Yoni Ki Baat

Last updated

Yoni Ki Baat
CompanySouth Asian Sisters
Date of premiere2003
LocationSan Francisco Bay Area

Yoni Ki Baat (roughly translated from Hindi as "Conversations about the Vagina", and sometimes abbreviated YKB [1] ) is a project featuring the live performance of monologues by women of South Asian origin, [2] loosely inspired by Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues . [3] [4] Pieces can be performed by the writer, or by another performer, sometimes anonymously. [1] Since its launch, YKB has been continuously performed across the United States.[ citation needed ]

Yoni Ki Baat was developed in 2003 by South Asian Sisters, a non-profit collective of South Asian women based in the San Francisco Bay Area. [5] The co-founders, Maulie Dass, Sapna Shahani and Vandana Makker, sent out a call in February 2003, and described receiving an outpouring of submissions. [5] [6] [7] The first public performances in July 2003 at UC Berkeley included monologues dealing with abuse, menstruation, masturbation, orgasms, marriage, religion and political protest. [1] [3] [5]

According to Makker: [6]

Yoni Ki Baat allows individuals who identify as women of South Asian ancestry the space to share their stories around issues that are often 'taboo' (and therefore not discussed) in our communities. Stories around sex, body image, abuse, violence. Stories around sex, body image, abuse, violence, pleasure, hair, relationships, bodily functions, strong emotions—pleasure, hair, relationships, bodily functions, strong emotions—those things we often can't even admit to ourselves. These are the stories that we seek out and then perform on stage. Sometimes the writers perform their own pieces and sometimes we have other women perform them. In the spirit of The Vagina Monologues, a portion of the proceeds from each show are donated to organizations that support survivors of domestic violence. [6]

Yoni Ki Baat performances and spinoffs have been performed in various parts of the United States by campus organizations and local South Asian organizations, sometimes borrowing scripts from South Asian Sisters, holding calls for submissions, or a combination of the two. The majority of proceeds are donated to organizations supporting survivors of domestic violence in the South Asian community. [3] In addition to South Asian Sisters' regular performances in the San Francisco Bay Area, YKB has been staged in New York City,[ citation needed ] Seattle, [8] Chicago, [9] Madison, [10] Cambridge, [11] Ann Arbor, [12] Worcester, [13] Grinnell, [14] Palo Alto [15] and Boston. [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Yoni</i> Aniconic representation of the Hindu goddess Shakti, consort of Shiva

Yoni, sometimes called pindika, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu goddess Shakti. It is usually shown with linga – its masculine counterpart. Together, they symbolize the merging of microcosmos and macrocosmos, the divine eternal process of creation and regeneration, and the union of the feminine and the masculine that recreates all of existence. The yoni is conceptualized as nature's gateway of all births, particularly in the esoteric Kaula and Tantra practices, as well as the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions of Hinduism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genital modification and mutilation</span> Permanent or temporary changes to human sex organs

Genital modifications are forms of body modifications applied to the human sexual organs, such as piercings, circumcision, or labiaplasty.

<i>The Vagina Monologues</i> 1996 play by Eve Ensler

The Vagina Monologues is an episodic play written in 1996 by Eve Ensler which developed and premiered at HERE Arts Center, Off-Off-Broadway in New York and was followed by an Off-Broadway run in at Westside Theatre. The play explores consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences, body image, genital mutilation, direct and indirect encounters with reproduction, vaginal care, menstrual periods, prostitution, and several other topics through the eyes of women with various ages, races, sexualities, and other differences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eve Ensler</span> American playwright, performer, feminist, and activist

V, formerly Eve Ensler, is an American playwright, author, performer, feminist, and activist. V is best known for her play The Vagina Monologues. In 2006 Charles Isherwood of The New York Times called The Vagina Monologues "probably the most important piece of political theater of the last decade."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">V-Day (movement)</span> Global activist movement to end violence against women and girls

V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls started by author, playwright and activist Eve Ensler. V-Day began on February 14, 1998, when the very first V-Day benefit performance of Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues took place in NYC, raising over $250k for local anti-violence groups. V-Day was formed and became a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to raise funds and awareness to end violence against all women and girls. Through V-Day, activists stage royalty free, benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues "to fund local programs, support safe houses, rape crisis centers, and domestic violence shelters, change laws to protect women and girls, and educate local communities to raise awareness and change social attitudes toward violence against women" during the month February, with most of the benefit productions taking place on or about February 14. Ensler has been quoted as saying that it was women's reactions to the play that inspired her and her colleagues to launch V-Day. The 'V' in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calpernia Addams</span> American LGBT rights activist

Calpernia Sarah Addams is an American actress, musician, spokesperson and activist for transgender rights and issues.

