Comics raise cash for a vagina museum

Opening soon?

Barely a day goes by without comedians holding a benefit gig for one good cause or another… but this has to be one of the more unusual.

For a gig in London next month will raise money towards opening the world's first museum dedicated to vaginas.

Scientist Florence Schechter has launched the campaign, inspired by the penis museum in Reyjkavik.

She said: 'There is a penis museum in Iceland. Which is pretty cool. But there is no vagina museum anywhere in the world. I was pretty miffed when I learnt this but I thought, there's only one way to rectify this. Make one.'

She says she wants to showcase the science, history and culture of vaginas to address some of the social baggage placed on that part of the anatomy.

In an interview last month, Schechter explained: 'We don't talk about vaginas enough. We talk about penises all the time. Who hasn't seen a comedian doing a dick joke?'

The night in East London aims to combat that, with all the night's stand-up dedicated to vaginas, 'the people who have them, the things we put in and push out of them, cultural vaginas, arty vaginas, sciencey vaginas, WTF animal vaginas, and much more', according to the organisers.

Headlining is Manchester comedian and radio regular Hayley Ellis, pictured, with support from Rosie Jones and Micky Overman.

Schechter herself will also be on the bill with a number of fellow science communicators.

The Vagina Museum is starting as a series of gigs, talks and workshops such as this, with the ultimate goal to establish a permanent collection in a building that could also host events such as feminist comedy nights.

'There will also be a cafe with vagina cupcakes and a gift shop with vagina merch,' Schechter says.