Janelle Monae’s “DJango Jane” is iconic for several reasons. Most notably, it just wants everyone to “let the vagina have a monologue.”
But this has become a reality for senior Bruna D’Amore Giampietro (COM ‘20) who currently acts as co-president of VAGMO+ and co-director of the female empowerment plays The Vagina Monologues and Yoni Ki Baat.
The Vagina Monologues and Yoni Ki Baat are a series of plays performed in the spring at Boston University. The plays are based on the female empowerment play written by Eve Ensler in 1996 and the original monologue series for queer and minoritized women founded by South Asian women in 2003, respectively.
“I have realized that The Vagina Monologues is much more than a play; it’s a platform for women to empower themselves and each other, validate the female experience, and make our voices heard,” said Giampietro.
Photo credit: Bruna D’Amore Giampietro
Every year the production partners with a women’s organization to donate its profit from merch and ticket sales toward. In the past, they have partnered with “organizations such as Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in Boston, and Black and Pink, a nonprofit that provides emotional and financial support to incarcerated women and members of the LGBT+ community,” said Giampietro.
However, in previous years, their productions were only active in the early spring, said Giampietro. So this year, the leading ladies started VAGMO+.
Giampietro explained, “We decided to extend ourselves into an official club under the name VAGMO+ in order to keep our name recognition of the original play, but adding the ‘+’ as a way to be gender inclusive in our fall events.”
The spring productions are exclusive to female-identifying students. But VAGMO+ welcomes all students who are looking to become more involved.
So far this year, VAGMO+ has hosted two an Arts and Crafts Night, and Inclusive Sex Education. They are envisioning a Menstrual Drive later this fall, says Giampietro.
Giampietro explained how she and her co-president and director, Christina Bissereth, wanted to create a club that fostered community within the cast and the greater BU community.
Photo credit: Bruna D’Amore Giampietro
If you are looking to get involved with either VAGMO+ or the productions this spring, look no further.
You can still attend the fall events. Like them on Facebook at Boston University’s The Vagina Monologues/Yoni Ki Baat for more details.
Or if you are a female-identifying individual you can get involved with the plays by auditioning to perform, becoming a member of the creative team, or by helping out with the tech team, said Giampietro.
You can also follow them on Instagram @vdaybostonu or contact them through their email vagmobu@gmail.com with any questions!
Said Giampietro: “I cannot emphasize how much this production has affected my life. I am proud of who I have become, I am confident and feel more comfortable with myself and with taking up space around me. The vulnerability to expose oneself to the process and stand on stage in front of hundreds of strangers talking about your vagina, whether that be your physical or emotional vagina, comes with so much strength.”
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!