body

Feminism demands a future free of fat shaming, body obsession and the male gaze.

Dear Body
Dear Body, I’ve known you for 23 years now and what a ride it’s been. Of those 23 years, I have hated you for 15. I’ve hated you since I was made painfully aware of how obviously you did not fit into society’s mold. You’ve always been an "ugly duckling" of sorts: Lumpier, round, just all around larger than everyone else around you. You’ve always stuck out like a sore thumb and I yearn for the days when I lived so carefree, unaware of how unacceptable society has made the extra space you occupy out to be.
By Robyn Sadowsky7 years ago in Viva
The Future of Feminine Hygiene
Let me begin by saying (ranting) that I’m going to discuss the content of this article in pretty candid detail, so if women’s bodies make you uncomfortable, I might suggest putting this article down and stepping out of the 7th grade. It’s about time women everywhere feel they’re able to talk about their periods if they so choose. Some people don’t want to talk about their periods because it makes them uncomfortable to do so (or for whatever reason), and that’s totally valid. That’s okay, and it’s really none of anyone’s business. However, the women who do want to talk about it should be able to without feeling “gross.”
By Stripes Joplin7 years ago in Viva
Vodka and Orange Juice
The first time I drank was with Jake Henderson*. He was seventeen and I was thirteen, he lived in my neighbourhood and he used to message me on facebook and we'd talk. He wasn't my boyfriend or anything, but I'd go to his house after school sometimes and we'd make out. We did that a few times and then I'd leave before his parents got home from work. But this one time, his parents were out of town and he gave me a big glass of vodka and orange juice.
By TC Brown7 years ago in Viva
Finding Peace
For much of my high school years, I was much “smaller.” By that, I mean I was in a gym constantly because I thought the only way to be happy was to be thin. I went to a “gym” that was geared towards sex appeal. To be honest, sometimes it was so much fun. It felt nice to feel sexy, to do dances and hold poses on a pole. We did all kinds of things, and sometimes I was uncomfortable, but I did it anyway. It made the world seem, to me, like I could only go places in life with sex appeal. I thought that these classes would launch me straight into a great life with money and happiness and romance, but it honestly crushed my soul. The people I surrounded myself with in these classes, unintentionally, were hurting me. They would say how weird it was that one specific person was with me all the time and “Oh, she must be in love with you, how weird.” She was, still is, and we are very happy, but that’s another story.
By S Nicole7 years ago in Viva
Leave Fat People Alone
Why does being a fat person matter to so many people? How does it affect you when all we do is just exist in the same spaces?
By Kayla Manning7 years ago in Viva
I Didn’t Report It
July 10th. Normal day. Normal plans. Plans to sit and chill out on my couch. Plans to have fun with my best friend in the next couple days. It was a normal good night. It was fun. It was relaxing. About midnight that night a good friend had stopped by. He was just wanting to hang out watch a movie or something. At least that’s what I thought he had wanted to do. We had been fuck buddy’s for a while, four years at that point. Casual and fun at times but he knew I’d like to step it up and possibly get into a relationship. That was mistake number two of that night, thinking he only wanted to hang out. The first one was letting him into my apartment. By one we were watching a movie on Netflix. By two he was sitting next to me. And by three he had me in my room. I remember it all so vividly but it’s so blurry. He was stripping me, pulling my clothes off roughly while I tried to fight him off. The tears were gushing from my eyes and I was trying so hard to get him away from me.
By Boogiedat .7 years ago in Viva
Compliment Vs. Sexual Harassment
This is my personal story of what I have gone through as a women in today's world, and my opinion on the issue. We are all aware of the #metoo movement, where women and men are coming out about being sexually harassed. As a women, I have been sexually harassed multiple times. As a young women, I thought it was just a man complimenting me. As I have gotten older, I have realized those men were praying on me and sexually harassing me.
By Kayla7 years ago in Viva
Destruction
Before my eyes, everything I once had and loved got destroyed. Everything was taken from me—my pride, my virginity, my trust, my childhood and nothing I said or did could have stopped it. I was only 16-years-old turning 17 when it all had happened. I spent hours sitting in the corner of my room, hugging my knees, with tears flowing out my blood shot eyes as I bashed my head into every single wall in my room trying to figure out what I had done wrong.
By Aiyana Roman7 years ago in Viva
Pregnant at Thirteen
It was midnight when my mother and I were watching Look Who’s Talking, snuggled up on our living room floor. I was three years old at the time and my mother was nineteen. Although I cannot remember the entire evening, I remember seeing little Mikey’s first spark of life in the womb of his mother just after she and her boss were kissing up a storm. The baby’s conception was played out through a hilarious dialogue, and just like that, at three years old I had an idea of how babies were made! Notice idea.
By Jas•Man7 years ago in Viva
Battle Scars
Motherhood. To some it is a blessing; to others a battle. But no matter how many children you have, may it be one or seven, or how many dirty butts and late nights with no sleep there are, mothers endure. So isn’t it about time that we feel like the heroes we are?
By Ave Ramsey7 years ago in Viva
Stripped Down
No one tells you how to move on from such an unspeakable day. I was raped; a sentence I have only told three people and none of those people are in any way related to me. I can’t even begin to express how scared I am to tell them, and maybe I never will but my story doesn’t just end there.
By Eryn Bowman7 years ago in Viva
How I Was Sexually Assaulted by My Boyfriend
I want to write about being sexually assaulted, but it didn't happen the way you'd imagine. He used to get me so high that I was paralyzed, and then he would do things to me that felt good. It felt good in my body, but was it really what I wanted mentally? In my head, I would wish for it to stop, but it looked like a different story because my body was reacting in a way that I couldn't control. He would give me orgasm after orgasm, resulting in me becoming so mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. I was also completely unable to say no in that situation. How is it sexual assault if it felt good? How is it sexual assault if it's your boyfriend?
By Amanda Doyle7 years ago in Viva