Men come out for “The Vagina Monologues”

Among pink balloons, heart-shaped cookies and a crowd of women at the opening night of this… Among pink balloons, heart-shaped cookies and a crowd of women at the opening night of this year’s “The Vagina Monologues,” there was something unexpected.

It was the sound of men, and they were laughing.

Brian Francis waited in line Thursday in David Lawrence Hall to purchase a new T-shirt. As he held it up to his 6-foot-plus frame, checking to see if the extra-large size was the right choice, he proudly displayed its fluorescent pink logo that read “The Vagina Monologues.”

Pitt’s Campus Women’s Organization presented the show this weekend as part of the V-Day movement, an organized response against violence toward women.

V-Day campaigns around the world perform “The Vagina Monologues” to raise awareness and funds for anti-violence groups within communities.

Proceeds from CWO’s production went to The Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Ten percent went to survivors and women’s groups from East and Southeast Asia, in a worldwide effort called the Spotlight issue.

Looking back to when he first saw the production two years ago, Francis remembered what he felt before sitting in the audience.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” he said.

Other male students who waited to see it for the first time could relate to him.

Tom Wrenn, a pledge of Delta Tau Delta, said that he had only heard about “The Vagina Monologues,” and also didn’t know what to expect.

Todd Brandon Morris, the fraternity’s pledge educator, reassured Wrenn and other DTD brothers that their attendance would be worthwhile because it would benefit a good cause and would serve as an educational experience.

Morris, who required all of DTD’s pledges to attend the event, said that it would give them exposure to something they might not have experienced otherwise.

“I think when they leave they’ll be happy they’ve seen it,” he said.

Jason Flakes, who was introduced to “The Vagina Monologues” when his girlfriend Savanna Stillgess performed in it, encouraged men to be open-minded while seeing it for the first time.

“At first, they might be shocked,” he said. “But they will learn something about women.”

Flakes said that he liked how the production gave an inside look into how women feel – their emotions and their thought processes – and how women feel about themselves.

“I don’t think as a guy you really understand,” he said. ” Sometimes, I don’t think we get that.”

“The Vagina Monologues,” which is performed as a collection of interviews from women of all ages and races around the world, contains humorous moments as well as serious ones.

The audience laughed Thursday during monologues like “My Angry Vagina,” performed by Aaliyah Habeeb, which addressed the invention of thong underwear and “The Flood,” delivered by Molly Ferguson in a way that made her sound older, about a 72-year-old woman talking about her “down there.”

During transition points between the monologues, female participants gave the audience “vagina facts.” One fact: The clitoris is the only organ in the body that is solely for pleasure and contains 8,000 nerve fibers.

“That’s twice, yes twice the number found in the penis,” the announcer said. “Who needs a handgun when you’ve got a semiautomatic?”

Another monologue in the play, “The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy” – in which Natalie Bencivenga re-enacted a sex instructor demonstrating all different types of female moans – was followed by a man in the audience responding with a loud moan during a silent transition point.

Along with evoking laughter, the monologues gave way to silence during more serious monologues, such as “Under the Burqa,” performed by Rose Afriyie, which was about female genital mutilation. Before the monologue, the announcer gave “not so happy vagina facts:” Two million girls experience female genital mutilation.

Other monologues – “My Vagina Was My Village,” performed by Brennan Rhodes, and “The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could,” performed by by Bekezela Mguni – addressed the issue of violence against women and rape.

Another “not so happy vagina fact:” In the United States, 500,000 women are raped each year.

After the show, Richard Campbell, a DTD brother, discussed his reaction.

“I had no idea what this was about,” Campbell said. “It actually turned out to be very insightful and humorous.”

Campbell and Bryan Heckman, also a DTD brother, agreed that they would recommend the play to other male students.

“College is about getting experience,” Campbell said. “It’s about seeing what’s out there,” Heckman responded. “If you only stick to what you know, you don’t know anything.”

The two joked about the possible production of a play that catered to men called “The Penis Monologues.”

To target male audience members, “The Vagina Monologues” campaign included a silent auction to win Pitt athletic gear and a football signed by Dave Wannstedt.

Lauren Feintuch, who was on the board of directors for “The Vagina Monologues” campaign, said this was done to appeal to men attending the show.

Carmen Berkley, a director of the production, said that most men tell her they didn’t think they were going to like it before they saw it.

“They love it,” she said, “then they come back next year.”