LOVE YOUR BODY

By Courtney Gosney

This month Monmouth College is celebrating vaginas! In recognition of Fine Arts Month and National Love Your Body Day, a number of events were scheduled to promote women’s issues and awareness. The first event was to end fat talk and promote a healthier body image among women. “Fat Talk Free Week” is aimed at raising consciousness about the dangers of fat talk and the impact it has on women’s overall self-esteem and confidence. This event coincided with “National Love Your Body Day” that was celebrated Wednesday. Many women around campus wore “Love Your Body” t-shirts to support the cause.

To wrap up the week, the theatre department presented the Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. The participants of the production are also carrying out a number of “Happenings”, different displays around campus to gain awareness for the production, including, among other acts, chalking the sidewalks of campus with different vagina terminology. The show includes a series of monologues that analyze issues that affect women all over the world. They cover a range of topics including: relationships, sex, motherhood, menstruation, sisterhood, development of personal identity and women’s empowerment.

The show brings particular attention to the shocking rate of domestic violence committed against women each year. Co-Producer, Lorena Johnson-Miles, said she hopes the monologues “…bring light to the women’s rights issues that are still very prevalent in our society today and encourages women on campus and in the community to make a stand for change