On Saturday, March 15th Michiana Monologues presented “City of Women.” The group performed in Reith Recital Hall in the music center at 7:30pm.
Michiana Monologues was the experimental project of a group of women from Indiana University South Bend that decided to try a new variation on Eve Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues.”The idea was to collect anonymous stories about what it meant to be a woman in the Michiana area. Michiana Monologues has been holding annual productions since 2008. The purpose of the productions is to provide a voice to the experiences of women in the area and to validate and share the values of the stories submitted.
Story topics included self-identity struggles as a transgendered individual, self-image, the importance of mothers, the role of puberty in relation to identity, and the effects of socially constructed norms about physical appearances and gender roles.
Calls of “FUPA” rang through the audience as Megan Chandler claimed the glorious wonders of having a fat vagina. Myrna Haas demanded her “Girl Card” since she was stripped of her gay card, and Jazmine Medina recalled how happy she is when she paints her toes because it reminds her of her mother.
Directors included Cheri Grey and Shelly Overgaard. The cast consisted of Dominique Chante Bonilla, Megan Chandler, Jessia Dent, Stephanie Dockery, Myrna Lenora Haas, Seyhan Kelic, Sabrina Lute, Lynn McDonald, Jazmine Medina and Terri L. Russ.
Funding for Michiana Monoglues was provided in part by the GLBT Resource Center of Michiana, Elkhart County Women’s Shelter, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, Indiana Legal Services, Maple City Health Care Center, Saint Margaret’s House, SOS of the Family Justice Center, Young Mom’s Self-Sufficiency Program of the Youth Service Bureau, YWCA North Central Indiana and IUSB.
For more information on Michiana Monologues, to submit stories, or get involved, go to their website at www.michianamonologues.org
