WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.680 Welcome to the deep dive the place where we distill 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:05.860 stacks of sources and dense research into pure 00:00:05.860 --> 00:00:08.480 essential knowledge We're here to give you the 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:10.439 shortcut to being the most informed person in 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:13.500 the room with a surprising facts and deep analysis 00:00:13.500 --> 00:00:17.239 that sticks Today we're undertaking a pretty 00:00:17.239 --> 00:00:19.780 monumental deep dive We're looking into someone 00:00:19.780 --> 00:00:22.160 whose personal journey just completely became 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:25.699 a blueprint for global activism We are exploring 00:00:25.699 --> 00:00:28.559 the life and I guess the transformative work 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:30.850 of V the American can playwright, author, performer, 00:00:31.109 --> 00:00:32.770 feminist, and activist. And when you look at 00:00:32.770 --> 00:00:35.130 the source material, the sheer weight of her 00:00:35.130 --> 00:00:38.609 influence is just undeniable. Totally. We found 00:00:38.609 --> 00:00:40.729 this quote from The New York Times back in 2006 00:00:40.729 --> 00:00:43.229 describing her most famous work. They called 00:00:43.229 --> 00:00:45.729 it probably the most important piece of political 00:00:45.729 --> 00:00:47.909 theater of the last decade. Which is huge praise, 00:00:48.009 --> 00:00:50.490 I mean, for a stage production. Exactly. So our 00:00:50.490 --> 00:00:52.390 mission today is really to understand why. How 00:00:52.390 --> 00:00:54.409 did that happen? Right. We want to trace that 00:00:54.409 --> 00:00:57.689 line from V's personal story, overcoming trauma. 00:00:58.090 --> 00:01:01.090 a trauma that's so deeply woven into her identity, 00:01:01.490 --> 00:01:03.670 all the way to establishing these massive global 00:01:03.670 --> 00:01:06.629 movements. We want to connect the dots, basically. 00:01:06.849 --> 00:01:09.909 The art, the healing, and the, well, the very 00:01:09.909 --> 00:01:13.909 real measurable impact. We're talking multimillion 00:01:13.909 --> 00:01:17.629 dollar philanthropic action here. Let's start 00:01:17.629 --> 00:01:20.909 with maybe the most powerful symbol of that transformation, 00:01:21.730 --> 00:01:24.510 the name itself. V. Yeah, our sources really 00:01:24.510 --> 00:01:28.349 highlight this. V deciding in 2019 to officially 00:01:28.349 --> 00:01:32.310 adopt the mononym V. She shed her former surname 00:01:32.310 --> 00:01:35.290 Ensler. And this wasn't just like an artistic 00:01:35.290 --> 00:01:37.269 whim, right? It wasn't some rebranding exercise. 00:01:37.349 --> 00:01:40.030 Not at all. It was deeply consequential. Personal, 00:01:40.290 --> 00:01:43.450 public. A real reckoning. Exactly. And the timing 00:01:43.450 --> 00:01:45.510 is key. Follow the publication of her book, The 00:01:45.510 --> 00:01:47.730 Apology. The book is crucial for understanding 00:01:47.730 --> 00:01:49.930 this whole journey. Right, because in The Apology, 00:01:50.049 --> 00:01:52.269 she detailed the sexual and physical abuse she 00:01:52.269 --> 00:01:54.670 suffered from her late father. And the name change 00:01:54.670 --> 00:01:58.030 was this explicit permanent severing. Cutting 00:01:58.030 --> 00:02:00.409 times with his name his legacy was like a final 00:02:00.409 --> 00:02:03.129 definitive act of healing you could say Wow So 00:02:03.129 --> 00:02:05.670 taking this incredibly private pain and immediately 00:02:05.670 --> 00:02:09.289 channeling it into her public ongoing Activist 00:02:09.289 --> 00:02:11.289 identity. It's a really striking example that 00:02:11.289 --> 00:02:14.090 process. Okay, so if that personal story is the 00:02:14.090 --> 00:02:17.669 engine let's unpack that foundation section one 00:02:17.669 --> 00:02:21.610 trauma Transformation and early career. Okay, 00:02:22.090 --> 00:02:26.090 so V was born Eve Ensler 1953, New York City 00:02:26.300 --> 00:02:28.539 Grew up in Scarsville. Second of three kids, 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:32.379 right? That's right. And it was a complex household 00:02:32.379 --> 00:02:35.340 Jewish father, Christian mother. She grew up 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:37.719 in a predominantly Jewish community. Interestingly, 00:02:37.819 --> 00:02:40.759 today she identifies as a Nibiren Buddhist, which 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:43.020 really informs her philosophy, especially around 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:45.719 suffering. And the source is they don't shy away 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:47.620 from her childhood trauma. She's spoken very 00:02:47.620 --> 00:02:49.759 openly about being sexually and physically abused 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:52.099 by her father. Yeah, between the ages of five 00:02:52.099 --> 00:02:54.560 and 10. And that fundamentally shaped her youth. 00:02:54.780 --> 00:02:56.800 How did she describe herself back then? Well, 00:02:56.819 --> 00:02:59.719 she said she was very sad, very angry, very defiant, 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.340 and felt like, you know, the girl who didn't 00:03:02.340 --> 00:03:04.319 fit anywhere. That feeling of being an outsider 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.960 defined by this hidden injustice. You see that 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.020 often in activists, don't you? Absolutely. It's 00:03:09.020 --> 00:03:11.199 a recurring theme. She took that defiance, though, 00:03:11.300 --> 00:03:13.979 and channeled it academically. Attended Middlebury 00:03:13.979 --> 00:03:16.860 College, graduated in 75. Where she apparently 00:03:16.860 --> 00:03:19.060 earned a reputation pretty quickly. Oh, yeah. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:21.939 As a militant feminist. That's how she was known. 