If a vagina could talk, what would it say?

That was just one of many philosophical musings at the fifth annual production of “The Vagina Monologues” at Northern Kentucky University Feb. 4, where several women took turns reading scripts about the various aspects of the female reproductive system.

“It was incredibly liberating to speak about such a controversial issue,” said Elizabeth Byland, a senior theatre major and one of the readers.

The proceeds from the $5 tickets will go to the Women’s Crisis Center in Covington for abused women. Mary York, an English professor and the production’s coordinator, said she’s hoping for between $300-$400 for the charity.

Byland gave the most popular rendition of the night, reciting a passage about a dominatrix prostitute and her love of women’s sexual moans that ending with the “triple-orgasm moan.”

Another story focused on an older woman who suffered an accident on her first date, ruining the seat in her date’s new Chevrolet Bel-Air.

However, the play also touched on several more serious issues, such as a passage describing one woman’s experience being raped in a war zone, using metaphors to describe the horrific experience. Another issue covered was “female circumcision,” a dangerous practice that has mutilated the genitals of more than 80 million women, mostly in Africa.

“Cutting of little girls’ clitorises used to happen all the time,” said Jessica Hammons, a senior philosophy major and performer. One of her readings pointed out that the a five-year-old girl was the last recorded victim in the United States in 1948.

For Hammons, bringing such issues out into the open was one motivation for participating.

Lauren Truman, a sophomore political science major, said that it was her first play. She said that she thought it would be fun. Also, the charity nature of it prompted her to participate.

York said it was a lot of work, as everyone had to prepare in advance before the readers held their sole rehearsal.

The work, however, paid off. The audience laughed through the humorous scenes, such as York talking about her angry vagina and seamlessy transitioned to a reverent silence during the more somber readings.

Whitney Follings, a junior human services major, said she enjoyed the entire show, especially “the moaning part.”

John Simon, an undeclared sophomore added that though either sex could enjoy the show, the women understood the humor better than the men.

“I thought it was comical, but the girls could relate,” he said. “The girls could truly laugh cause they know.”