Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
Why Being Black Is Trendy
Time and time again, I get on Social Media and find black women living their best lives. I see afros and twist-outs galore, beautiful light and dark melanin skin glowing, and positive images of black women being brought to light. I’ve seen pictures of college graduates, doctors with kinks and coils, and teens bringing justice to victims on buses, trains, and planes. Unfortunately, it seems like all the media ever sees is our hairstyles, our music, and our dance moves.
Tamirah McGillPublished 5 years ago in VivaWhat Does a Rapist Look Like?
We all want to believe that a rapist is an undeniable monster. A person who is so easy to pick out in the crowd for being an undeniable creep. They are that stranger in the dark alley or lurking in the bushes. Some despicable man with no semblance of soul or care for other human beings that lives to attack women because he couldn't be with a woman otherwise.
Teela HudakPublished 5 years ago in Viva5 Books All Women Should Read by Their 20s
1. 'The Handmaid’s Tale' This dystopian novel written by Margret Atwood has not only been adapted into a gripping TV series, it is also one of the most reflective novels about feminism and womanhood that a girl could read. Without explaining the whole plot, the book follows the story of Offred: a woman whose sole purpose in society is to provide a fertile reproductive system for a male called Fred. This novel highlights the height of 1970s/80s feminism and captures the cruel truth about how women are perceived in society. 10/10; a book ALL women should read.
Leigh HooperPublished 5 years ago in VivaWhat Is the Morning After Pill?
The morning-after pill is a form of emergency contraception. It is used after any unprotected sex takes place. Someone may consider using this to prevent pregnancy if there was a problem with the primary form of birth control, such as the condom breaking, or if a person is forced into unprotected sex.
Teela HudakPublished 5 years ago in VivaAging Gracefully
So, I don't usually talk about the big "M," but today we are. Menopause has either been made fun of through funny commercials and print ads, or thought of as a personal doom, such as life ends with the completion of menopause.
The Inequalities of Being a Woman
Women’s rights have been a topic of discussion for years and some progress has been made. However, in today’s society, women still face inequality in the following categories: media, education, and the labor system. Men and women receive two different educations because of the way each gender is treated in the education system. Following the education they received, these men and women enter the workforce under the impression that they’re under equal standards. Yet, the gender pay gap still highly exists today. Finally, our media focuses on women in such a negative way, leading to mental health problems that we see in the women’s population today.
Madison RheamPublished 5 years ago in VivaWhat Does Feminism Mean to Me?
Feminism is seen as such a dirty word nowadays. It is almost a slur to those who are worried that women having rights will take the limelight away from them for more than five minutes.
Harley LilyPublished 5 years ago in VivaPeople Need to Start Taking Johnny Depp's Allegations Against Amber Heard Seriously
Let’s rewind to May 2016 and the first time we opened social media and read Amber Heard’s allegations against then husband, Johnny Depp. The actress claimed that Johnny had been physically abusive toward her throughout their marriage and sported what everyone assumed to be a bruise on her right cheek, when she arrived at a Los Angeles courthouse to obtain a temporary restraining order. Are you all there? Are you remembering the anger you had towards Johnny and how badly you wanted him out of every future movie he was a part of? Good. I want you to remember that anger because it’s going to come in handy later.
Is Womansplaining a Thing?
Most people have heard of "mansplaining" but what about "womansplaining"? Is that a thing? Splaining of any kind if when one person needlessly explains, often in great detail, about a subject to someone who doesn't need the explanation. It is making the assumption of ignorance of the person being explained to.
Teela HudakPublished 5 years ago in VivaMy Sexual Assault Story
As a little girl, I was never allowed to wear “booty shorts,” glittery tops, v-necks, spaghetti strap tanks, you get the image. All of these things were deemed “trashy” or “too mature” for me at such a young and ripe age. My entire life I had been taught to fear my body, and fear bringing attention toward it. I didn’t want any male to be attracted to me for anything other than my personality, any other attraction was written off as "negative attention." Being the youngest and the only girl child in my family, I naturally began to rebel against these core values I was raised with.
Brooke KellyPublished 5 years ago in VivaThe Future Is Equal
A few weeks ago I was sitting with a couple of friends and discussing our culture's expectation of women needing to be married by 23, and we ended up going into a discussion of how guys our age are just not worth considering for marriage. Now I could go on a rampage on everything that is wrong with men (which I probably will sneak in throughout this blog to to all the male readers—get out your notebook and pen, and pay attention please), but the more important factor here is the lack of equality and the gender bias that appears here.
Bazal MoraniPublished 5 years ago in Viva- Top Story - August 2019
Let That Sh*t Go: A Tribute to Toni Morrison
Today, Toni Morrison transitioned from living legend to ancestor. As a writer, a book nerd, a creative, and as a Black Woman, I am in mourning. The world is in mourning, and a simple social media scroll is proof of that. This woman, with her wits and words, captivated generations of us and made us laugh, cry, but most importantly, made us think.
Whitney AlesePublished 5 years ago in Viva