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:24.289 But getting through college didn't automatically 00:03:24.289 --> 00:03:27.349 mean peace, right? The sources show things were 00:03:27.349 --> 00:03:29.509 still pretty turbulent afterwards. Definitely 00:03:29.509 --> 00:03:33.409 not. Post -graduation, she described, well, a 00:03:33.409 --> 00:03:37.169 really rough period. A string of abusive relationships 00:03:37.169 --> 00:03:40.530 and also dependency on drugs and alcohol. It's 00:03:40.530 --> 00:03:42.610 a stark reminder, isn't it, that trauma doesn't 00:03:42.610 --> 00:03:46.430 just stop. It echoes, especially in relationships, 00:03:46.770 --> 00:03:49.870 until it's really confronted. It absolutely reverberates. 00:03:49.949 --> 00:03:52.669 It was a critical struggle. But then came a turning 00:03:52.669 --> 00:03:56.449 point, it seems, in 1978. Her marriage. Yeah, 00:03:56.449 --> 00:03:58.849 she married Richard Dylan McDermott. He was a 00:03:58.849 --> 00:04:00.990 bartender at the time, and apparently he helped 00:04:00.990 --> 00:04:03.870 convince her to enter rehab. So maybe some stability 00:04:03.870 --> 00:04:05.789 there. It sounds like it provided that initial 00:04:05.789 --> 00:04:09.009 space for recovery. But perhaps the most profound 00:04:09.009 --> 00:04:11.389 relationship during that time wasn't with her 00:04:11.389 --> 00:04:14.039 husband. You mean with his son. Exactly. Mark 00:04:14.039 --> 00:04:17.000 Anthony McDermott, he was 16, from Richard's 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:18.779 previous marriage. And this relationship was 00:04:18.779 --> 00:04:21.019 really significant for her. It's a beautiful 00:04:21.019 --> 00:04:23.560 and vital detail in the sources, yeah. V has 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:26.019 said publicly that this relationship taught her 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:29.500 how to be a loving human being. Wow. Given her 00:04:29.500 --> 00:04:32.379 own background, forging that kind of healthy 00:04:32.379 --> 00:04:35.540 loving bond. That must have been incredibly healing, 00:04:35.819 --> 00:04:38.000 foundational. Totally foundational. And there's 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.139 this really moving anecdote in the sources, too. 00:04:40.459 --> 00:04:43.319 After V suffered a miscarriage, Mark actually 00:04:43.319 --> 00:04:46.699 adopted the baby's planned name, Dylan, as his 00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:50.139 own middle name. Oh, wow. That really solidifies 00:04:50.139 --> 00:04:52.379 that connection, doesn't it? An unexpected family 00:04:52.379 --> 00:04:55.819 bond. It really does. But even with that emotional 00:04:55.819 --> 00:04:58.860 foundation, the sources suggest V needed something 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:01.420 else. Autonomy. Right. To become the artist and 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:03.540 activist, we know. So the marriage ended. It 00:05:03.540 --> 00:05:07.279 did in 1988. V cited a need for independence, 00:05:07.660 --> 00:05:09.759 for freedom, really, to pursue her own path. 00:05:10.019 --> 00:05:11.959 Which was becoming clearer by then. And that 00:05:11.959 --> 00:05:14.220 path was heavily influenced by her spiritual 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.560 life, which was deepening, identifying as a Nichiren 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:19.220 Buddhist that provides the lens, you know, for 00:05:19.220 --> 00:05:21.259 how she views suffering. And the core practice 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:23.899 there is chanting, right? Yeah, chanting Namamutra 00:05:23.899 --> 00:05:26.939 and so on. The idea is to manifest inner wisdom. 00:05:27.230 --> 00:05:29.829 compassion, essentially transforming suffering, 00:05:30.370 --> 00:05:33.310 negative karma into fuel for growth. They often 00:05:33.310 --> 00:05:36.750 call it changing poison into medicine. Changing 00:05:36.750 --> 00:05:40.420 poison into medicine, that phrase. That feels 00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:42.819 like the key thematic link, doesn't it? I think 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:45.199 it absolutely is. It explains why she treats 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:47.759 trauma not just as the debilitating tragedy, 00:05:47.819 --> 00:05:50.860 but almost as a resource. Exactly. It's the intellectual 00:05:50.860 --> 00:05:53.160 scaffolding for her work. And you see it play 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:55.980 out later, very clearly, when she confronts physical 00:05:55.980 --> 00:05:58.939 illness. Her cancer diagnosis in 2009. Right. 00:05:58.980 --> 00:06:01.439 She received treatment for uterine cancer, and 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:03.699 that whole experience became the subject of her 00:06:03.699 --> 00:06:06.519 memoir, In the Body of the World. She was declared 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:09.279 cancer -free in 2012, which is wonderful news. 00:06:09.230 --> 00:06:11.629 of course. Great news. But it's how she framed 00:06:11.629 --> 00:06:14.290 the illness that's so striking. The sources quote 00:06:14.290 --> 00:06:17.709 her saying she used sickness as a tool for transformation. 00:06:18.050 --> 00:06:21.209 Again, that philosophy. Taking something inherently 00:06:21.209 --> 00:06:24.290 destructive, cancer, childhood abuse, and insisting 00:06:24.290 --> 00:06:26.810 on its utility. It's this radical rejection of 00:06:26.810 --> 00:06:29.329 victimhood. It's a commitment to using the energy 00:06:29.329 --> 00:06:32.470 of the struggle itself. That spiritual and philosophical 00:06:32.470 --> 00:06:35.560 grounding. It feels essential for understanding 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:38.699 how her art turns so quickly into this functioning 00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:41.939 global activist machine. Indispensable. Yeah. 