Woman Warrior: V (eve) Ensler

 

V (eve) Ensler: Prevention of violence against women activist 

Portrait of V Ensler

Eve Ensler who is now legally known as “V” was born on May 25^th, 1953, in New York city. She was born to Chris and Arthur Ensler and has two other siblings. From the young age of five V was sextually and physically abused by her father up until the age of ten. She was overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and anger. After graduating from Middlebury college V was involved in numerous abusive relationships where she became addicted to drugs and alcohol. V married a man named Richard McDermott who she divorced after ten years of marriage. She adopted his song from his first marriage, Mark McDermott . Mark later ended up changing his name to Dylan as a tribute to his adopted mother after she suffered from a miscarriage. 

V is the writer of the famous play The Vagina Monologues which she wrote in 1996. First, she started by talking to her friends about their views on their sex, relationships, violence against themselves or other women and she said it sparked something in her. In an interview published by VOA2 V said, “I think my whole life, not only have I been trying to get back into my body, but I've been really working to find ways to support women coming back into their bodies,". Ensler put on her play of the vagina monologues in a café in New York city where it was only supposed to be put on for a month. There was such a huge impact on the viewers that the audience kept growing and growing. Eventually the play was put on at Madison Square Garden and college all over the world.

    In 1998 the celebration of vaginas and women feeling at home in their own skin turned into so much more. Ensler created a non-profit organization that she named “V-Day”. This organization is to promote to prevention of violence both sexually and physically against women. It has raised over 120 million dollars for all women, cisgender, transgender, no matter their diversities. V-day is celebrated all throughout February and has been for the past 25 years. 

                        

    Not only does V-day advocate for women suffering from physical and sexual violence, but the organization is also starting a new performance solely grounded in Black women’s stories. Ensler is shifting her focus from the vagina monologues as their main movement to a new piece called Voices. It is time to speak upon women who face violence, racism, and poverty. "No movement will survive without our sistering". 

V Ensler "The Apology" Book

    Along with The Vagina Monologues and Voices, V-day has many different projects they advocate for. Beyond incarceration Project is a blog that includes both short and long stories of women in prison. their stories highlight the violence against them as led them to be in prison and even the violence they face being in prison. Along with the violence that led for them to be incarcerated their stories highlight how transgender women are treated along with the mental and physical health. If you browse the V-day website, you will find numerous different pieces of art and activism. One more form of activism that shows a profoundly huge impact on women facing both physical and sexual abuse is "The Apology". The Apology is a book written by V from what she would imagine her perpetrator to say to her when apologizing for what they've done. In a TED talk she gave that was published by NPR.org3 she spoke about what her father did and how an apology can lead to healing. She spoke about how an apology is not just a simple "I'm sorry, it is admitting what you have done and why you have done it". This book allows survivors to imagine what would have been said to them and hear words they wish would have been said to them. In Her An apology can lead to Healing TED talk she touches on her book. 

   I find V Ensler extremely inspiring from all she has gone through. She took a terrible thing that happened to her and found a way to advocate for other women going through similar situations. Making the organization V-Day that has helped millions of women across the world not only in February but everyday has made such an impact. Women have found their voices to speak upon the heinous things that have happened to them. Changing her name to V as well has given her the power to feel comfortable in her own skin and unafraid to tell other what she has gone through. 

Citations 

1 “Home - V-Day.” V, 6 Jan. 2023, https://www.vday.org/.

2 Lunden, Jeff. “Eve Ensler Continues Fight for Women's Issues on Stage.” VOA, Voice of America (VOA News), 12 Feb. 2018, https://www.voanews.com/a/womens-activist-eve-ensler/4249849.html.

3 Zomorodi, Manoush, et al. “V: How Can an Authentic Apology Lead to Healing?” NPR, NPR, 10 July 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/07/10/889427916/v-how-can-an-authentic-apology-lead-to-healing.