Eve Ensler’s “I am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World” came to South Africa this month. A few years late, but it came. My sister treated me to the play last week. Thank you sugar. :*

You may know Eve Ensler as the writer of “The Vagina Monolgues”. In her TED talk about Emotional Creature, she says that every human being has a ‘girl cell’. This ‘cell’ is responsible for emotions, and everyone has been taught to suppress it; because it supposedly comes in the way of judgement and strength.

… I want you imagine that at some point in history, a group of powerful people invested in owning and controlling the world understood that the suppression of this particular cell… getting us to believe in the weakness of these cells… basically began the process of killing off the girl cell, which was, by the way, patriarchy. …this girl cell is compassion, and it’s empathy, and it’s passion itself, and it’s vulnerability, and it’s openness, and it’s intensity…

…Compassion informs wisdom… vulnerability is our greatest strength… emotions have inherent logic… And then let’s remember that we’ve been taught the exact opposite by the powers that be, that compassion clouds your thinking… that vulnerability is weakness, that emotions are not to be trusted, and you’re not supposed to take things personally… I think the whole world has essentially been brought up not to be a girl.

It is a very interesting idea that she puts  forward in her TED talk. Please watch it.

The play addresses sex slavery, eating disorders, rape, and other issues that girls around the world experience. The cast comprised 6 young South African actresses. Emotional Creature beautifully balanced cold seriousness and humour to poke, provoke, inspire and empower.

The Cape Town play was shown at the Flipside in the Baxter Theatre. Every member of the audience got a wrist band and could write a short message to pin on the emotions board. FUN.

Here are a few pics… 🙂

I wish every reader a splendid weekend.
Awaken your girl-cell.
Allow yourself to feel; and to feel intensely.

Xx