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:44.680 It really sets the stage perfectly for the work 00:06:44.680 --> 00:06:47.620 that just changed everything, for her and for 00:06:47.620 --> 00:06:49.759 millions of others. Which brings us perfectly 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.579 to section two, the vagina monologues and the 00:06:52.579 --> 00:06:56.339 V -Day movement. Okay, so... V writes the vagina 00:06:56.339 --> 00:06:59.819 monologues in 1996. And it's hard maybe for listeners 00:06:59.819 --> 00:07:02.980 today to fully grasp how radical that title, 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:05.480 that content was back then. Oh, completely. The 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:07.420 word vagina just wasn't said openly. Certainly 00:07:07.420 --> 00:07:09.279 not in a commercial theater setting. It was like 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:12.060 a grenade, linguistically and theatrically. Absolutely. 00:07:12.339 --> 00:07:14.800 And the power of it was in its simplicity, its 00:07:14.800 --> 00:07:17.819 vulnerability. It started so humbly. Like literally 00:07:17.819 --> 00:07:20.670 in a basement. Literally. The basement of the 00:07:20.670 --> 00:07:22.889 Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village. Yeah. 00:07:23.269 --> 00:07:25.509 Then off Broadway, then off Broadway runs. It 00:07:25.509 --> 00:07:28.569 was a true grassroots thing, building steam purely 00:07:28.569 --> 00:07:30.689 on word of mouth on the emotional punch of the 00:07:30.689 --> 00:07:32.329 story. And once it got out of that basement. 00:07:32.610 --> 00:07:36.110 It just exploded. It quickly got serious critical 00:07:36.110 --> 00:07:38.850 acclaim. Won the Obie Award for best new play 00:07:38.850 --> 00:07:41.870 in 96, then a Guggenheim Fellowship for playwriting 00:07:41.870 --> 00:07:44.790 in 99. But the scale is what really sets it apart 00:07:44.790 --> 00:07:46.910 from other hit plays, isn't it? Oh, completely. 00:07:47.310 --> 00:07:49.889 The global reach is astonishing. translated into 00:07:49.889 --> 00:07:52.829 48 languages, performed in over 140 countries. 00:07:52.949 --> 00:07:55.829 Think about that. These intimate, vulnerable 00:07:55.829 --> 00:07:59.230 stories V collected. They were resonating across 00:07:59.230 --> 00:08:01.670 incredibly different cultures, connecting women 00:08:01.670 --> 00:08:03.709 in a way maybe traditional politics couldn't. 00:08:03.790 --> 00:08:06.709 That's exactly it. And the high -profile performances 00:08:06.709 --> 00:08:09.430 were key to amplifying that. Right. The list 00:08:09.430 --> 00:08:12.050 of celebrities who performed in it is incredible. 00:08:12.310 --> 00:08:14.970 Jane Fonda, Oprah Winfrey, Glenn Close. Edina 00:08:14.970 --> 00:08:17.810 Menzel, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, Cyndi 00:08:17.810 --> 00:08:21.220 Lauper. The list goes on. Their star power basically 00:08:21.220 --> 00:08:24.079 turned conversation about anatomy, about trauma, 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.259 into this mainstream humanitarian call to action. 00:08:27.420 --> 00:08:28.879 And that's the crucial link, right? The play 00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:30.899 wasn't just about violence. It was designed to 00:08:30.899 --> 00:08:33.740 be the engine for change. Precisely. The sources 00:08:33.740 --> 00:08:36.500 confirm it. The success of the play directly 00:08:36.500 --> 00:08:39.879 inspired her to found V -Day in 1998. So it wasn't 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:42.639 just an artistic foundation supporting a cause. 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:46.059 It became the cause. It became this massive global 00:08:46.059 --> 00:08:48.980 activist movement dedicated to stopping violence 00:08:48.980 --> 00:08:52.240 against women, girls, gender expansive people, 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:55.340 and importantly, also the earth. The art gave 00:08:55.340 --> 00:08:57.399 them the language, maybe, and the organization 00:08:57.399 --> 00:09:00.080 gave them the structure. Well put. And the name, 00:09:00.179 --> 00:09:02.659 V -Day, it's just brilliant branding, isn't it? 00:09:02.779 --> 00:09:05.519 Semantically clever. How so? Well, the organization 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:07.559 intentionally plays on the triple meaning of 00:09:07.559 --> 00:09:12.210 V, victory. Valentine and vagina. Ah, okay. So 00:09:12.210 --> 00:09:14.769 linking victory over violence. For Valentine, 00:09:14.970 --> 00:09:17.210 sort of universal love and connection. And vagina, 00:09:17.529 --> 00:09:19.870 reclaiming that core female identity. Exactly. 00:09:20.049 --> 00:09:21.769 It broadened the mission beyond just trauma. 00:09:21.870 --> 00:09:24.679 It brought an agency celebration. OK, let's talk 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:26.820 about the scale of this mechanism. How effective 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:29.639 was this model, using annual benefit performances 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.120 of the monologues to actually fund the activism? 00:09:32.340 --> 00:09:35.039 The measurable impact is just staggering. By 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:37.899 2010, the movement had sparked over 15 ,400 V 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:40.600 -Day events in more than 1 ,500 locations around 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:43.639 the world, and financially. By 2014, the movement 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:48.820 had raised over $100 million. $100 million? That's... 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:51.860 That's incredible. Generated by essentially a 00:09:51.860 --> 00:09:54.440 network of grassroots theater productions. All 00:09:54.440 --> 00:09:57.139 feeding this global humanitarian work. It's proof 00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:59.740 really that emotional vulnerability, when channeled 00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:02.360 through a clear artistic vision, can be an immensely 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:05.740 powerful fundraising tool. A tool for real social 00:10:05.740 --> 00:10:08.659 change. So where did that hundred million dollars 00:10:08.659 --> 00:10:10.879 go? What specific things did it achieve? The 00:10:10.879 --> 00:10:13.700 sources point to very specific targeted results. 