At Your Cervix Benefit Party

I must reluctantly admit that once a year, when that annual physical rolls around, part of me is queasy and apprehensive. I try to be outwardly tough and nonchalant, but underneath I'm dreading those 10 minutes of some white coat poking around in my junk with their cold hands and torture-device-resembling speculum. The worst part has to be when they scrape (yes, for those of you not in the know, they scrape) my cervix. Turns out I've been lucky with my pelvic exam experiences. As the new independent film, At Your Cervix, exposes, pelvic exams can be pretty bad. The filmmakers found that some women have unknowingly been used to train medical students while they've been anesthetized for gynecological procedures. The film also shares the experiences of Gynecological Teaching Associates, women who volunteer to offer their own bodies to train medical students. The fundraiser will raise money to distribute the film and will include appearances by the filmmakers, burlesque performances by some of Lili's Revue Players, and music.
Fri., Aug. 22, 7 p.m., 2008