body
Feminism demands a future free of fat shaming, body obsession and the male gaze.
Yet Another Story About Consent to Read with an Empty Stomach
My bones, my teeth, my skin aches when I think about the girl. I need to sit down and light another smoke. The girl was young, but she felt a like derelict of a sailboat left rotting on the bottom of the ocean, where silence screams with its mouth shut and fish stare back at darkness with dead eyes.
By Clara Malaussène6 years ago in Viva
Female Genital Mutilation Is a Woman's Health Issue
Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM for short, dates back about 2000 years. It is a practice that involves removing all or most of the clitoris, the labia minora, or both. This is an international practice that has received pushback from mostly feminist groups in the early 1990s, which led to an official FGM ban called the Female Genital Mutilation Act in 1996 stating the following: “Whoever knowingly circumcises, excises, or infibulates the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minor or clitoris of another person who has not attained the age of eighteen years shall be fined under this title or imprisoned...” (Chase). This act made it illegal to continue the practice of FGM in the United States; however, the act is still prominent in other countries, especially in the horn of Africa. Although the practice is unlawful, including twenty-six states that have added specific laws that prohibit FGM, it is discreetly practiced among intersex infants and internationally.
By Zuleika Bravo6 years ago in Viva
He Didn't Ask and He Knew Better
Just because you're in a relationship, does not mean that you should not ask for consent. It does not mean that you have ownership over your mate's body. And it doesn't mean that rape or being taken advantage of sexually, while in a relationship, comes up void. I know...because it happened to me.
By Quinci Spady6 years ago in Viva
The Reflection I See
Each time a loved one tells me I am beautiful, I struggle to understand what they see in me that is beautiful. The worst part is, I can't figure out if they're just saying that because they feel sorry for me, or because I LITERALLY see a different reflection staring back at me in the mirror. Not being able to distinguish between reality and delusion when it comes to your body is soul-crushing. Is what I'm seeing real? Is that really my face? Is that really my body? If that's what I really look like, how could anyone truthfully say I am beautiful?
By Olivia Edwards6 years ago in Viva
“The Nature of the Photos”
"We can't do anything based on the nature of the photos taken," the woman said on the phone, her voice strained. Almost like she didn't want to say it. "I'm sorry."My insides fell to the floor. I had stepped out of a managerial meeting to take this call, this call that would let me know if my rapist would get what he deserved. Instead of reassurance, instead of knowing things were going to be okay, I find out what happened wasn't credible. I had left work shortly after getting that call.
By S.M. Vargas6 years ago in Viva
Copper IUDs: The Good, the Bad, the Uncomfortable
Getting an IUD is one of those things. You've been flip-flopping on the idea for a long time and one of the main factors keeping you from doing it is the initial pain of the procedure. I get it, I was going back and forth in my head for years trying to justify putting my head down and getting it done. Obviously there are an overwhelming amount of positives, my favorite and main reason for having it being the non-hormonal (copper) option. As a lady who has been on a plethora of different hormonal birth control options (the patch, estrogen pill, low dose estrogen and testosterone, progesterone only) I can honestly tell you that while some people may not experience many side effects, I had experienced plenty—everything from UTIs, low sex drive, high blood pressure, cystic acne (hoo man, a lot of it) on my face and also in other strange and terrible places, leg cramps (from the progesterone only pill), and heightened anxiety. All of these options, while viable because they all technically did their job and kept a child from existing inside of me, never really seemed ideal because I felt like I was changing my biology a little in order to accommodate them. Not to mention, it was causing problems in my relationships and making me more insecure in my appearance (my face had the texture of a balloon filled with rocks for a while). Long story short (–ish), when I heard about an implant that was non-hormonal and would last between 5-10 years, I was sold.
By Carly Anne 6 years ago in Viva
Going Braless
Bras are uncomfortable, sweaty, expensive, and unhealthy for people to wear. So why do so many people go every day with one? They don't actually seem to provide any benefit aside from hiding your perky nipples from the outside world. At least to me, that is.
By Blop Kitsune6 years ago in Viva