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:17.179 V -Day funded over 12 ,000 community -based anti 00:10:17.179 --> 00:10:19.899 -violence programs and safe houses. And crucially, 00:10:20.059 --> 00:10:22.659 focusing on high risk areas. Exactly. We're talking 00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:24.759 about places like the Democratic Republic of 00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:29.139 Congo, DRC, Haiti, Kenya, Iraq. These safe houses 00:10:29.139 --> 00:10:31.200 aren't just general shelters. They specifically 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:33.659 offer sanctuary from endemic violence, things 00:10:33.659 --> 00:10:36.100 like domestic abuse, female genital mutilation, 00:10:36.299 --> 00:10:38.879 FGM, and so -called honor killings. And just 00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:41.610 for our listeners, FGM. female genital mutilation 00:10:41.610 --> 00:10:43.909 involves partially or totally removing external 00:10:43.909 --> 00:10:46.549 female genitalia or other injury for non -medical 00:10:46.549 --> 00:10:49.649 reasons. It's vital context for the kind of extreme 00:10:49.649 --> 00:10:52.529 violence V -Day is confronting. Absolutely critical 00:10:52.529 --> 00:10:55.789 context. The scope is just remarkable when you 00:10:55.789 --> 00:10:59.269 step back. From tackling linguistic taboos in 00:10:59.269 --> 00:11:02.549 a New York basement. To building physical shelters, 00:11:02.809 --> 00:11:04.789 protecting women from ritualized violence in 00:11:04.789 --> 00:11:07.470 conflict zones like Iraq and the DRC. That whole 00:11:07.470 --> 00:11:10.519 trajectory. That's why V received the highest 00:11:10.519 --> 00:11:12.899 honors in the theater world. Not just for the 00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:15.120 play itself, but for the global structure it 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.539 launched. Which culminated in the Tony Award 00:11:17.539 --> 00:11:20.379 recognition in 2011. Yes, the Isabelle Stevenson 00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:23.600 Award. That's a special Tony given for substantial 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.679 humanitarian work within the theater community. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:28.440 And it's specifically cited the creation of the 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:30.980 V -Day movement. Exactly. It really underlines 00:11:30.980 --> 00:11:33.179 the idea that maybe her greatest contribution 00:11:33.179 --> 00:11:35.879 wasn't just the words on the page, but the actual 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:38.720 physical humanitarian machine she built from 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:41.700 those words. And that machine kept working, kept 00:11:41.700 --> 00:11:44.820 evolving, long after the vagina monologues became 00:11:44.840 --> 00:11:46.840 a global phenomenon. Definitely. Which takes 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:49.659 us nicely into section three, expanding the narrative, 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:52.019 subsequent theatrical and literary works. Right. 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.220 Once the monologues had made such a huge impact, 00:11:54.259 --> 00:11:56.279 she had to decide, OK, what comes next? What's 00:11:56.279 --> 00:11:58.820 the next story to tell? And she spent the next 00:11:58.820 --> 00:12:01.220 couple of decades really broadening her focus, 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.820 moving from that specific political act of reclaiming 00:12:04.820 --> 00:12:07.600 the vagina to exploring violence, body image, 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:10.840 identity. global insecurity in wider ways. Like 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.960 with her play, The Good Body. Exactly. In 2005, 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:17.580 2006, she toured that play to 20 North American 00:12:17.580 --> 00:12:20.360 cities. What was the main shift in focus there? 00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:24.159 It moved from the hidden trauma, the abuse, the 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:26.279 shame tied to the vagina to the visible body. 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.679 The play explored that pervasive global pressure 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:32.559 women feel to physically change themselves. Through 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:34.840 surgery, diets, whatever. Right. All to gain 00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:37.299 societal acceptance. It was looking at this idea 00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:40.080 of the colonization of the self, you know, how 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.200 external pressures, media, cultural standards 00:12:42.200 --> 00:12:44.559 dictate our worth based on how we look. So if 00:12:44.559 --> 00:12:47.039 the monologues were about reclaiming what society 00:12:47.039 --> 00:12:49.740 tells you to hide. The good body was about resisting 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:51.960 what society tells you to change. Makes sense. 00:12:52.460 --> 00:12:54.299 Then in 2006, she tackled something different 00:12:54.299 --> 00:12:56.620 again with the treatment. Yeah, that play looked 00:12:56.620 --> 00:13:00.100 at geopolitical trauma, the moral, the psychological 00:13:00.100 --> 00:13:02.919 fallout from being involved in military conflicts. 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:05.830 It was a significant expansion. moving beyond 00:13:05.830 --> 00:13:09.149 explicitly gendered violence to the wider societal 00:13:09.149 --> 00:13:11.330 damage caused by war. And connecting back to 00:13:11.330 --> 00:13:14.350 her personal life again, too. It does. The treatment 00:13:14.350 --> 00:13:16.789 actually starred her adopted son, Dylan McDermott. 