The Ladies Who Dare! Presents a benefit production of "The Vagina Monologues" as part of the V-day Community Campaign, to end violence against women and girls.

7PM, SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011
Frenchman's Reef Restaurant & Bar
Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth

This production features Dr. Glenda Simms, former Executive Director of the Bureau of Women's Affairs, and "Ladies Who Dare!" from the greater Treasure Beach Community and beyond.

What you may ask is "The Vagina Monologues?"
The Vagina Monologues is an award-winning play based on V-Day Founder/playwright Eve Ensler's interviews with more than 200 women. With humor and grace the piece celebrates women's sexuality and strength. Through this play and the liberation of this one word, countless women throughout the word have taken control of their bodies and their lives. For more than twelve years, The Vagina Monologues has given voice to experiences and feelings not previously exposed in public. "The Vagina Monologues, 2011, Treasure Beach" is part of the VDay Community Campaign.

What is the Community Campaign?
The Community Campaign strives to empower women, (every day community women,) to find their collective voices and demand an end to the epidemic levels of violence and abuse in their communities around the world.

Groups around the world present productions of "The Vagina Monologues" to raise money and awareness to stop violence against women and girls. The proceeds from these events are donated to organizations in the community that are working to stop sexual, physical, verbal and emotional violence.

What is a V-Day Campaign?
A V-Day Campaign s a catalyst for mobilizing women and men to heighten awareness about violence against women an girls. By creating this global community, V-Day strives to assist women in becoming empowered women to find their collective voices and demand an end to the violence that affects one in three women in the U.S. and around the world.

The Vagina Monologues provides a forum "To help us all remember the inherent, life-bearing, life-giving, omnipotent, power of Woman; that withough She there cannot be, You, He, She, nor We."

V-Day Spotlight Campgain:
Each year V-Day Spotlights a particular group of women who are experiencing violence with the goal of raising awareness and funds to put a worldwide media spotlight on this area and to raise funds to aide groups who are addressing it. The 2011 V-Day Spotlight is "The Women and Girls of Haiti."

The Spotlight will highlight the high levels of violence against women and girls in Haiti, and will focus on the increased rates of sexual violence since the devastating earthquake that took place in January 2010. All funds raised through the Spotlight Campaign will be used to support a revolutionary national program in Haiti lead by a coalition of women activists - including longtime V-Day activist Elvire Eugene - that will address sexual violence through art, advocacy, safe shelter, and legal services.

Come on down, over, across, to Jamaica's unique south coast and catch Treasure Beach's first-ever benefit production of Eve Ensler's Award-winning, play, "The Vagina Monologues." This is a fundraiser for abused and exploited women in St. Elizabeth. Requested donation Ja$500.

For tickets and additional information, call 876-574-3556, or email: thevaginamonologues@sharonmartini.com. http://sharonmartini.com/TheVaginaMonologues-2011.htm

To learn more about V-Day - The global movement to end violence against women and girls, visit the VDay official website http://vday.org.

Thanks Sharon and all. My god-daughter took me to a performance in Vancouver. Another little step in understanding ourselves. Man and woman.

I've seen this show and it is GREAT. I encourage every woman to come out to see this. It is an experience not to be missed.

Violence is violence and is to be abhorred in any form. There is a certain amount of absurdity in the fact that every day men are being killed and the last instance of a woman being killed by a crazed man two males were killed yet a neighbour wrote a ''letter of the day' in the Gleaner bemoaning the fact of violence against women. The truth be told that vagina has done a lot of violence to men and it has been used cunningly for a lot of evil. Maybe if we concentrated on all evils and stop singling out groups for special treatment, we would be doing a better service to society.
To claim omnipotence for women could be considered blasphemous, to claim that everyone owe their existence to women is ridiculous..neither male nor female could exist independently. What about highlighting the evil of 'Jacketing'. Women are good at being the victims, male violence against women does not exist in a vacuum, and until women address the whole issue we will get no where. Another weapon in the women's arsenal is that very savage tongue against which most men are defenseless.
The play is ironically called The Vagina Monologues...that is what has been going on with regards to this issue...a one-sided monologue. Ladies some balance and honesty is needed in solving this problem, remember equality has been fought for therefore we should seek to maintain that all the time and not as something to have when it is advantageous.

