Vagina, vagina, vagina, vagina! There, I said it. Yup, I just said the word ""vagina"" four times in one column. Which I can bet is a less common statement than using the word ""dick"".
Think about it. Sigmund Freud's notion of penis envy surrounds a power struggle that identifies a penis with dominion. But why wasn't the idea of vagina envy conceived? Why did Freud neglect the idea of men wishing they had a vagina? It mostly likely stems from the negative connotations given to the vagina and the female community as a whole. Women have suffered for centuries with a stigma surrounding the supposed weakness of the female gender, and it's time for individuals to acknowledge that women's rights have made a change for the better.
For men and women, the vagina typically means completely different things. For men it is more of a need for pleasure, but for women it can mean much more than that. Many women have been subjected to sexual assault through vaginal abuse. I am not saying that men know nothing of sexual assault, but according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, one in six women will be sexually assaulted as opposed to one in 33 men.
According to RAINN, college women are four times more likely to be sexually abused. Because of this, the Campus Women's Center will be holding an incredible event Feb. 12 and Feb. 13. Reproducing the ""The Vagina Monologues"" by Eve Ensler, the CWC will be putting on a play composed of many different monologues that relate to the female vagina. They are true stories of women around the world who have been affected positively and negatively from having a vagina and being a woman.
Unfortunately, because the title has the word vagina in it, a lot of men find it unnecessary to attend the show or read the book. Many automatically think it has a strong feminist attitude that bashes men.
I can't blame individuals for avoiding a play they perceive to demote the male gender, but it is important for men and women to both realize the script doesn't play favorites. ""The Vagina Monologues"" simply talks about how females can enhance themselves through the struggles that come along with being a woman. It focuses on female empowerment—something that deserves encouragement from both men and women on campus.
And while I agree that this book has a feminist viewpoint behind it, the voice of the play is not the overwhelming feminist tone that most people think of. To some, feminism accompanies the vision of a bra-burning, radical and butch woman who refuses to shave her legs and be subservient to her husband.
But to me and the females portrayed in the ""The Vagina Monologues,"" feminism refers to women who are confident in themselves. Women who not only believe in women's rights but are cognoscenti of what opportunities and privileges they have obtained over centuries. Ideally, feminism doesn't just mean women understanding the struggles and opportunities that have arisen from our country's past, but it also means men understanding and believing in women's rights.
It can be argued that most men are likely to know a woman who has been sexually abused or molested, whether it is a friend or relative. Men can be a great support system for female victims by attending ""The Vagina Monologues"" and learning more about the struggles their fellow peers deal with on a daily basis.
Due to the fact that men are inevitably entangled with women, I think it is very important for men to see ""The Vagina Monologues."" It provides a well-rounded insight as to what it really means to be a woman. It portrays a plethora of stories that deal with the struggles, awkwardness and miracles that come along with having a vagina.
Knowing how hard women have worked and how far they have come makes me feel empowered and proud to be a woman. I want other women to feel just as confident, so I recommend attending ""The Vagina Monologues"" in February or getting involved at the Campus Women's Center. Attending an event designed to enhance the female gender is a small act that students can participate in to show support for the female community.
I hear men saying they will never understand women no matter what they do. Well gentlemen, this is your one chance to get into the heads of several different women and finally understand who they are.
Brittany Schmidt is a senior majoring in theatre and drama. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