00:13:16.850 --> 00:13:19.929 Wow. So bringing that foundational family relationship 00:13:19.929 --> 00:13:22.909 right into a discussion about societal trauma, 00:13:23.129 --> 00:13:25.289 that constant weaving of the personal and the 00:13:25.289 --> 00:13:28.509 political, it's just core to V's whole approach. 00:13:28.690 --> 00:13:31.190 We touched on her cancer journey earlier. That 00:13:31.190 --> 00:13:33.929 became the heart of... in the body of the world. 00:13:34.190 --> 00:13:37.750 First a memoir in 2013, then a solo play in 2018. 00:13:37.990 --> 00:13:39.850 Right, directed by the amazing Diane Paulus. 00:13:40.549 --> 00:13:43.110 How did she approach translating that cancer 00:13:43.110 --> 00:13:46.049 experience for the stage or even the page? Well, 00:13:46.049 --> 00:13:47.909 it wasn't just a medical diary, you know, it 00:13:47.909 --> 00:13:50.909 was a much deeper look at the body as this political 00:13:50.909 --> 00:13:53.149 and emotional landscape. Booklist called the 00:13:53.149 --> 00:13:55.529 memoir a ravishing book of revelation and healing 00:13:55.529 --> 00:13:58.909 lashing truths and deep emotion courage and perseverance 00:13:58.909 --> 00:14:01.750 That's quite the description. It really is. Yeah 00:14:01.750 --> 00:14:05.169 V used her illness to explore not just the physical 00:14:05.169 --> 00:14:08.149 pain but also the flaws in institutional health 00:14:08.149 --> 00:14:12.190 care and the sort of Radical act of finding agency 00:14:12.190 --> 00:14:14.149 within your own body when it feels like it's 00:14:14.149 --> 00:14:16.870 under attack and it was in that work She articulated 00:14:16.870 --> 00:14:19.429 that really powerful almost counterintuitive 00:14:19.429 --> 00:14:23.759 philosophy the only salvation is kindness. Yeah. 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:26.600 Considering the immense pain, physical, psychological, 00:14:26.700 --> 00:14:30.059 she survived, that statement is profound. It 00:14:30.059 --> 00:14:32.519 feels like the distillation of her Buddhist practice 00:14:32.519 --> 00:14:35.840 into this simple, actionable, political idea. 00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:38.820 I think so. And this brings us back full circle 00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:42.299 almost to the apology. the 2019 book that came 00:14:42.299 --> 00:14:44.419 right before the name change. The apology is 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:47.220 such a fascinating concept, imaginative nonfiction, 00:14:47.320 --> 00:14:49.500 where she writes the apology she never received 00:14:49.500 --> 00:14:51.539 from her abusive father. The literary device 00:14:51.539 --> 00:14:53.980 there is just so powerful. V realized, didn't 00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:55.899 she, that the apology she needed, one that might 00:14:55.899 --> 00:14:58.139 bring closure, it was never going to come in 00:14:58.139 --> 00:15:00.980 real life. So she created it herself. Exactly. 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:04.019 By imagining it, by writing those words, she 00:15:04.019 --> 00:15:06.639 could process the trauma, maybe release some 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:08.779 of that bitterness, really take control of the 00:15:08.779 --> 00:15:11.909 narrative of her own abuse. It's an incredible 00:15:11.909 --> 00:15:14.590 act of self -empowerment, creating the closure 00:15:14.590 --> 00:15:17.830 that reality denied her. And the sources are 00:15:17.830 --> 00:15:21.500 clear. Finishing that process, writing and publishing 00:15:21.500 --> 00:15:24.340 The Apology, that's what gave her the final sort 00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:27.419 of emotional and intellectual green light to 00:15:27.419 --> 00:15:30.440 shed her father's name. And become V. The literary 00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:33.299 act was the final therapeutic step towards total 00:15:33.299 --> 00:15:35.879 independence. It really cements that idea for 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:39.320 V. Personal healing is a public act. It's intertwined. 00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:42.200 Absolutely. And beyond these really heavy, transformative 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:44.659 works, she also wrote successfully for a younger 00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:46.940 audience. I Am an Emotional Creature in 2010. 00:15:47.019 --> 00:15:49.509 That book did really well. New York Times bestseller 00:15:49.509 --> 00:15:51.850 list. Huge success. It shows her dedication wasn't 00:15:51.850 --> 00:15:54.629 just about healing past trauma, but also inspiring 00:15:54.629 --> 00:15:57.210 agency in the next generation. Trying to equip 00:15:57.210 --> 00:15:59.590 girls with the language and framework to value 00:15:59.590 --> 00:16:02.990 their feelings. Take charge. Exactly. And her 00:16:02.990 --> 00:16:06.149 nonfiction for adults also shows this broad intellectual 00:16:06.149 --> 00:16:10.710 curiosity. 2006, she published Insecure at Last, 00:16:11.250 --> 00:16:14.200 losing it in our security -obsessed world. That 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:17.240 title is intriguing. Insecure at last. What's 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:19.840 the argument? It basically explores modern life's 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:22.220 obsession with security, physical, financial, 00:16:22.500 --> 00:16:25.340 emotional. V argues that the extreme lengths 00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:28.549 we go to feel safe Often end up trapping us and 00:16:28.549 --> 00:16:30.610 that real freedom might come from letting go 00:16:30.610 --> 00:16:33.409 of that illusion of total protection That's the 00:16:33.409 --> 00:16:35.750 core idea. It's almost an activist book about 00:16:35.750 --> 00:16:38.610 mental liberation in a way She also contributed 00:16:38.610 --> 00:16:40.830 