V-Day events begin Thursday, Feb. 1

V-Men, Clothesline Project and "Vagina Monologues" work to prevent violence against women

By: Laurel McLane

Posted: 1/26/10

"V is for victory, Valentine's and vaginas!" rings the head-turning message that will mark Westminster's seventh annual V-Day campaign. With over $50,000 donated to the Salt Lake City Rape Recovery Center in the past six years, Westminster's 2010 V-Day Committee is determined to continue spreading the V-Love.

V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls, focusing on increasing awareness, support, and funds. V-Men Chair Robin Hill said Westminster's involvement is centered on "creating solutions and events to promote awareness on campus and reach the student body."

"Until the violence stops" is the message of the 2010 Westminster V-Day campaign. "We will not give up the fight, until the violence stops," said V-Day Co-Coordinator Stacy Blaylock.

An opening reception will be held in the Tanner Atrium in the Jewett Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. It will feature an introduction to this year's events, as well a Congo Teach-In and a presentation of what is referred to as the "femicide" in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This year will follow suit with previous years with the production of Eve Ensler's internationally celebrated "Vagina Monologues" Feb. 11 through13 in the Vieve Gore Concert Hall. Tickets are available for $10 through the box office located in Jewett or by calling (801) 832-2457. Ten percent of ticket sales will benefit the women and girls of Congo, while the remaining 90 percent will be donated to the Salt Lake City Rape Recovery Center.

Taking place in the Tanner Atrium during the performance of "The Monologues" will be an art auction and a silent auction of donations, as well as a knit sale. Blank t-shirts will also be available for decoration for those attendees who feel inspired to share a story.

Westminster will also be host the Clothesline Project-a traveling representation of stories that people normally don't talk about. "It allows people to get their story out in a safe space so they can start to heal," Blaylock said.

Along with the traveling display, students will have the opportunity create their own Clothesline Project with the private and confidential opportunity to make t-shirts and share stories. This event will take place on Thursday, Feb.4 in the Foster faculty lounge at 7 p.m.

New to Westminster's V-Day events this year is the "You Talk, I'll Listen" movement, featuring a volunteer-based crew of red t-shirt-wearing students who will be walking around campus, available to be stopped at any time to discuss topics and experiences related to V-Day and it's goals.

Although the violence that V-Day seeks to end is focused on women and girls, this year's events will actively seek the involvement of the counterpart: the V-Men. "Historically, V-Day has not provided much of an outlet for men to get involved," said Hill. "A major goal this year is to extend V-Day to include men, recognizing that they can be a part of the solution as well."

A main focus for the V-Men activities is the V-Men petition. Its goal is to collect 1000 signatures of "men committed to building a coalition to redefine masculinity" before the opening night of "The Vagina Monologues."

The beginning clause of the petition defines the V-Men as "a coalition of strong men committed to fighting alongside our sisters, mothers, wives and friends to put an immediate stop to violence against women and girls…We will remain determined, until the violence stops," the clause continues, reiterating the motto of the Westminster campaign.

Also included in this year's V-Men events is a dialogue in which a power point developed by V-Day National will be presented and discussed on Monday, Feb. 1. Feedback gathered by participants will be used by V-Day National to create a new dialogue titled "10 Ways to be a Man."

For more information about the V-Day events taking place at Westminster, visit westminstercollege.edu/vday, or contact Stacy Blaylock at sjb1017@westminstercollege.edu.

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