The BODYlogues, a presentation of community submitted monologues about body image and acceptance, hit the stage Monday evening. The Rogue River Room hosted at least 70 people as SOU students and Ashland community members watched performances by Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS) students. As a part of the Women’s Resource Center’s Love Every Body Week, the BODYlogues touched on issues ranging from all spectrums of body dysmorphia, mental health, and overall body appreciation.
“It took me almost 23 years to become okay with my body,” read the final line of the monologue, What Makes Me Beautiful, written by Autumn Micketti and performed Haley Clarke.
“I am none if only all. Only if each together and singular– 
differentiated and unified,” Amy Acconigo wrote and performed from her piece called, My Body Says.
These lines and many others throughout the performance recounted true experiences and thoughts of students at SOU. In addition to accepting student written pieces, seniors of the GSWS 410 class surveyed SOU students. They asked questions such as “What is your earliest memory of your body?” and “How do you appreciate your body?” The performers then took the answers to the surveys—unedited—and performed them one after the other.
The night ended with a Question and Answer portion as well as a powerful poem about privilege by ASSOU Senator of Gender Equality and Sexual Diversity Hannah Egar. Egar used examples of her own white, cis, and middle class privilege as inspiration for the piece. “I use my privilege intentionally or not every day,” says Egar. She went on to state aims to use her privilege to create change in the systems that promote inequality and discrimination.
The performers and producers of the BODYlogues responded to a question from the Siskiyou about what it took to prepare for the event. Lily Kurtz replied, “We asked for submissions, we accepted submissions, and we had writing workshop and held rehearsals.”
“The editing process took a long time,” added Jay Lundy.
Many weeks of hard work went in to pulling off Monday night’s BODYlogues, and the message seemed to hit home. The students involved hope to bring it back next year, and have strongly encouraged students to submit work to thebodylogues@gmail.com.
“Being ashamed of your body and your nakedness is something that needs to be broken down,” concluded Sam Madsen.