significantly to anthologies like co -editing 00:16:40.830 --> 00:16:43.850 a memory a monologue a rant and a prayer in 2006 00:16:43.850 --> 00:16:46.389 focused specifically on violence against women 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:49.519 Okay, now for those two sort of amazing hidden 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:51.480 credits that show just how far her influence 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:54.220 reached even outside activist circles. First, 00:16:54.340 --> 00:16:56.659 the uncredited contributions to Wicked. Isn't 00:16:56.659 --> 00:16:58.440 that incredible? Wicked, fourth longest running 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:00.659 show in Broadway history. A massive commercial 00:17:00.659 --> 00:17:03.399 juggernaut. And V's feminist insights were secretly 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:05.220 woven into its fabric. Gives you a whole new 00:17:05.220 --> 00:17:07.420 perspective on that musical, doesn't it? It really 00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:11.849 does. And second, consulting on Mad Max. Fury 00:17:11.849 --> 00:17:15.349 Road. I know. The 2015 action blockbuster. Talk 00:17:15.349 --> 00:17:18.710 about unexpected reach. It defines it. An activist 00:17:18.710 --> 00:17:21.589 whose work started in a basement shaped a $100 00:17:21.589 --> 00:17:24.589 million global movement. Also helped shape the 00:17:24.589 --> 00:17:26.789 feminist perspective in one of the most celebrated 00:17:26.789 --> 00:17:28.930 action films of the century. It really speaks 00:17:28.930 --> 00:17:31.829 to her ability to inject that perspective anywhere, 00:17:32.069 --> 00:17:34.609 no matter how commercial the project. Truly remarkable 00:17:34.609 --> 00:17:36.509 versatility. Okay, let's take that influence 00:17:36.509 --> 00:17:39.259 and ground it back in concrete action. Section 00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:42.299 four, deep dive into global and local activism 00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:44.660 initiatives. And we have to start with the biggest 00:17:44.660 --> 00:17:47.769 physical manifestation of V -Day's work. The 00:17:47.769 --> 00:17:51.029 city of joy. Yes, the city of joy. It's truly 00:17:51.029 --> 00:17:53.430 this beacon of hope that emerged from, well, 00:17:53.430 --> 00:17:55.809 the most horrific circumstances imaginable. It 00:17:55.809 --> 00:17:58.549 opened in 2011 in Bukavu, Democratic Republic 00:17:58.549 --> 00:18:01.690 of Congo, the DRC. Right. And it's crucial to 00:18:01.690 --> 00:18:04.309 remember the context. The UN has described the 00:18:04.309 --> 00:18:07.150 DRC as the rape capital of the world. Systemic 00:18:07.150 --> 00:18:09.009 gender violence used deliberately as a weapon 00:18:09.009 --> 00:18:11.049 of war. It's hard to even comprehend the scale. 00:18:11.390 --> 00:18:15.069 So given that backdrop of devastation, what exactly 00:18:15.069 --> 00:18:17.730 is the city of joy? How does it work? It's a 00:18:17.730 --> 00:18:20.049 dedicated residential community specifically 00:18:20.049 --> 00:18:22.230 for women who have survived gender violence. 00:18:23.150 --> 00:18:25.369 But it's more than just a shelter. The program 00:18:25.369 --> 00:18:27.769 provides intensive training and healing for up 00:18:27.769 --> 00:18:31.049 to 180 Congolese women each year. In a structured 00:18:31.049 --> 00:18:34.029 program. Yeah, a holistic six month curriculum. 00:18:34.309 --> 00:18:35.950 It's really a transformational school, not just 00:18:35.950 --> 00:18:38.630 a safe house. What are the key parts of that 00:18:38.630 --> 00:18:41.690 curriculum? It's really multifaceted. There's 00:18:41.690 --> 00:18:44.180 trauma informed group therapy. obviously crucial 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:46.480 for dealing with the psychological wounds. There's 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.539 self -defense training, rebuilding that sense 00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:51.619 of physical autonomy, comprehensive sexuality 00:18:51.619 --> 00:18:54.640 education, covering vital issues like HIV AIDS, 00:18:55.099 --> 00:18:57.740 family planning, expressive arts or big two, 00:18:58.039 --> 00:19:01.460 storytelling, theater, finding voice again, and 00:19:01.460 --> 00:19:03.900 critically robust economic empowerment training. 00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:06.400 Let's focus on that economic empowerment piece. 00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:09.720 Why is that so vital in this model? Well, in 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:11.920 places grappling with endemic conflict and poverty, 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:14.259 Physical safety alone isn't enough, right? You 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:16.299 need economic independence. To break the cycle. 00:19:16.759 --> 00:19:19.240 Exactly. So the training includes practical skills, 00:19:19.740 --> 00:19:23.400 managing microfinance, vocational arts. The goal 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:25.539 is that when these women return to their communities, 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:28.039 they have the means to support themselves and 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:30.720 their families. It helps break that cycle of 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.019 dependency that can lead right back to vulnerability. 00:19:33.380 --> 00:19:36.059 And what makes the City of Joy model different, 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:39.480 maybe, from more traditional Western -led aid 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:41.460 efforts in the region? This is key. the self 00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:44.380 -sufficiency aspect. The sources really emphasize 00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:47.460 that Congolese women themselves run, operate, 00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:50.880 and direct the City of Joy. It's not run by outsiders. 