community who have vaginas are invited to share stories about their own bodies at 10 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Bishop after the premiere of “The Vagina Monologues” at 7 p.m. Feb. 13 in Woodburn 100.

Dauterman helped 
members of the FSA brainstorm monologues for “My Vagina’s Story.” She said she has experience writing about women and sex.

“There are vibrators in three of my plays,” Dauterman said. “It’s a staple of mine.”

Dauterman said a good monologue is driven by clear motivation.

“The more of an engine behind the work, the more reason there is to be up there,” she said.

Dauterman asked the audience to write down three to five things they needed to get off their chests about their bodies that would get them thrown out of a dinner party.

As an example, Dauterman gave a short speech called, “My vagina is not in my mouth.”

She asked the audience to share titles of their own vagina monologues. Examples included “My vagina is a robot: Pulling out my copper IUD” and “The condom broke and it wasn’t a big deal,” a story about a broken condom that resulted in a trip to Planned Parenthood followed by a trip to the zoo.

By the end of the hour-and-a-half long session, Dauterman had said the word vagina more than 50 times.

Dauterman ended the talk with a message of comfort. She encouraged the audience to leave feeling empowered about their bodies.

“You are free to go off into the wild blue yonder with your vagina,” she said.

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