What is Jacketing?

Knowingly conferring fatherhood on the wrong man..a very regular and vile practice..DNA testing is showing it up more these days,but it has been going on from the devil was a boy. I don't believe the women who do it consider all its implications.

The Penis and Vagina Dialogues.

Cunning cunnies would be a good start.

Phalluses (Phallae?) gone wild next.

Thanks for your observations Spooky Dude, it takes two to tango.

INSPIRATION


If the Earth
were only a few feet in
diameter, floating a few feet above
a field somewhere, people would come
from everywhere to marvel at it. People would
walk around it marvelling at its big pools of water.
its little pools and the water flowing between the pools.
People would marvel at the very thin layer of gas surrounding
it and the water suspended in the gas. The people would
marvel at all the creatures walking around the surface of the
ball, and at the creatures in the water. The people would declare
it as sacred because it was the only one, and they would protect
it so that it would not hurt. The ball would be the
greatest wonder known, and people would come to
pray to it, to be healed, to gain knowledge, to know
beauty and to wonder how it could be. People
would love it, and defend it with their lives
because they would somehow know that
their lives, their own roundness, could
be nothing without it. If the
Earth were only a few
feet in diameter."

Author Unknown

And so he should...remain unknown!

Undoubtedly, there was a time when women were seen more as a sex symbols and that was not (is not) good.Although,like Spooky Dude mentioned some women capitalized on this and used it to their advantage. This might be seen as reactionary or opportunistic but either way the trigger is nothing we can be proud of nor some of the consequences.
What we need in my opinion is oneness, togetherness if we are to move forward and lift the mentality of Jamaica.And, I am not overlooking the invaluable and fundemental role of women in the development of Jamaica. But rather, a cohesive trust in my opinion is a stronger model for our children to emulate where talents, energies,abilities and vision are fused together.

From my stand point as a male who believes in equality I believe ( and I stand corrected) that most women who promote feminism are some of the most loving, caring, tender and humaine of human beings.The context out of which the feminist movement started gave rise to a feeling of alienation, inferiority that women experienced. Much of this can be traced back to slavery where women were most valuable when they were prolific producers of babies,satisfying the sexual desires of men; often in forced circumstances and meeting domestic needs.Those caused tangible mental scars that are shameful to the human race.

The sanity of religion, education and political developments of the twenty first century have sensitized women and many feel that the injustices of the past can be countered by accentuating the virtues and values and power of women.

Toady, I listened to Dr.Glenda Simms from the US via internet on Irie FM as she spoke her concern for children in rural areas and the dilemma they faced in finding their identity and appreciating their values and scoping an optimistic future. Even on that program she pointed out that she was a feminist but nothing that she said could substantiate that. She is just a loving caring lady that is striving for a world where everyone is given the societal respect, societal recognition , societal value and societal motivation that is deserved by all in a civilized world.

From my humble observation and evaluation of feminism its really all about love in action,positive development, pride and dignity, cultural preservation and empowerment of the community.The magnificence and vivacious aspects of women might not be highlighted too much in the movement but who in their right mind can deny the preciousness of every real women.Every real woman should be highly respected and recognized.Every stretch mark is a beautity that is to be loved and cherished.

Wow, if I read this over and over by Native, sounds a little sexist to me.
What is a "real woman"? Better yet then, expand and tell me what is NOT a real woman? You are a man, so it is easy for you to say love those stretch marks! Feel free to love and cherish your stretch marks...which men get too by the way.

Native...that was surely an 'epistle'. I don't know if you have met any feminists, as your concept of a feminist seem to be that of a demure feminine lady, very sure of herself and cognizant of the role she plays in the scheme of things. Not worried about equality except as a mathematical concept,and who would have very little if anything at all to do with something called a Vagina Monologues. She allows the man to think he wears the pants and the question of equality never crosses her mind.
A real feminist on the other hand is far from feminine and believes that she should run things and plays an adversarial role rather than a complementary one. Her concept of equality does not extend to responsibilities, only to privileges.
A 'cohesive thrust' is a good idea sir...definitely has it's place in the scheme of things!
My word,I had no idea that feminism encompassed such a wide spectrum, are you sure one wasn't looking over your shoulders as you write! Anyway, the problem goes back much further than slavery.
And there are quite a large number of fellows who don't share in the concept of the true preciousness of 'real women'.Real women know the power they have..feminists, I think are too busy seeking 'equality to understand that.
'Finding their identity',now that is a spooky concept!