00:19:51.140 --> 00:19:54.059 No, not by American or European expats. This 00:19:54.059 --> 00:19:56.319 focus on local leadership is vital. It ensures 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:58.839 cultural relevance, long -term sustainability. 00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:01.720 It transforms it from just a charitable intervention 00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:04.140 into genuine empowerment and community building. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.559 And its impact was significant enough to be featured 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.700 in a Netflix documentary. Yeah, also called City 00:20:08.700 --> 00:20:10.990 of Joy. really brought its story to a global 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:13.950 audience. So after establishing this major institution, 00:20:14.150 --> 00:20:16.490 V &V Day launched another huge global campaign 00:20:16.490 --> 00:20:20.049 in 2012, One Billion Rising. Right. This was 00:20:20.049 --> 00:20:22.250 a brilliant way to mobilize global public opinion 00:20:22.250 --> 00:20:25.569 on a massive scale. What was the core idea behind 00:20:25.569 --> 00:20:28.829 One Billion Rising? It was created as this global 00:20:28.829 --> 00:20:31.730 protest campaign demanding an end to violence, 00:20:32.009 --> 00:20:35.049 promoting justice, gender equality. The name 00:20:35.049 --> 00:20:37.910 itself comes from that stark U .N. statistic. 00:20:38.109 --> 00:20:41.190 One in three women globally will experience sexual 00:20:41.190 --> 00:20:43.710 or physical violence. Which translates to roughly 00:20:43.710 --> 00:20:46.650 one billion women. Exactly, one billion women 00:20:46.650 --> 00:20:49.630 affected, hence one billion rising. And the chosen 00:20:49.630 --> 00:20:53.660 form of protest was dance. Yes. Which might sound 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:56.099 unusual, but it was very intentional. The campaign 00:20:56.099 --> 00:20:58.299 launched on V -Day's 15th anniversary, February 00:20:58.299 --> 00:21:01.539 14, 2013. It involved these huge coordinated 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:04.039 dance actions happening all over the world simultaneously. 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:06.680 Why dance? It used collective celebratory movement 00:21:06.680 --> 00:21:09.619 as a form of joyful, visible protest, taking 00:21:09.619 --> 00:21:11.539 a stand against the shame and isolation that 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:13.500 often surrounds trauma. It was about turning 00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:16.259 silent suffering into loud, collective, embodied 00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:19.160 defiance. Beyond these huge global initiatives, 00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:21.819 V has also consistently gotten involved in very 00:21:21.819 --> 00:21:24.609 specific often politically charged advocacy work 00:21:24.609 --> 00:21:27.329 around the world using her platform. Yeah, you 00:21:27.329 --> 00:21:29.589 see her dedication to places that maybe don't 00:21:29.589 --> 00:21:31.769 always get the media spotlight. She's been a 00:21:31.769 --> 00:21:35.230 long time committed supporter of Rawah, the revolutionary 00:21:35.230 --> 00:21:37.670 association of the women of Afghanistan. And 00:21:37.670 --> 00:21:40.470 not just from afar, right? No. Incredibly, she 00:21:40.470 --> 00:21:42.970 actually traveled to Afghanistan while the Taliban 00:21:42.970 --> 00:21:46.069 were in power, which was a massive personal risk. 00:21:46.369 --> 00:21:49.329 And she organized programs there, including an 00:21:49.329 --> 00:21:51.960 Afghani Women's Summit for Democracy. That's 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:54.220 serious commitment. And her advocacy was also 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:57.200 focused closer to home in Mexico. Right. In 2004, 00:21:57.700 --> 00:22:00.119 she was protesting down there alongside some 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:03.200 major American names, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, 00:22:03.579 --> 00:22:05.480 Christine Lottie. What was their goal? They were 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:07.680 targeting the Mexican government, trying to pressure 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:11.279 them to properly reinvestigate the brutal and 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:14.140 largely unsolved murders of hundreds of women 00:22:14.140 --> 00:22:16.599 in Ciudad Juarez. That area had become notorious 00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:20.000 for femicide. Exactly. Infamous. And V understood 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:22.519 that bringing celebrity focus could force official 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:24.759 attention onto these long -ignored human rights 00:22:24.759 --> 00:22:27.230 crises. And domestically, here in the U .S., 00:22:27.230 --> 00:22:30.069 she's had this incredible long -term commitment 00:22:30.069 --> 00:22:33.250 within the criminal justice system since 1998, 00:22:33.630 --> 00:22:36.230 leading a writing group at Bedford Hills Correctional 00:22:36.230 --> 00:22:39.029 Facility for Women. Yeah, that sustained dedication 00:22:39.029 --> 00:22:41.950 to incarcerated women is powerful. It's using 00:22:41.950 --> 00:22:44.230 her core skill teaching women how to tell their 00:22:44.230 --> 00:22:47.390 own stories, which V fundamentally believes is 00:22:47.390 --> 00:22:50.109 the first step towards reclaiming autonomy. And 00:22:50.109 --> 00:22:52.849 that group was featured in a documentary. It 00:22:52.849 --> 00:22:56.470 was. what I want my words to do to you. It really 00:22:56.470 --> 00:22:58.630 highlighted the emotional work, the expressive 00:22:58.630 --> 00:23:01.029 power being cultivated among the participants, 00:23:01.750 --> 00:23:03.750 including some high -profile inmates like Judy 00:23:03.750 --> 00:23:07.049 Clark and Kathy Booton. Her advocacy