“The Vagina Monologues” will be coming to SMU this weekend to educate and bring awareness to students about violence against women. 

“The Vagina Monologues” is an Obie-award winning play written by Eve Ensler. She got the idea to write a women’s empowerment play after interviewing women about their bodies and hearing about the different feelings of shame and joy associated with being a woman and, more literally, having a vagina.

Monologues have titles that range from “Hair” to “He Liked To Look At It.”

“This is one way to play a role in achieving our goal to end violence against women,” Maria Walker, program advisor to the Women’s Center, said. The Women’s Center is hosting this weekend’s performance, with students acting, producing and staffing the whole production.

The Women’s Center is one of the oldest centers on campus.

“Its purpose is to empower students to work for equity for all, but especially for marginalized groups,” Walker said.

The Women’s Center offers advising for women as well as the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender community. Each semester, Women’s Center staff talk to SMU Wellness classes, letting students know about the services offered. The Women’s Center also sponsors “Let’s Talk about It,” a discussion at the beginning of each year about campus rape, as well as the Women’s Symposium and the Women’s Interest Network. The Women’s Center also advises “Take Back The Night.”

The play came to SMU in 2005. SMU has free rights to it on the basis that they donate any money raised by the performances to a violence prevention network. SMU has paired with Brighter Tomorrows, a women’s shelter in the area that empowers survivors of domestic violence and abuse. Brighter Tomorrows offers therapy, housing, budget counseling, job placement and job skills workshops.

“I am so excited to see the community rally together this weekend to show a commitment to ending violence against women,” said Walker. “It’s always interesting to see who shows up and who takes what away from the show.”

Walker hopes that the show will spark discussion about women, their rights and the violence against them.

“Vagina isn’t a dirty word,” she said. “People have preconceived notions about what we do, and I hope they will leave those behind as they come hear what we have to share.” 

“The Vagina Monologues” will be performed in the Hughes-Trigg Student Center Theater Thursday, Feb. 12 and Friday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.

“If you are curious, concerned or compassionate, you are welcomed and needed,” Walker said.