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'Vagina Monologues' Star to Back Rep. Lisa Brown

West Bloomfield State Representative Lisa Brown's 'vagina' remark sets the stage for Monday rally in Lansing.

 

Eve Ensler, writer and original star of The Vagina Monologues, is scheduled to participate in a Lansing rally to support State House Rep. Lisa Brown's remarks on the floor this week referencing her own vagina.

Brown's speech, made on the House floor Wednesday against new abortion legislation, went viral after she was banned from speaking on the floor Thursday regarding another bill. 

A Facebook Event page on Friday night indicated that Ensler will star in a "special performance" of the 1996 solo show-turned-international hit with several lawmakers from around the state who are women.

Rep. Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga), who mentioned vasectomies in a speech that same day and was also banned from speaking on the House floor as a result, is scheduled to attend with:

  • Sen. Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor)
  • Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing)
  • Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D-Saginaw)
  • Rep. Dian Slavens (D-Canton Township)
  • Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D- Detroit)
  • Rep. Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield)
  • Rep. Vicki Barnett (D-Farmington Hills)
  • Rep. Joan Bauer (D-Lansing)

The event is scheduled on Monday, from 5-8 p.m., at the Capitol Building in Lansing.

In a CBS Detroit interview, representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union said the group is investigating whether or not the ban of Brown, as well as another representative who was banned, violated their constitutional rights.

The comment received national media attention Thursday and Friday, with coverage and commentaries on ABCNPRRachel Maddow's blogPoliticoJezebel, and New York Mag among others. Brown defended her herself for using a "medically correct term."

Related Topics: American Civil Liberties Union, Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues, barb byrum, and rep. lisa brown vagina remark
Are you going to see 'The Vagina Monologues'? Tell us in the comments.

Alan Stamm

12:42 pm on Sunday, June 17, 2012

Lisa Brown goes global. Here's the start of a 13-paragraph article this weekend by the New York correspondent for The Guardian, a leading United Kingdom newspaper:

"Award-winning playwright Eve Ensler is set to add her voice to a wave of outrage against the silencing of a state lawmaker for uttering the word 'vagina' in a political debate over abortion in Michigan."

It goes on to describe "a Twitter storm of protest that spread around the world, as well as vocal condemnation from women's rights and free speech proponents." http://bit.ly/LW3Tkk

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Susan Gertner

8:35 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012

National Council of Jewish Women members performed Vagina Monologues a few years ago for an audience of 600. It was a powerful performance. I thank Lisa Brown for standing up for women's rights. I support her efforts.

Reply

Bryce

10:28 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012

This whole thing is rather amusing. At the risk of being sophmoric, it pretty much boils down to Ms. Brown preforming the Vagina Monologue's in response to the Penis Pronouncement. :)

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