Image via Lauren Briscoe

By Erinn Gardner, Staff Writer

The Miss Spelman Advisory Board (MSAB) hosted the 5th annual Atlanta University Center (AUC) wide Vagina Monologues on March 21 in Sisters Chapel. “The Vagina Monologues” originally began as a play written in 1996, exploring a variety of topics through a women’s lens by way of self-expressive performances. With two acts and 15 performances, MSAB’s Vagina Monologues allowed Spelman, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta University students to express themselves through singing, dancing, acting and spoken word poetry. 

“The reason it’s open to all and anyone here is because womanhood is interpreted by everyone differently because we’ve all experienced the themes of sex, love, heartbreak and pain so differently,” Spelman freshman Finley Warren said. Warren also serves as an intern with the Vagina Monologues committee. 

The event took months of preparation. After two rounds of auditions, those who were selected began rehearsing their performances in January. The majority of the pieces showcased were written and performed by the participants. 

“The most rewarding thing about this is seeing it all come together, because my performers have developed so much,” the Vagina Monologues lead director Camryn Mitchell said. “I really wanted variety because no one performance should be the same. We wanted good stories, passionate people and hard workers.”  

Before the acts, Indie Clayton—The 40th Miss Spelman College—thanked the audience for taking part in the event. 

 “I’m a creative, and wanted to be amongst other creatives in that element,” Spelman freshman Kennedi Munson said. “I want my spoken word to be reflective and empowering for my audience because we as women have so many societal pressures, so much stigma and so much hate from people who aren’t us.” 

While some Spelman students feel that no man will truly understand womanhood, sophomore Kade Davis expanded on the lens of his poem, and his experience performing at Vagina Monologues. 

His spoken word piece defied the stereotype that questions mens’ ability to exhibit emotion and apologize, as those are typically portrayed as women’s traits. He directed his piece toward his girlfriend in the audience as an apology. 

“My girlfriend actually told me to perform for Vagina Monologues,” Davis said. “She was mad at me, and the idea of the poem is that emotions are only associated with women. I feel like men have a hard time apologizing and being vulnerable, so in this poem I’m not nervous about saying sorry and I’m going against the norm.” 

Copy Edited by: Colin Royal, Managing Editor of Print