activism
Feminist activists are not deterred by the daunting statistics so much as they're fueled by them.
If You Talk to Me About Sexual Abuse One More Time I Swear I'm Gonna Hug You
This story was supposed to be about the recent wave of #MeToo incidents in my country, Greece. But as I waited for it to grow, it became more than that.
Giorgos PantsiosPublished 3 years ago in VivaI Was Assaulted 4 Months Ago. Now What?
In October, an ex of mine had sex with me without my consent. Afterwards, when I approached them explaining how violated I felt, they told me I was wrong and accused me of trying to 'ruin' them. Despite having a black belt they created a narrative of being afraid of me that relied on misogynoir and painting me as an angry black woman. After launching a uni investigation that was mishandled at every turn and incredibly traumatic for me, I was told that there wasn't enough evidence to go further. My rapist then used this outcome to tell people I was lying, outing personal and sensitive information to friends. Despite the fact that I had actually gone out of my way to protect their reputation, and encourage their friends to support them, nothing I did stopped them from believing I was lying.
Luwa AdebanjoPublished 3 years ago in VivaOpen Letter to Joss Whedon
Dear Joss Whedon; You have broken my heart. I embraced you as a genius, a hero, a feminist. I invited you into my home, introduced my children to you. I brought you into my classroom, introduced my students to you. Used your speaking in my speech class, your stories as narrative examples. I was proud to be a fan, not just because of your creative gifts, but because of the beliefs you shared about women. Your strong female characters were an inspiration to me. You were a successful artist who not only created worlds I loved but lifted those around you. I noticed the actors who followed you from one series to another, and I respected your dedication to helping those artists grow. In my mind my dedication to your work was both noble and warranted. Revising my belief in you is acutely painful. It isn’t just painful watching you, who I idolized, fall from the throne where I placed you, but horrifying realizing what I did to keep you there.
Timber HolmesPublished 3 years ago in VivaFemale African American Pioneers Who Were LBGTQ
Not every African American female who was a pioneer was married with children, or simply an old maid as was said decades ago. Some of them were openly gay and others felt the need to keep their personal lives private. This article will look at the accomplishments of 5 such women who dealt with racism, sexism, and hostility because of their sexual orientation. In spite of the times in which they lived, each persevered and left their own mark upon society.
Cheryl E PrestonPublished 3 years ago in VivaHell's Office: 3 Unbelievable Events
Dear reader, There are many unspeakable things in this modern world. Some have been led to believe that such events are caused by a certain group of individuals conventionally referred to as villains. But as you digest my upcoming stories, I can assure you otherwise. You will soon realize that even the most "decent" people can act ever so irrationally. I'm afraid I might not have the full explanation for what had truly happened. After all, one could only tell the tales of their truth.
Vitak CheavPublished 3 years ago in VivaGood To Be Good
What began as an informal initiative of friends donating essential goods for local shelters in lieu of birthday and Christmas gifts, soon transformed into my greatest accomplishment. Our grassroots non-profit has evolved into a platform where our “small yet mighty” acts of kindness can be turned into sustainable action; our personal responsibility turned into collective impact; and where our love for humanity is expressed practically and with empowerment by supporting women and those who need it the most.
Char San PedroPublished 3 years ago in VivaWhat I Was Most Afraid Of This Year
It wasn't the virus or the police. I have been afraid to take my stand. During the upheaval that has saturated most of this year, I have often noticed my fears of judgement, fears of saying, writing, or doing the wrong thing. How do I voice my piece? What do I need to say? Is what I write valuable? Who do I quote? What if I say it wrong? I don’t know what to say… What if I’m misunderstood?
Emily BoyerPublished 3 years ago in VivaEven if Sexism Feels Good, It Does More Harm Than Good
Sexism is such a significant issue that even Europe’s leading human rights organization, the Council of Europe had to come together to give a universal definition for the term. The organization has officially recognized that sexism is “widespread and prevalent in all sectors and all societies.”
No more shame
I’ve had a lot of time on my hands to think lately and, I think back to times when I shared my life experience with what I thought were “safe” people. When it comes to the subject of rape, it’s interesting how when it is something that is not controlled by the victim; people always lay blame on the victim, for putting themselves in dangerous situations, by, drinking too much, or, wearing a revealing outfit when in fact most of the time it has nothing to do with that. It has to do with another persons sense of entitlement to their fellow humans, body. It is the culture our society creates that somehow, if you wear the right clothing, don’t drink, go to church, do ABC, you should be ok. It’s deplorable. I remember all the times after mine how I talked myself into believing it was consensual because I was too terrified to face the truth. The truth being that my first time having sex, was not consensual, I said no, several times. The first boyfriend I ever had, raped me the first time I ever had sex. It is something that has been engrained in my mind for nearly a decade. You can do everything right, you can say no, you can try to be in control but when fight or flight hits... you can’t control how your body will react, you float off into the deepest parts of your mind and disappear. It’s interesting because a lot of my old friends know this guy, they hangout with him, shit, their probably friends with his sleazy ass. I just know it’s been weighing on my mind quite a bit lately, and, I have nothing to be ashamed of. Nor should any other victim of rape. No is no, no matter what. If you know who I’m talking about, just be weary because he’s a disgusting human being, and, also stalked me for 2 years after we broke up, we only dated 6 months. Isn’t it crazy ? The lies we tell our minds because we’re just too ashamed to admit the truth because the truth is just too much to face sometimes. It’s been 9 years, and yet there are days where I’m so disgusted with my own body that I can’t get out of bed because of this fleeting moment in my life that was stolen from me. Yet, this man probably never even has a second thought of me.
Juli CofresiPublished 3 years ago in VivaThe #MeToo movement is no longer about the victims
In 2017, the MeToo movement promised something that many victims of sexual assault could never have dreamed of. After centuries of silencing women’s voices and scoffing at their stories, one hashtag suddenly became a beacon of hope for survivors around the world – promising real change to the way we regard sexual assault allegations, and offering a community they could seek refuge in.
Iris EspanenzaPublished 3 years ago in VivaHow Tribal Women Are Still Being Exploited in India
The topic of tribal women is often ignored while talking about discrimination faced by marginalized women, despite them being an equal victim of the system. Moreover, tribal women’s resistance has generally occurred quite autonomously from urban feminist movements.
Feminist Manifesto
When I graduated from Stanford University, I was equipped with feminist theories from renowned feminists and allies such as Audre Lorde, Belle Hooks and Adrienne Rich. Never was I prepared for the real world - the real world where women's rights issues and deeply entrenched structural injustices clash, targeting vulnerable women like myself because of our identities.