Show Some Skin – Call for Stories

Friday, November 10, 2023 12:00 am EST

As poet Marianne Williamson has suggested, perhaps “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? …  There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.”

We deserve to shine!

This year, we ask you: What do you love about your identity –  your culture, your gender, your body, your hair? When have you felt celebrated and respected in your identity? What have you achieved when you went against the grain, defied the stereotypes?

What makes you brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?

And, centered in this confidence in ourselves, how can we illuminate the darkness that we face? How can we change our institutions to celebrate the spectrum of human identity? How can we transform Notre Dame so we all belong?

Show Some Skin is a student-led initiative that invites members of the Notre Dame community to share narratives about identity and difference. We solicit anonymous monologues written by students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and select a compelling sample of these stories to stage as an annual public performance.

Show Some Skin is, however, more than just a theatrical production. It is a project – a movement – to engage the ND community in more meaningful, often deeply personal, dialogue about race, gender, sexuality, class, and other aspects of identity. We strive to make Notre Dame a more welcoming place for all.

Monologue submissions are open to students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University of Notre Dame. The deadline for submissions is November 10, 2023. To learn more or to submit a monologue, please use the QR code above or visit the Show Some Skin website. Show Some Skin is sponsored by the University Writing Program.

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