The Vagina Monologue's was held Saturday night to a standing room only crowd. Laughter, tears, and lots of converstations were stimulated by this performance. Thanks to Frenchman's Reef for donating the space, all the "vagina warriors" who performed, and special thanks to Sharon Martini for organizing this very worthwhile event. Judging from the success of the evening I think/hope we will be seeing an encore performance next year!

Dr. Glenda Simms introducing the Monologues






The Cast

Well Rebecca, judging from these pictures, it was indeed a monologue...not many males seemed to have relished the idea of being spoken to by a Vagina!!!
LOL

I have been meaning to add my two cents to this discussion only to find it had almost disappeared. It has been getting to me that some people feel the need to distinguish "feminists" from "feminine". I find it highly insulting to suggest a woman cannot be both feminine AND a feminist. I consider myself both as do the majority of my lady friends. Going farther with this subject, I do not consider a man less "manly" because he sheds a tear or more manly because he chooses to hit someone.

Thank you to insulted for saying what you did.

On the monologue, SIR, that show was intended for a female audience. I would think any man who decided to attend would have been welcome. When I saw it in Los Angeles there were aseveral men in the audience.

[edited by TB.Net]

I'd love to know what Sharon (I think that's her rocking the sandals with straps up her calves) is reading in the third picture to make that face :-)

Insulted please make up your mind...if there is no need to distinguish between them then why are they two words..and they are not synonymous! I guess a woman can be both but not at the same time. A truly feminine woman usually does not consider herself a feminist. If you have problems with the distinction you want to have your cake and eat it too. I true feminist tries to emasculate a man while the feminine all-woman is a joy and delight, is comfortable with who she is and I repeat is not concerned with equality. 'Insulted' is not a reasonable reaction,you can disagree, but if you try to be both you may end up being neither and probably become frustrated. The power of femininity is much stronger than the contradictions of feminism.
Now that the Vagina Monologues has had it's run, I would like to make one more comment, I think the concept is distasteful and is symptomatic of the general coarsening of the society. I suppose someone will soon write another in the series and call it P.... Power!
I don't see how your last comment fits in, are you comparing a man hitting a woman with being a feminist? That would make your opinion more insulting than mine!

I am both a femanist sympathizer and masculine, all rolled in one. You should feel my bicep muscle. And I am also comfortable enough in my own skin to carry a man purse.

Oh Spookster, I think you are getting out more than we need to know about you....Keep your man purse, I'll stick to a scandal bag.

I am both a femininist and feminine. You should feel MY bicep muscle.

There is an interloper..I spooky dude did not write the last comment! I am not a feminist sympathizer, I do not carry a man purse(an oxymoron I think)my biceps are not what they used to be, but I have always been comfortable in my skin,as I have never been in any other! I think I am masculine, but I have never been ashamed to cry! I guess you could say I am in touch with my feminine side(not feminist,mind you). [edited by TB.Net]...get your own nom-de-plume!

Lol! That did make me laugh Spooky Dude - "get your own nom-de-plume". I did think on reading the previous message it didnt sound like you and was a bit surprised at the contents!

Still got a smile on my face.

Me thinks you have taken the place of Carlton!

One luv

Whatever happened to Carlton by the way? [edited by TB.Net]

Mas' Reynolds has moved on to the national stage, and left his ghost for our local exchanges.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110505/letters/letters3.html

Hey Carlton, if you can hear me, looks like you found an outlet that does not edit you!

While I share the opinion that Spooky Dude is Mr C., I don't think it's right to be using his name if he has decided to use a nom de plume. While I disagree with pretty much everything SD says, Mr C is entitled to the same privacy that all of us seek in using aliases.

Now let's get back to the V. M. as this post was intended.

Where has anybody said that anyone is Carlton?? From all the posts that Carlton put on the TB site it was made quite clear that he would never use a non de plume!

Back to the Vagina Monologues, I do so wish I could have been there, sure you couldnt put it on again in two weeks time when I will be out there,lol, so would have loved to have seen it and been involved.