Rape can be categorized in different ways: for example, by reference to the situation in which it occurs, by the identity or characteristics of the victim, and by the identity or characteristics of the perpetrator. These categories are referred to as types of rape. The types described below are not mutually exclusive: a given rape can fit into multiple categories, by for example being both a prison rape and a gang rape, or both a custodial rape and the rape of a child.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vir Das</span> Indian comedian and actor

Vir Das is an Indian comedian, actor and musician. After beginning a career in standup comedy, Das moved to Hindi cinema starring in films like Badmaash Company (2010), Delhi Belly (2011), and Go Goa Gone (2013) in supporting roles. In 2017, he performed the Netflix special Abroad Understanding. Das has appeared in approximately 35 plays, over 100 stand-up comedy shows, 18 films, eight TV shows and six comedy specials. He has written comedic columns for Femina, Maxim, Exotica, DNA and Tehelka. In 2019, he made his debut in American television with the television series, Whiskey Cavalier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vandana Vishwas</span> Musical artist

Vandana Vishwas is a Canadian singer, musician, and composer and architect of Indian descent. She performs North Indian classical music based expressive song forms such as Ghazals, Bhajans, Geet and Thumri. She is a resident of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Billion Rising</span> Global campaign to end sexual violence against women

One Billion Rising is a global campaign, founded by Eve Ensler, to end rape and sexual violence against women. It was started in 2012 as part of the V-Day movement. The "billion" refers to the UN statistic that one in three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime, or about one billion. The campaign expands each year. In 2016, the theme of the campaign is Rise for Revolution. "This year's campaign will escalate the collective actions of activists worldwide, and amplify their call for systematic changes towards ending violence against women and children once and for all," said OBR global director Monique Wilson.

Suman Sridhar is a singer, songwriter, and actor. Sridhar works in music, performance art, theatre and film. Suman is trained in Bharat Natyam classical dance and Indian Classical music and studied Western Classical Music, Women's & Gender Studies and Visual Arts from Mason Gross Rutgers University, USA. Suman has sung chart topping Bollywood film songs. Her performances include venues like National Centre for the Performing Arts (India), Southbank Centre (UK), BBC- World Service (UK), MTV India, Sound Trek, NH7 Weekender (India), Radio Mirchi Music Awards (India), Mijwan Fashion Show (India), Jazzmandu (Nepal), Galle Literary Festival, The Quarter: Royal Opera House (India), The Great Escape Festival (UK), One Billion Rising (India) etc.

Indian Telly Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role – Female is an award given by IndianTelevision.com as part of its annual Indian Telly Awards for TV serials, to recognize a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a comic role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vandana Katariya</span> Indian field hockey player

Vandana Katariya is an Indian field hockey player. She plays as a forward in the Indian national team. Vandana rose to prominence in 2013, being India's top goal-scorer in the 2013 Women's Hockey Junior World Cup, where India won a bronze medal; she scored five goals in the tournament, the third by any player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vagina and vulva in art</span> Visual art representing female genitalia

The vagina and vulva have been depicted from prehistory onwards. Visual art forms representing the female genitals encompass two-dimensional and three-dimensional. As long ago as 35,000 years ago, people sculpted Venus figurines that exaggerated the abdomen, hips, breasts, thighs, or vulva. There have long been folklore traditions, such as the vagina loquens and the vagina dentata.

The Vagina Monologues is performed annually to bring attention to V-Day in thousands of cities and colleges worldwide. The performances generally benefit rape crisis centers and similar resource centers for women.

