relationships

Trace the link between feminism and relationships from outdated norms to modern conventions including chivalry, working mothers, splitting the bill and beyond.

An Open Letter to My Rapist
Dear Anonymous, I trusted you, I opened up to you. We shared a part of our lives together. We shared such good memories and had such good times together. I would be lying if I said I ever saw a future with you, but in the moment you were my present. And I admired the times with you.
By J E8 years ago in Viva
You Can't Hurry Love
At the age of 18, I was a freshman at NYU in the Tisch School of performing arts. At age 18, your brain is still a baby, still growing. It is so easy to be influenced by other people. I had a goal of saving myself until marriage, but that did not happen. I met someone, and my first time being intimate, I became pregnant. What a horror! How could something so horrific happen to me? Obviously I knew that could happen, but was mortified. I was 18, my life so ahead of me, what do I do now? I told my parents, they told me to keep the child. I told the man, he told me not to. A decision so tricky.
By Ananda Malave- Reyes8 years ago in Viva
Are You Always Going to Pick an Abuser?
As a newly remarried woman I have definitely had this question cross my mind; just because my first marriage was abusive does that mean my second one will be too? It's a heavy question and an important question for anyone to ask, especially if they have already been in an abusive relationship.
By Janet Rhodes8 years ago in Viva
I'm Standing Here Naked
No, but seriously. I stood there naked. Let me explain. I have allowed the idea of love into my head three times in the life I've lived so far. Three times I got burned, but each time I learned something new about myself and about life. I'm a firm believer in taking the most out of a bad situation and turning it into something good. I learned a long time ago that that's the only way to stay positive about life. For all the ladies that read this, the lesson I learned here was to never let someone manipulate you into something you don't want. Never let them hurt you, hurt your feelings, hurt you soul. Never let them speak to you like you are nothing more than the scum on the bottom of a dirty shoe. And NEVER stop believing how truly beautiful and wonderful you are.
By Bryanna Burshnick8 years ago in Viva
Conquering Girl-Crazy
Ladies, we’ve all been there. Everything seems fine and then he (or she or whomever), does something, says something, and suddenly we go girl-crazy. We get excited and emotional, and our thoughts are directly connected to our mouths, no filter to save us. We say things we mean, but didn’t necessarily mean to say out loud. We behave irrationally. And much later we might find ourselves giving apologies and asking for forgiveness, blaming our behavior on lack of sleep or caffeine, or hormones. What if you could break the cycle? I have 5 steps that might help.
By Layla Knight8 years ago in Viva
There's a Place for Your Kind of Love... Prison
Four years of age and not knowing quite what life is all about, playing with toys, and being happy as can be, so far. Well, at quite a young age, I was being looked after by one of my parents good friends while they were at work and my old brother at school. Nice family, lovely woman and man with a few much older kids than I, with one being in a wheelchair due to having meningitis. I became quite good friends with one of their daughters, but being a wee girl, I was quite taken back by their son, as many young females are at the age of four. Their son was quite a few years older than I, possibly 10 years older. Everyday Monday to Friday, only for just a few hours, while my parents go to work, I'd go to this other family's house. At a very young age of 5-years-old, I started to realise something REALLY wasn't right with their son...
By Marianne McGarry8 years ago in Viva
Til it Happens to You
I didn't say yes. But I didn't say no. After, we were at church. I stood while we sang. And I cried. I wasn't crying because I was moved by the spirit. I was crying because I was 14 and had just performed the first sexual act of my life.
By V. Renae8 years ago in Viva
The Aftermath of Abuse
In my last post, I shared my own experience that I’ve had with domestic violence in an abusive relationship. I knew it was an issue, but wow, I never realized how truly relevant it was until I got so many responses to my last post from people who are either in the same situation, or had been at some point. It’s heartbreaking to hear that it’s happening all around me, however, it makes me that much more content with my own story going public. I feel so relieved that my story impacted readers, and brought attention as well as started conversations that need to be had. A lot of people reached out to me with questions, such as “how do you handle dating now?” “are you still scared of him?” and simply “how do you cope?”. All solid questions in which I will now address in my second post called: The Aftermath of Abuse. Then I shall move on from this particular subject because who wants to dwell on damage?
By . /8 years ago in Viva
The Day That Changed Me Forever
Hello, my name is Jordan Dale and I am a 21 year old college senior. Life didn't used to be easy, but then one day I decided that I was going to turn my opinion about myself around and point it in the direction of success and growth. I just want to start out by saying that when this situation in my life occurred, I was what you would consider a typical teenager. I was young and naive and thought I was invincible and that nothing would destroy me. I will always remember what happened to me, but now as I have gotten older, instead of letting it suffocate me, I have decided to let it help me grow and change my future. This was a time in my life when I was very insecure about many things and I did not know the difference between right and wrong. Well now as I have grown up, I want to tell my story to help anyone and everyone I can reach to tell them that the sun does rise again and it will get better. I am bigger than my story, so let me put into words what happened.
By Jordan Dale8 years ago in Viva
Living in Fear
I was fresh out of my first year of college and I was ready to experience new things. I never had a boyfriend and that was something I wanted for a while. I think that I was desperate to have someone who would love me that I settled for the first guy to pay me any attention. I feel like my dad and his lack of affection for me is partly to blame.
By Mama_diaz16 Diaz8 years ago in Viva
Beautiful, but Broken
With each strike, across the face. With each vicious insult hurled her way, in a drunken rage, a small piece of her heart broke away. She was 15 years old and in love with the idea of love. He was 31 years old, and old enough to know better. However, because any grown woman could see through his outwardly charm, he instead chose to prey on an innocent, naive child. That child was me.
By Anonymous Survivor8 years ago in Viva
Speaking Out About What Needs to Be Spoken About
My first encounter with sexual abuse was when I was 8. It lasted for a year. Not just by one person, but 3. I won't name any names at all. However, I also wasn't the only one it was being done to either.
By Kirsten Wills-Ashlock8 years ago in Viva