VaGiiina, VaGiiiiina!!;)

[avad]

Ok, I'm way behind on this, but caught myself a miserable lil cold these last few days and just wasn't up to much.
So, last SUNDAY....(better stale than never as they say), my good friend singer/songwriter Maryann Leone was opening for a production of The Vagina Monologues a couple of towns over! Now, I'd never seen this, so I was pretty excited for the double whammy of M's singing and this performance. Brought my digital cam to snap pics of M's socks as she sang..hehe...I handed them all over to her so sorry you don't get to see. Actually, I think some are on her website now, so do check out!
Anyway, The Vagina Monologues (presented as part of V-Day celebration to stop the violence towards women)was intense, hysterical and moving. I laughed til I cried with the variations on moaning skit and I just balled over in horror and tears with all the too real tales of abuse, violence and shame.
This is SUCH a necessary act- I hope EVERYONE gets to see this. There really is such a debilitating taboo on the subject...which is at the root of so many problems in our society...And I was amazed at how refreshing the openess was, how NOVEL to me, how, dare I say it, Liberating. It's not a male-bashing skit. I think it would be great for all men to see as well, because it banished some common misconceptions that many men have about how women feel about their bodies. (The men in the audience said the very same thing afterwards).
SO...if you HAVEN'T seen it, check out vday.org and find out when/where you can catch it.

Comments

[ljreader-liz.livejournal.com]

It sounds good - I read about it on judith's journal. I don't know whether it has been here or not (but I DID relink to Judy Chicago's work thanks to J) Everyone is REALLY POSITIVE about it so (snob that I am) I don't know whether its a 'love it or hate it thing' or truly inspiring. I have heard that Simon Gray has written something similar from the other sex's side (as it were) called 'Penetrating Insights'. I wonder which I should go with Gender or Sex?

I doubt that either will come thisaways.

[avad.livejournal.com]

I don't think it would hurt to see both. I tend to think the more perspectives we hear, the better. It may not answer very personal questions for you...but it will allow you to hear other perspectives and empathize.
For me, it made me realize (with some surprise and sadness) how detached I really am from my biological...how my sexuality has been mostly a mental affair...though I loveLOVE 'being a woman'...I in fact have never really related positively and comfortably with my anatomy. Maybe it was the semi-Catholic upbringing...the guilt. Maybe it was trauma.. but "I" tend to be here in my head, in my thoughts...and my body is...oh...somewhere.
I like my body...but it's more like a picture I glance at in the mirror...or an article of clothing that's 'ok' but nonessential. Sometimes I like that sensation. But when it comes to sexuality, I know it's a block of some sort, and I'd like to reenter my body.To be reminded and reminded that it is possible and to taste a bit of the reintegration even vicariously ...through these monologues in such a non-threatening way...with laughter and women of many types and ages and stories...was just a really good seed that I will try to keep in mind and nurture more from now on.

vaaagggggiiiiiiiinnnnnaaaa pt. 2

[(Anonymous)]

hi my name is maryann and i love my vagina. hee heh. that was moving dar (above comment). and here's something else, someone the next day (woman) said she thought the show was male-bashing and i thought "were we in the same audience?" it's amazing how we're made to believe that doing anything even remotely pro-woman is anti-male. it's so limiting, and like you mention, how many of us even luxuriate in the idea of celebrating ourselves, esp. our bodies? (well, beside when we're snuggling up to our "lil pals".. wink wink nudge nudge) but seriously... what a great show, yeah. oh and as far as that man in the audience's suggestion about doing 'the penis dialogues' (i'm not male bashing when is say this) but does he not realize the redundancy there? can my coochie snorcher not have ONE DAY of her own? hhheeehhh. :)
-m

Re: vaaagggggiiiiiiiinnnnnaaaa pt. 2

[avad.livejournal.com]

your cootchie snorcher can have many days, snoops!:) Take em! Celebrate:).
I actually don't think it's redundant though, to have penis dialogues. I think if there was a production that dealt with the more sensitive issues regarding make sexuality...and the various pressures and such with being born MALE in this society...it would be beneficial AND in our favor!. It's all about how it's done. If we think of a "Penis Dialogue" as a fratboy chant or the warped monologues of the Tom Cruise character in Magnolia, sure, I agree..it'd be
Poison!. But if there was a sensitive equivalent to The Vagina Monologues for men, I'd be all for it. Do you really think men are 100%comfortable with their sexuality- and get to really TALK about it with other men- or might they often grow up parroting social media images just like us...and fearing the taunts of their peers. Sensitivity, insecurity, and any diversion from the norm male image has in the developmental years been categorized negatively into 'queerness'. *sigh* anyway...wow I do go on too long. just sayin though.
I look forward to seein YOU tonight.
I'll be yer groupie, hotstuff.;)

[ljreader-liz.livejournal.com]

'I want to capture the lightness of this day'

Oh DO! I have woken up to Spring early this year and am already looking forward to summertime no matter what the weather.

As for the topic - anytime you want. You know me, I respond to somethin and write a novella. At such times I feel something writing through me. This means I often come upon it later and do not recognise it.

Changing the subject (for as long as you want)

...Have you seen 'Whale Rider'? Lucy, janet's daughter sent it over from NZ at Christmas and I kept delaying us watching it - then today it felt perfect ... so we have just watched it. Deeply moved by it and deeply empathic to the story and the character of Pike.

Love and Sunshine to you.