A special performance of Eve Ensler’s award-winning play “The Vagina Monologues” will take place tomorrow afternoon in Buckman Theater at 1 p.m. Sponsored by Women Activists Vocalizing Equality (WAVE), the contentious play was also performed last night.

“The Vagina Monologues,” first performed in 1996, stirred a movement to “end violence against women and girls” called V-Day. The coalition has raised more than $70 million in its history, according to the V-Day Web site.

But “The Vagina Monologues” has also been maligned by feminist critics, who call out its restrictive view of sexuality. Sex educator Betty Dodson wrote in 2001 that “consistently equating sex with violence offers no real solution.”[quote]

Sophomore Christina Ruperto is in the show for the first time this year and will perform the monologue, “My Vagina Was My Village,” which covers several testimonies of Bosnian women who were raped.

“The monologue was written for women in Bosnia who go through these situations frequently and come out psychologically and physically harmed,” Ruperto said.

Ruperto acknowledged the difficulty sharing this specific testimony due to its emotional repercussions.

“It’s definitely upsetting,” Ruperto said. “It is an upsetting piece that no one really wants to hear about and hope never happens to anyone.”

Ruperto hopes the performance is enlightening and a learning experience for the men and women who attend one or both of the shows.

“There are a lot of misconceptions,” Ruperto said. “I think a lot of people are afraid of it because of its name.”

Ticket sales will benefit related charities and non-profit organizations.