I’m writing this article still floating on cloud nine, even though ten days have passed since the event. It was a baptism by fire for me, having joined the Monthly Dignity team just one month prior.
The event took place on Friday, May 30th at 7 PM and was aptly titled “Comedy Night for Menstrual Rights,” perfectly capturing how joy can serve as a tool for activism. It was held in conjunction with International Menstrual Health Day (May 28th), a symbolic date that reminds us of the urgent need to combat period poverty, which impacts millions of people worldwide; A problem perpetuated by social taboos that too often serve to maintain unequal power dynamics.
Seeing as this day is so important for our organization, the team went all out. The lineup featured three exceptional comedians: Raajiee Chelliah, Emna Achour, and Eva Alexopoulos as headliner and MC, along with the coolest DJ, Gwinestefani, all at La Sala Rossa. You can imagine my surprise: for a relatively young nonprofit organization, I thought it was incredible to go all out like this. Yet the vision was spot-on.
About a hundred people showed up. Yes, we sold out at La Sala Rossa!
The evening was organized around a carefully orchestrated bilingual program. After touching opening speeches by Clara and Hayley, our co-directors, Raajiee Chelliah opened the performances with her hilarious nonchalance, sharing personal experiences like dating outside her culture. Emna Achour took over in French with a deeply feminist set. Then came a particularly memorable moment: the Quiz, where two non-menstruating people attempted to answer questions from one of our team members, who transformed into an uncompromising menstrual health educator for the occasion. The menstruating audience members took wicked pleasure in correcting their answers! Finally, Eva truly spoiled us: in addition to being a captivating MC throughout the evening, she closed the performances with 30 minutes of hilarious confessions.
We also organized a raffle with prizes donated by our partners: Librairie Zone Libre, Dispatch, Beaver Tail, Modo Yoga, Spin Énergie, and Cinéma du Parc. Eva Alexopoulos also generously offered a bonus gift of tickets to the Kickback comedy club. At that moment, you had to protect your eardrums from the shrill screams of the lucky winners! But the moment that struck me most was our closing game “Finish the Lyrics,” which naturally transformed into unison singing and a dance floor.
In short, this memorable evening exceeded our expectations across the board, particularly through the generous donations we received. This outpouring of participants’ support continues to move us, and helps propel our mission forward, amplifying our impact in the community.
Beyond these concrete results, there was a particularly warm atmosphere, and I felt like I belonged, like I was truly part of a community. Apparently, this feeling was shared.
Nelly, a participant, told us: “I had a wonderful evening with all these incredible people. I didn’t think I would laugh that much. The atmosphere was so easygoing and caring that I felt like I was surrounded only by my friends. I particularly appreciated the different activities that took place throughout the evening and made it fly by (the MC, the comedy shows, the quiz, the raffle). I’ll come back for the next dates!”
Then Loélia, another participant shared: “Being engaged in feminist issues, it was natural to participate in this evening organized by Monthly Dignity. The idea, initially, was to support the cause. Stand-up, of course, is a pleasure; but what really mattered was contributing to their mission. (…) But that night, accompanied by a friend, I discovered much more than a militant event. The atmosphere was gentle, welcoming, inclusive, a true safe space. (…) The comedians were wonderful, funny, touching, and engaging. They performed in French and English, so everyone could feel comfortable. Through the laughter, there was also very strong solidarity. Maybe we can’t break down all taboos in one evening… but we can already support each other and amplify the message together. If other evenings like this are planned, one thing is certain: I’ll be there.”
This creation of a reassuring and joyful space constitutes a political act in itself, and this is exactly how using joy as a tool of activism makes complete sense (1). As researchers like adrienne maree brown theorize, joy allows us to build the mutual trust necessary for collective action (2). Celebrating energizes us and gives us hope.
Or as Hayley’s opening words so perfectly summarized: “Tonight is about dignity—but also about joy. Because even as we fight for equity, even as we carry the weight of difficult truths, we also make room for laughter, for celebration, for connection. This too is resistance.”
This evening reminded me why Monthly Dignity’s mission is so close to my heart and made me even more eager to continue serving it. I like to believe we succeeded in sharing this energy with everyone present.
This is how I can say that activism and joy are not mutually exclusive; on the contrary, they mutually reinforce each other to create resilient communities and lasting change.
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