The Vagina Monologues
Just got back from a showing of the play down in Red Deer. For those of you don't know the Vagina Monologues is the brainchild of Eve Ensler and was written over 11 years ago. Originally it was created for the purpose of celebrating the sexuality of femininity, but has also evolved over the years to become a campaign to stop violence against women. If it ends up coming to your neck of the woods I would strongly reccomend checking it out. The tickets are 25 dollars, but if you volunteer (like me! Thanks Erin) at the play usually you can get yourself in for free.
It was nice to see that The Memorial Centre, which can hold over 800 people, was sold out tonight. For anyone that ends up seeing it in the future keep and ear out for "The Flood" monologue with the Bert Reynolds dream segment coming from the 72 year old. It's a gut squeezer.
Just a few tidbits to keep in mind when considering the status of women in the world today:
-In many countries (Keyna for example) femal circumcision is common practice to be done with a razor or a shard of glass which usually leads to infection or hemmorhaging which can be fatal. For guys, when considering this keep in mind that the female clitorus has over 8000 nerve endings in it which is almost twice the amount on penis. Infibulation (also referred to as pharaonic circumcision), is the most extreme form, consisting of the removal of the clitoris, the adjacent labia (majora and minora), and the joining of the scraped sides of the vulva across the vagina, where they are secured with thorns or sewn with catgut or thread. A small opening is kept to allow passage of urine and menstrual blood. An infibulated woman must be cut open to allow intercourse on the wedding night and is closed again afterwards to secure fidelity to the husband. Drinks anyone?
-Close to a million women and children are trafficked into sex slavery every year. I've mentioned it before but I would strongly reccomend to anyone interested to go and read The Natashas by Victor Malarek for more information on the matter
-In India it is reported that only one in 69 rape cases in India are even reported. Only 20 % of those reported result in convictions for the rape accused. The police, even when they get to know of a rape, or even when a rape victim approaches them, almost always discourages the family from filing a complaint. Often they are threatened, if the alleged rapist is someone in a powerful position. Some other times, the police reminds the victim's family of the social repercussions and attention (and permanent social humiliation, no marriages for anyone else in the family etc. etc) and the victim returns home to wash away all evidence of the crime.
-In Canada it is estimated that only 6% of sexual assaults are reported to police. In 1999 (sorry about the outdated statistic), in Canada, 23,872 sexual assaults (total of all types) were reported to police. You do the math. I'm not a girl so this is just a guess, but from those I have talked to about such things one could easily make the argument most women do not feel comfortable going to the police because of humiliation and or lack of confidence in the peoples that are supposed to be protecting them due to unfair streotyping.
Given these types of attitudes by men in all societies awarness campaigns put on by shows like The Vagina Monologues are all the more poignently important these days. Your actions are of course always influenced by your beliefs and without education ingnorance only perpetuates itself leading to the statitics in the latter.
For more information on the Vagina Monologues you can go here and for more information on the attrocities that are committed towards women all over the world you can go here.
It was nice to see that The Memorial Centre, which can hold over 800 people, was sold out tonight. For anyone that ends up seeing it in the future keep and ear out for "The Flood" monologue with the Bert Reynolds dream segment coming from the 72 year old. It's a gut squeezer.
Just a few tidbits to keep in mind when considering the status of women in the world today:
-In many countries (Keyna for example) femal circumcision is common practice to be done with a razor or a shard of glass which usually leads to infection or hemmorhaging which can be fatal. For guys, when considering this keep in mind that the female clitorus has over 8000 nerve endings in it which is almost twice the amount on penis. Infibulation (also referred to as pharaonic circumcision), is the most extreme form, consisting of the removal of the clitoris, the adjacent labia (majora and minora), and the joining of the scraped sides of the vulva across the vagina, where they are secured with thorns or sewn with catgut or thread. A small opening is kept to allow passage of urine and menstrual blood. An infibulated woman must be cut open to allow intercourse on the wedding night and is closed again afterwards to secure fidelity to the husband. Drinks anyone?
-Close to a million women and children are trafficked into sex slavery every year. I've mentioned it before but I would strongly reccomend to anyone interested to go and read The Natashas by Victor Malarek for more information on the matter
-In India it is reported that only one in 69 rape cases in India are even reported. Only 20 % of those reported result in convictions for the rape accused. The police, even when they get to know of a rape, or even when a rape victim approaches them, almost always discourages the family from filing a complaint. Often they are threatened, if the alleged rapist is someone in a powerful position. Some other times, the police reminds the victim's family of the social repercussions and attention (and permanent social humiliation, no marriages for anyone else in the family etc. etc) and the victim returns home to wash away all evidence of the crime.
-In Canada it is estimated that only 6% of sexual assaults are reported to police. In 1999 (sorry about the outdated statistic), in Canada, 23,872 sexual assaults (total of all types) were reported to police. You do the math. I'm not a girl so this is just a guess, but from those I have talked to about such things one could easily make the argument most women do not feel comfortable going to the police because of humiliation and or lack of confidence in the peoples that are supposed to be protecting them due to unfair streotyping.
Given these types of attitudes by men in all societies awarness campaigns put on by shows like The Vagina Monologues are all the more poignently important these days. Your actions are of course always influenced by your beliefs and without education ingnorance only perpetuates itself leading to the statitics in the latter.
For more information on the Vagina Monologues you can go here and for more information on the attrocities that are committed towards women all over the world you can go here.
posted by Daniel_v at 11:16 PM
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