Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
Just a Girl
Being a girl is hard, and trying to be a girl and look good is such a Herculean effort. Hercules is in hell right now trying to push a rock uphill and I’m like “pfft I’ll push that rock instead of trying to put on liquid eyeliner” now that’s impossible. Trying to put on winged eyeliner evenly should be an Olympic sport.
By Mae McCreery4 years ago in Viva
Insecurities: How to Embrace Yourself
Sometimes, I wonder what my life would be like if I didn’t base my decisions on how I wanted to be perceived. No, for real. As a woman, how many times have you made a decision that affected your life in an substantial way, just to be perceived as a good woman? A loyal woman? A beautiful woman? Even if it hurt you physically, mentally, and emotionally, did you make a decision for you.. that only benefited someone else?
By Enigmatiika 4 years ago in Viva
Kyleena Turned me into an Angry Shrek
I used Kyleena for about 9 months, and a non hormonal IUD for about 7 years. I opted for my first IUD after I had my second child, and it was implanted two months after his birth. The procedure was uncomfortable, but not painful. Remember however, that eight weeks prior I had just passed a human, so my perception may have been a bit skewed. Big ole human.... Big ole Texan human.... Oh the flashbacks...
By Deborah Alice4 years ago in Viva
Women, War and Power in David Malouf's 'Ransom'
Women in David Malouf’s Ransom are significant in their absence, remaining confined to the historical and social realities of the novel’s setting. While Malouf’s reinterpretation of the world of Homer’s Iliad explores the nature of violence, war and patrimony, these themes are never removed from their traditionally-understood place within the ‘masculine’ sphere of influence, and the author presents a society, in which woman’s importance exists only in her association with the deeds of great men. As a result, the women in Ransom serve only the roles a patriarchal society will permit; those of wives, mothers and handmaidens. Malouf’s choice not to challenge these stereotypes may be read as a result of his authorial loyalty to the source material, or, more-critically, as an exploration of the ways in which cultural narratives surrounding war and violence are presented as almost-entirely masculine affairs.
By Alexander Gates4 years ago in Viva
A cry never heard
“yea it happened to me, more than once... yes I never called the police... yes I thought no one cared... yes I started to dislike myself... yes I felt ashamed and nasty... how could this happen to me! Why would this happen!” I couldn’t do anything but listen, how could this happen. What I am going to tell you is story of a young girl who believed she walked with God until it felt he was no longer there.
By EnlightenedMindzSpeak4 years ago in Viva
3 New and Underrated GIRL POWER Shows!
I spent May and July watching over a dozen new comedy shows. While I recently wrote a piece about which shows I found the funniest, there were many programs I wholeheartedly enjoyed and wished I could recommend. Unfortunately, not all of them fit the criteria for the article. Maybe the episodes were too long in length or there was a performance in another show that was funnier. Maybe they were dramedies rather than comedies. That doesn't mean the shows I rejected were bad. In fact, there were three shows in particular I couldn't get out of my head, even though I couldn't include them in my original ICYMI piece.
By Kathryn Milewski4 years ago in Viva
6 Things Every Woman Should Know About Her Body
The female body is intricate and confusing. It makes being a woman even more difficult. Not only are we treated like second class citizens, but we also must deal with our “plumbing” bleeding every 28 days AND it’s hidden from our view.
By Casey Chesterfield4 years ago in Viva
I AM A SURVIVOR
I don't think that there are any words that could describe how terrifying that night was. Talking about something that happened 24 years ago,seems like it was a life time ago. My name is Adriane and this is the story that changed my life forever. I was a young girl and a new single parent. I had recently split from my sons father, and was living alone for the first time in my life. And I was enjoying my new found freedom maybe, a little too much at the time. I was living in Clovis, New Mexico I had found a small duplex for me and my son to live in. I met my friend April she lived in the same duplex. We quickly became friends she had two kids and I had one son. I didn't know anybody in Clovis, I had just moved there. So April's friends also became my friends. At times we would have wild parties, there would be lots of drinking that would last through out the night. It was at one of these parties that I met James. He for some reason took an instant liking to me . The feeling was not mutual. I was dating someone else at the time, and he just made me feel uncomfortable. The fun parties keep taking place and you could say I was living the life of a wild child . James would show up on occasion and express interest in me, but for whatever reason I didn't want him around me or my son. I tried to keep my distance from him. I didn't want him to think I was leading him on in any way , because I had no interest in him.
By Adriane Kirby4 years ago in Viva