The second annual local rendition of the Vagina Monologues was held on Friday, April 10 at Colorado State University-Pueblo to break stereotypes and raise awareness about women being raped in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“You have to come in with an open mind. It’s not dirty,” said Deanne Gentile, a CSU-Pueblo student and the campus organizer for the event.

Contrary to popular belief, many males were in attendance. Some men accompanied girlfriends while others were there as moral support for actresses.

The Vagina Monologues was originally written and performed by Eve Ensler. The organization V-Day is the result of Ensler’s innovation to stop crimes against women, according to the V-Day Web site.

V-Day will be the day when no more women are brutalized sexually or otherwise, according to the Web site.

“The program raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of the Vagina Monologues,” Deanne Gentile said.

The event included the opportunity for attendants to take their picture in a larger than life vagina for $1.

There was also an opportunity to decorate a paper vagina with numerous items such as confetti and feathers.

The event consisted of self discovery, how a vagina looks, the numerous names for a vagina, a recording of small girl talking about being raped, 25 different ways to orgasm and much more. 

 “The event is a global movement to end violence against women and girls,” Gentile said.

Each rendition of The Vagina Monologues incorporates and highlights different atrocities against women in the world. The event held on Friday was to raise awareness about the women in the Congo, Gentile said.

“The spotlight focuses on women in the Congo and how they are raped as a war tactic and how it’s not for pleasure,” Gentile said.

Gentile said she would also like to open a place for abused women in town sighting the fact that there is only one local shelter available for women.

“We need something to get these women to become independent, help them get an education and help them get a job,” Gentile said. “People need to open their eyes.”