Giggles, confusion greet 'Vagina Monologues'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

"If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" "Kebaya (traditional Indonesian costume), miniskirt and weaved batik."

That is the Indonesian translation of an excerpt from Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues, which was performed on Friday night in commemoration of International Women's Day.

The performance took place at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta before hundreds of people -- both men and women.

There was a varied response from the audience to the performance. Some were amused, some giggled or laughed bitterly, while others looked confused.

The event celebrated the honored role of the vagina as the means of reproduction, a function, however, that has shifted over time to be seen as something indecent.

The word "vagina", just like "penis", is considered somewhat taboo here. So rather than say "vagina", people usually use the word "anu" (something unknown).

Therefore, the title of the monologue itself was considered provocative, with the ability to make some people blush.

The performance of this Obie Award-winning piece was organized by the Coalition of Indonesian Women, in coordination with director Jajang C. Noer and several artists, including Ria Irawan, Rima Melati, Eno Lerian, Ayu Azhari, Sarah Azhari, Devi Permatasari, Cindy Fatika, Niniek L.Karim, Ratna Riantiarno and well-known pianist Marusya Nainggolan.

Before closing the show, the chairwoman of the Coalition of Indonesian Women, Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, read an article of the Indonesian Criminal Code which bans the utterance of "vulgar" words in public.

"But I am sure you were not sexually aroused," she said, to which the audience applauded.

She told The Jakarta Post that the V(agina)-Day mission was to end violence against women. She said that when all women lived in safety, no longer fearing violence or the threat of violence, then V-Day would be known as Victory Over Violence Day.

The Vagina Monologues, which was first staged in 1997, has played in 800 theaters around the world during the commemoration of V-Day.

"This annual event or campaign is aimed at raising consciousness about women's right to justice, and to raise money to end rape, battery, incest, sexual slavery and other forms of violence against women," Nursyahbani said.