A production of the play “The Vagina Monologues” will include well-known local elected officials, community leaders and other dignitaries tonight in San Francisco.
The benefit performance of playwright Eve Ensler’s 1996 play comprised of monologues discussing women’s issues and experiences with domestic and sexual violence will be held at 7:30 p.m. at San Francisco’s Herbst Theater, located at 401 Van Ness Ave.
Those involved in the production include former state Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, San Francisco Supervisor Malia Cohen and Eliana Lopez, wife of San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi.
Mirkarimi was involved in a domestic abuse case when he bruised Lopez’s arm during an argument on New Year’s Eve in 2011.
He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false imprisonment in March 2012 and was suspended without pay on misconduct charges.
Mirkarimi was able to return to his post in October after the city’s Board of Supervisors did not have enough votes to permanently remove him from office.
Lopez, an actress from her native Venezuela, is now involved in the organization Progressive Women Rising.
Tonight’s show is a benefit for the San Francisco-based V-DAY Filipina Women’s Network as part of their campaign to stop violence against women and girls.
The organization is raising awareness about sex trafficking and domestic and sexual abuse.
Following the performance, San Francisco supervisors Eric Mar, Norman Yee and Scott Wiener will lead a pledge for men to get involved in the campaign against violence.
Sasha Lekach, Bay City News