Vaginal steaming, sometimes shortened to V-steaming, and also known as wormwood steaming is an alternative health treatment whereby a woman squats or sits over steaming water containing herbs such as mugwort, rosemary, wormwood, and basil. It has been practiced in Africa, Asia, and Central America.

Beautiful Daughters is a 2006 documentary that follows the first-ever all-transgender production of Eve Ensler's famous play The Vagina Monologues. It was released in the United States on February 11, 2006. The documentary is directed by Josh Aronson and Ariel Orr Jordan and features Calpernia Addams, Jane Fonda, and Andrea James.

Bonhishikha is a Dhaka, Bangladesh based, feminist not-for-profit organization which advocates for women's rights, gender equality and raise awareness of gender-based violence. Bonhishikha primarily uses theater and story telling as an educational tool to promote gender equity and facilitate dialogue. The organization also initiates and facilitates communication around important issues related to women's emancipation. Tasaffy Hossain, a freelance development professional, research worker and an advocate for gender rights, is the founder and coordinator of Bonhishikha.

<i>Hear Word!</i> Stage play by Ifeoma Fafunwa

Hear Word! or Hear Word! Naija Woman Talk True is a play by Ifeoma Fafunwa. It tells stories about Nigerian women and their struggles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nandar (activist)</span> Burmese podcaster, human rights activist and feminist activist

Nandu Gyawali, known as Nandar, is a feminist activist in Myanmar. She is the founder of the Purple Feminists Group and hosts the podcasts G-Taw Zagar Wyne and Feminist Talks. In 2020, she was named to the BBC's 100 Women list.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Makker, Vandana (May 29, 2004). "If My Vagina Could Speak ..." SAMAR.
  2. ↑ "Tickets On sale for YKB 2015 - SF Bay Area!". South Asian Sisters. Retrieved March 6, 2016.[ dead link ]
  3. 1 2 3 "Our Vaginas Have Monolugues, Too: Breaking the Silence, One Yoni at a Time". Sapna Magazine. June 10, 2005. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  4. ↑ Bharat, Omsri (2015). "Yoni Ki Baat: South Asian Queer and Feminist Organizing". FoundSF. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Makker, Vandana (July 23, 2017). "South Asian Women in America Talk Sex, Break Myths". Boloji. Archived from the original on July 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 Luhar, Monica (March 17, 2014). "'Yoni Ki Baat': A 'Vagina Monologues'-Inspired Celebration of South Asian Women". The Aerogram. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  7. ↑ Assisi, Francis C. (January 2, 2007). "'Yoni Ki Baat' Spotlights Desi Diaspora Women's Sexuality". IndoLink. Archived from the original on January 2, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  8. ↑ Shringarpure, Gauri (March 16, 2017). "Yoni Ki Baat: Where skeptics learn to trust". The Seattle Globalist. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  9. ↑ "Yoni Ki Baat - 2018". Sulekha. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Yoni Ki Baat". Wisconcin Union. Retrieved September 4, 2018.[ dead link ]
    - Salinger, Laura (May 2011). "Yoni Ki Baat and the woman who brought it to Madison". Asian Wisconzine. VII (5). Retrieved November 4, 2020.
    - "Yoni Ki Baat: Women at the Crossroads". The Capital City Hues. Retrieved April 17, 2021.[ dead link ]
  11. ↑ "South Asian Sisters Bring Yoni Ki Baat to Harvard". The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute. April 12, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Yoni Ki Baat". Maize Pages. University of Michigan. Retrieved September 4, 2018.[ dead link ]
  13. ↑ Bilimoria, Drashhti. "Yoni Ki Baat: South Asian Vagina Monologues". The Scarlet. Retrieved September 4, 2018.[ dead link ]
  14. ↑ Bohlke, Lily (October 27, 2017). "Yoni Ki Baat: Vulnerable and Empowering". The Scarlet and Black. Retrieved September 7, 2018.[ dead link ]
  15. ↑ ""Yoni ki Baat" - A Performance by Rangmanch". Stanford Humanities Center. March 3, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  16. ↑ Gray, Jazzy (November 27, 2019). "Letting the Vagina Have a Monologue". Her Campus.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.