Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
Rapist in What Used to Be My Home
It was a few days before Christmas. The season of giving, as we all call it. My mother and I were driving to have lunch at a local bagel shop that we quite enjoy. It was a Sunday, coldest day of the year so far. It was -20 degrees F before wind chill.
I Spent a Month Watching Women-Directed Movies and Here's What I Learned
I don't know what came to me when I decided to do it. Perhaps it was after I learned that only five women (all white, by the way) have been nominated for best director in 90 editions of the Oscars (yeah, yeah, awards mean nothing, but cut me some slack). Maybe I was excited about A Wrinkle in Time. Maybe I have a lot of free time (it's probably this). But whatever it was, I decided that I was going to spend March watching only female-directed, written, and/or starring movies (jackpot if it's the three). And after watching them, I came to the conclusion that there's a lack of representation from the media and the industry, which is no shocker. We can easily name ten male directors. Women directors? Until this past month, I hardly could...
Andrea de LeraPublished 6 years ago in VivaThe Worth of a (Wo)Man
There is a seamstress in my neighbourhood; a lovely lady with zero English, to whom I have entrusted two projects this year in Bangkok.
Betsy CyberpixiePublished 6 years ago in VivaLearning Curves With a Chronic Disease
I'll never forget the day I woke up and never got better. I was supposed to make it to college for an 8 AM lecture but instead it was 4 AM and I was on on the bathroom floor experiencing pain I've never had before. Imagine being sick with the worst flu... After days, weeks, months of this every single day I finally realized, "this is never going away."
Ivy NorrisPublished 6 years ago in VivaI Did It for Me
I was late. It wasn't a cause for concern. My cycle was pretty irregular, I was stressed out between work, my relationship, and other life spheres, and I had an upcoming vacation I was making sure I was prepared for. Honestly, it didn't really hit me until I realized, "Hey, am I going to have to pack tampons?"
Lauren CharlesPublished 6 years ago in VivaWhat Is Radical Feminism?
Feminism, for reasons beyond my understanding, is a touchy subject. I remember when I told a date that I was a feminist. (Yes, I dropped the "F word" during a date, deal with it.)
Sasha KonikovoPublished 6 years ago in VivaFor the Tomboy
I got my nails done for the first time this week. I was initially debating getting them, knowing that I'm busy, and often not gentle when it comes to handling things. But my boyfriend did not exactly give me a choice. So here I am with mildly long pink and silver acrylic nails, and I realize that now that I have nails, I should probably do my hair too. I straightened my usual afro as much as I could.
My Worst Date
After already having used the app for a year, I went on my very first Tinder date. I use the term “date” semi-loosely, because it definitely wasn’t your classic dinner-and-a-movie. He came to campus, to my dorm room, where we proceeded to hang out with a movie. I distinctly remember him arriving with a whole binder-full of DVD selections, but ultimately we went with Mean Girls on Netflix. As these activities usually go, it led to him predictably putting his arm around me, itself alone an act suggesting we do more. And we did hook up, short of actually sleeping together. It was literally Netflix and Chill. Not unusual behavior. Except I was nervous, and said I had changed my mind about potentially doing any of “that.”But I ended up taking part anyway, albeit not too enthusiastically.
Ashley CataquetPublished 6 years ago in Viva'Red Sparrow,' a Love Story
My mother visits me at college, as she does on occasion, when I call to announce to her that I am once again rebuilding my life from scratch. In years prior, these phone calls have been a scream up from the wreckage some ill-fated love affair or another had left me eyeball-deep in. This time, it is not so. This time, love has left me with a treasure map, and I am simply asking her to teach me to read it, to help me find my way home.
Aliza DubePublished 6 years ago in Viva- Top Story - April 2018
Things Women Should Stop Saying to Each Other IMMEDIATELY
OK, I’m just going to put this out there, I am guilty of most of these at some point or another in my life, and I’m pretty sure most of the girls I know are too, but that doesn’t make it OK. I noticed a couple of years ago how toxic some of my friendships with my girlfriends were. We compete, we compare, we bitch, we moan, we attention seek.
Samantha BentleyPublished 6 years ago in Viva The Big, Round Obsession
Part of why I want to talk about this topic is because, as far as I am aware, a conversation about it has barely begun, and I think it would truly do us damage if there wasn’t one.
iris georgiePublished 6 years ago in VivaThe Rejection of the Individual in Progressive Discussion
On a typical day in 2018, the average person may be found doing the following: Over-watering their succulents, taking a questionable number of pictures of their cat, messaging their loved ones, worrying about their student loans, or partaking in a mutual debate with another person over the erratic state of current politics.
Lauren DavisPublished 6 years ago in Viva