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Show "V ( t t tf THE FORUM - FEBRUARY 13 6, 2013 Westminster celebrates i 1 V-D-ay Adrienne Cory Staff Reporter Westminster College will host The Vagina Monologues camas part of the paigns 15th anniversary this February. This is the sixth year that Westminster College will be presenting the play. The award-winniplay is based on founder Eve Enslers interviews of over 200 women. Its purpose is to celebrate womens sexuality and V-D- ay ng V-D-ay strength. According to the director, Taylor Hoffman, one of the strengths of the play is that it creates an outlet for women to share their stories. I wanted people to have that community. Not just with the cast members, the Vagina Warriors, but also with the - school, she said. safe place where sex and especially sexual violence can be talked about honesdy. A sociology student, Nicole Bedera, went to the production last year. We need to have conversations about consensual sex as much as we need to talk about the dangers of sex, she said. The play, which is performed by Westminster students, adds a personal element to the issue of gender violence. Hoffman said four stories have been added from Westminster students and alumni to this years performance. non-consens- A Campaign Against Violence which stands for victory, valentine, and vagina, is a global activist movement striving to raise awareness to stop violence against women and girls through a variety of benefit performances. Besides The Vagina Monologues, Westminster holds other events to support the campaign. One of these events is the Clothesline Project, which includes the Shirts and Stories V-D- Every February, die royalty-fre- e play is performed across the country by numerous campuses to raise money for local organizations that work to prevent violence against women. Westminster Colleges beneficiary is the Salt Lake City Rape Recovery Center. Not Just for the Ladies ual ay, V-D- ay Night. While The Vagina Monologues is about women, it is not just for women. I want to debunk the noHofftion that it is anti-me- n, man said. The play is about preventing violence against women through greater understanding and directness. We need everyone, not just women. Hoffman said. We need the men who care about women. Some men do find a greater People can come and share their story and can make a shirt if they want to which will be included in the Clothesline Project, said Amelia Prebish, The Vagina Monologues coordinator. These shirts will be on display in the Jewett Center for the Per- understanding when they tend the play Mitchell Allen, a philosophy student who saw the play last year, said it was different and uncomfortable at first but it was worth going to. These things affect a great number of people I know. Westminster will be holding is The MENding Monologues. Inspired by The Vagina Monologues, this newer play discusses gender violence issues from a male perspective, according to Prebish. Westminster was the first school in Utah to perform The MENding Monologues when activities it was added to last year. Dates are still unannounced for this performance. at- An Open Forum for a Taboo Topic One of the key aspects to The Vagina Monologues is that the performance is very open. Its supposed to be shocking, said Hoffman. Hoffman said that she loves to see peoples reactions, especially in Utah, because sex is such a taboo topic. But The Vagina Monologues creates a w forming Arts. A bake will also take place Feb. 6 and 7 from 12 p.m. to 2 sale p.m. in Shaw. Weve already ordered the vagina pops, Prebish said. One of the newer events that V-D- ay The Vagina Monologues will be performed Feb. 7, 8, and 9 in the Vieve Gore Concert Hall. Tickets are $10 and are available from the Concierge Desk. There is no student discount. All proceeds benefit the Rape Recovery Center. 1 i ft i i I I I I 3 4 i . i t I f |