also stretched 00:23:07.049 --> 00:23:09.750 into broader policy arenas, showing her influence 00:23:09.750 --> 00:23:11.970 across different sectors. Yeah, like in 2016, 00:23:12.089 --> 00:23:13.930 she co -signed a letter to Ban Ki -moon, who 00:23:13.930 --> 00:23:15.930 was the UN Secretary General then. What was the 00:23:15.930 --> 00:23:18.450 letter about? Calling for a more humane global 00:23:18.450 --> 00:23:20.890 drug policy. Interesting. Who else signed on? 00:23:20.990 --> 00:23:23.869 It shows her ability to collaborate outside typical 00:23:23.869 --> 00:23:26.230 activist circles. She signed alongside people 00:23:26.230 --> 00:23:28.730 like Warren Buffett and John Legend, using her 00:23:28.730 --> 00:23:31.089 influence to push for systemic reform around 00:23:31.089 --> 00:23:34.089 drug criminalization, recognizing how that fuels 00:23:34.089 --> 00:23:36.849 violence and mass incarceration globally. And 00:23:36.849 --> 00:23:39.230 finally, the sources also document her clear 00:23:39.230 --> 00:23:42.509 stance in U .S. politics, particularly her criticism 00:23:42.509 --> 00:23:45.130 of Donald Trump in The Guardian in 2017. Oh, 00:23:45.130 --> 00:23:46.750 yeah, she didn't mince words there, called him 00:23:46.750 --> 00:23:50.069 a self -confessed sexual assaulter and our predator 00:23:50.069 --> 00:23:53.299 in chief. directly linking her global work against 00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:55.400 gender violence to her commentary on American 00:23:55.400 --> 00:23:58.279 leadership. Absolutely. And she later endorsed 00:23:58.279 --> 00:24:00.819 Senator Bernie Sanders for president in 2020. 00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:03.579 It shows this comprehensive view of activism 00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:05.740 spanning everything from grassroots organizing 00:24:05.740 --> 00:24:09.369 in prisons to major political endorsements. Okay, 00:24:09.490 --> 00:24:12.349 wow. This deep dive has really mapped out an 00:24:12.349 --> 00:24:14.670 incredible journey for Vee. We've seen her take 00:24:14.670 --> 00:24:17.750 profound personal trauma, filter it through this 00:24:17.750 --> 00:24:21.450 rigorous spiritual practice, transform it into 00:24:21.450 --> 00:24:23.890 a radical, world -changing piece of theater, 00:24:24.049 --> 00:24:27.009 the Vagina Monologues. And then, almost immediately, 00:24:27.470 --> 00:24:29.990 that art became the engine financially, spiritually 00:24:29.990 --> 00:24:33.569 for Vee Day. This global activist powerhouse. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:37.539 raising over $100 million, establishing tangible 00:24:37.539 --> 00:24:40.500 institutions like the City of Joy and the DRC. 00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:42.940 The synthesis really seems to be that V's art 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:45.380 was never just commentary, right? It was always 00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:47.619 the blueprint for the action. Exactly. Her most 00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:50.140 personal literary works, especially the Apology, 00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:52.319 the one detailing the abuse leading to her name 00:24:52.319 --> 00:24:55.200 change, they demonstrate how intensely personal 00:24:55.200 --> 00:24:58.519 stories can directly fuel movements with massive, 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:01.799 measurable global impact. She didn't just survive 00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:05.079 her past, she harnessed its energy. Transform 00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:07.559 that pain into the actual capability, financial 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:09.880 and philosophical, to build better futures for 00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:12.380 thousands worldwide. It's an incredible testament 00:25:12.380 --> 00:25:14.500 to transformation, to narrative control. It really 00:25:14.500 --> 00:25:16.930 is. As we wrap up, maybe we should circle back 00:25:16.930 --> 00:25:19.289 to that core vision V articulated in the body 00:25:19.289 --> 00:25:21.990 of the world. That simple phrase, the only salvation 00:25:21.990 --> 00:25:24.930 is kindness. Right. Think about that again in 00:25:24.930 --> 00:25:27.250 the context of the actual work V -Day does. They're 00:25:27.250 --> 00:25:29.509 on the front lines dealing with war zone rape, 00:25:29.710 --> 00:25:32.390 FGM, deeply entrenched institutional violence. 00:25:32.529 --> 00:25:35.130 Conflicts fueled by hate, systemic misogyny, 00:25:35.470 --> 00:25:37.910 complex geopolitics. So the provocative thought 00:25:37.910 --> 00:25:40.529 for you, the listener, is this. Given the huge 00:25:40.529 --> 00:25:43.210 complex structural nature of the violence V and 00:25:43.210 --> 00:25:46.259 V -Day are fighting, How does a singular belief 00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:49.140 in kindness, a belief seemingly rooted in personal 00:25:49.140 --> 00:25:52.599 healing, how does that successfully fuel and 00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:55.859 sustain such immense structural change? How does 00:25:55.859 --> 00:25:58.259 it build functioning independent institutions 00:25:58.259 --> 00:26:00.680 across wildly different cultures? It really makes 00:26:00.680 --> 00:26:03.839 you contemplate the measurable, almost quantifiable 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:06.400 power of individual transformation, that deep 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:08.960 personal healing when it's skillfully, strategically, 00:26:09.339 --> 00:26:12.079 and passionately channeled into collective structural 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:15.240 global action, that fusion. Yeah. personal healing 00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:18.440 driving massive logistical achievement. Maybe 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:20.059 that's the ultimate lesson from B's remarkable 00:26:20.059 --> 00:26:20.339 career.