[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/VDay.jpe” caption=”VDay logo “]Seven years ago, playwright/performer/activist, Eve Ensler started an awareness campaign that has since grown into an international movement to stop violence against women. McMaster's V-Day 2006 organizers Nicole Kallmeyer and Melina Dimson, both fourth-year arts & science students, have taken up the cause to make the campus “vagina-friendly”.

V-Day is a global movement working at the local, national and international level to raise funds and awareness about violence against women. Campaigns have sprung up all around the world to honour local “vaginal warriors”, women and men who have worked towards ending violence against women in their communities.

Centered around Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues, V-Day not only promotes dialogue about women's issues, but also seeks to educate all societies about the severity of violence against women. The 'V' in V-Day stands for victory, valentine and vagina.

“V-Day is intended to empower women to find their collective voices to demand an end to abuse against women,” says Dimson. “Its focus is the education about violence against women and to stop accepting it as a normal part of society. Domestic violence and rape is often swept under the rug and we're so afraid to talk about it.”

“But (violence against women) isn't something that just happens,” adds Kallmeyer. “We have to offer women the resources and education to seek help.”

Kallmeyer points to the taboo usage of the term 'vagina' as an example of how women's issues are not being properly addressed. The campaign uses the word as a scientific term for the female reproductive organ, but also as a metaphor for many concerns women have with self-esteem, self-worth, image and respect.

As a central part of the V-Day McMaster campaign, a 32-member female student cast will present a benefit performance of The Vagina Monologues. The production will explore issues of female sexuality, sexual assault, reproductive biology, women's rights and femininity as a source of power.

All proceeds earned from ticket sales will go towards local and international anti-violence organizations working directly with women in need. This year, two local Hamilton women's shelters, Interval House and Martha House, will receive 90 percent of the funds raised by McMaster. The rest of the proceeds will go towards the global V-Day “Comfort Women” Spotlight Campaign.

Between 1932 and 1945, young women all over south east Asia were forced to offer sexual services to Japanese troops. Now in their 70s and 80s, these 'Comfort Women' are seeking an official apology from the Japanese government as well as inclusion into history textbooks. Global V-Day organizers have chosen to spotlight these women and have rallied behind them to offer support and advocacy.

Learning about female roles in history such as that of the 'Comfort Women' has given Kallmeyer a renewed sense of passion and commitment towards the cause. “It's true that we're doing this for other women,” says Kallmeyer. “But it also makes us question our own role in society. To what extent do I support other women? How do I relate to other women and to men? I find I'm learning so much about myself. So the campaign is also about inner development as well as outreach.”

The global V-Day campaign certainly has outreached a great deal. Last year, more than $4 million was raised in V-Day campaigns throughout the world. But raising funds is only a band-aid solution, says Dimson. “Violence against women is a systemic problem that is woven into every culture. The cast (of The Vagina Monologues) has talked about how we treat each other and how we relate to men. We have to start talking about the issues and acknowledging who we are as women and what it means to be a woman.”

While both Kallmeyer and Dimson are excited about the play, they are also sensitive to others who may be uncomfortable with such a candid approach. Their mission is not to convert people, says Kallmeyer, but they don't want people to shy away from the issue without education and initiating the thought process.

“We want the movement to be accessible to everyone,” says Kallmeyer. “We want people to be able to talk about women's issues without being censored. We want to make this campus a 'vagina-friendly' place.”

The Vagina Monologues will be playing on Friday Feb. 10 at 8 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. in Chester New Hall, Rm. 104. Tickets are available at the door and at COMPASS for $7 for McMaster students and $10 for the public.

Those who are uncomfortable seeing the play can also support the cause in other ways. T-shirts are available for sale as are chocolates candies shaped as vaginas. A silent art auction will be set up during show times and they will be raffling tickets for Good Body, Ensler's new play.

For more information about the global V-Day movement, visit www.vday.org.