From small college towns to the world's largest cities, audiences have turned out to support V-Day benefit performances of Ensler's groundbreaking play, The Vagina Monologues. Nearly all of the funds raised in each community have stayed close to home; the beneficiaries are local programs that prevent or end violence against women and girls.
Although Valentine's Day is all about couples, you don't need a significant other in your life to celebrate V-Day. Unlike the holiday, it's not what you get but what you give that matters.
Below are five suggestions on how you can get involved:
- Learn more about V-Day. Not the holiday, but the international anti-violence women's movement founded by Eve Ensler.
- Locate and attend the V-Day event nearest you. Although most feature productions of The Vagina Monologues, Ensler's play is just one of five artistic works that are performed in conjunction with V-Day. Keep in mind that V-Day events take place from February through April; even though you may have missed Valentine's Day, upcoming V-Day performances may still be scheduled in your area.
- Become a part of V-Day as a performer, crew person or production team member. Although the big-city benefit performances frequently feature well-known actresses and prominent figures in the women's movement, many local V-Day performers are ordinary women (many of whom have never acted before) who believe in V-Day's mission and want to work toward ending violence against women. (To connect with a V-Day group in your community, click here.)
- Become a V-Day college organizer or community organizer. Organizers can be affiliated with colleges and universities, high schools, or community groups. There are no age restrictions and diversity is encouraged.
- Support V-Day with a donation. Ninety-four cents out of every dollar donated goes straight to ending violence against women and girls. V-Day is a 501(c)3 non-profit and all contributions are fully tax-deductible.
