On May 19, 2015, The Arts Effect and The Feminist Press teamed up, yet again, to bring SLUT the play to the famous Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Our goal was to share an important call-to-action – the call for universal consent education at the high school level. Along side the cast, we lined up incredible speakers such as writer Beau Willimon (creator of House of Cards), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), actor Michael Kelly, Editor-in-Chief of Glamour Magazine Cindi Leive, Executive Director of the DC Rape Crisis Center Sherelle Hessell Gordon, and Feminist Press Executive Director Jennifer Baumgardner.

As word spread, an outpouring of support came from local, national, and international organizations: Planned Parenthood, Equality NOW, Men Can Stop Rape, the US Military, Coalition for Adolescent Girls, Deaf Abused Women’s Network, Robert F. Kennedy Foundation for Justice and Human Rights, Latin American Youth Center, DC Rape Crisis Center, Break the Cycle, Advocates for Youth, Becky’s Fun, Casa Org, Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, DC NOW, DC Safe, Eyes Wide Open Mentoring, Feminist Majority, Girls for Change, Network for Victim Recovery of DC, NO MORE, and Women’s Information Network.

The most important component was left…. the students. Over 900 students (and their teachers) from twenty-five public, private and special needs schools attended the performance and post-show discussion forum. After a powerful performance, the call-to-action was made. Audience members agreed to write and call their heads of schools, school board members, city/state representatives, and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to request that consent education be implemented in their communities. Then, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) announced she’s working on a bill that would allow high schools to apply for federal funding to implement consent education.

We were honored to also have The White House Council on Women and Girls invite us to the White House to discuss next steps, as well as Ambassador of Global Women’s Issues, Cathy Russell.

Check out some pics from our DC adventure - performance, trip to the White House, and State Department. The cast was incredibly brave, honest and vulnerable as they shared their personal experiences with sexual shaming and assault and explained in their own words why consent education is so critical to sustainable change.