feminism
At its core, feminism is the simple conviction that women are equal to men in every regard, and should be treated as such.
Can a Woman Be Happy Without Children?
I've written in previous articles about my views on motherhood. Since a child, I always wanted a little baby to take care of. This is part of the reason I was a bit overbearing when it came to raising my brother. I would treat him as my own child and chastise him, leading to me getting a talk about how I am not the mother. As I have grown and developed, the thought of childhood keeps getting pushed farther back. I'm always on the fence; do I want a baby or not?
Ashlyn HarperPublished 6 years ago in VivaPsych and Prejudice
There are countless moments while watching media where double standards run rampant. On any episode of House, there's a crack made by Dr. House about how Cuddy has her "assets" on display and that that is not what a Dean of Medicine should look like, to which she asks if it is because she is a woman in power. On the sports channels, there are debates over whether or not Serena Williams' behavior recently was justified and if a man had done those things, would they have been penalized for it. Our society seems to run on these double standards: remnants of years and years of social protocol that has since been deemed unnecessary, but the feelings of when someone does not adhere to them still stay.
It's Not Okay for Men to Behave That Way
Scenario One: A 17 year-old-girl is learning to drive. Her driving instructor takes her to a country road to practise stopping and starting the car. His arm is stretched behind her, slung round the back of her seat. It makes the girl uncomfortable, but she tells herself it's okay. Her instructor asks her to pull up at the side of the road. She's getting bored doing this, and wonders when she's going to start doing some proper driving. Her instructor moves a little closer, then purses his lips and heads towards her cheek as if to kiss her. The girl blushes as she pulls away. "Oh, I didn't think you were shy," says her instructor. The lesson continues.
Dorothy MasseyPublished 6 years ago in VivaSomething I Feel Strongly About
Despite the right sort of movement towards equality & progressive attitudes toward stereotypes and systems that oppress people on a daily basis- it is still hard for a woman to be taken seriously as a player in the world of both work and play! Now my piece today is not tainted in aggressive feminism because that can be just as damaging as patriarchal and Misogynist underpinnings in society. What I am looking at is the idea of women empowering other women.
Amber GoddardPublished 6 years ago in VivaMore Than We Were Taught...
Where do I even begin? I am 11 weeks pregnant, so I am ever so slightly chunkier compared to three months ago because I am doing all I possibly can to ensure my little raspberry has everything it needs to grow to be full of nutrients. Off I went to my midwife appointment, pure elation as I start my journey to meet a tiny, little me. All was well for the first 15/20 minutes, and then, these three letters 'BMI' caused my heart to sink, and question the entire health care system.
Alice FisherPublished 6 years ago in VivaGirl on Girl...
Some call them "haters," "jealous," or "brainwashed." Whatever you choose to call it, internalized misogyny is a huge issue and we need to talk about it.
- Top Story - August 2018
Why Women Need to Stop Tearing Down Other Women
We are in a scary and exciting time right now for women. With all the movements and people coming out to tell their story, it feels as if women are taking steps in the right direction. It is not like we are asking for anything crazy, either. We merely want to be looked at as equal, to be able to wear what we want, and to not have a fear of being molested or sexually harassed everywhere we turn. The only problem I have with all of this is that, while we are asking for others to treat us better, we are still tearing down other women.
Ashlyn HarperPublished 6 years ago in Viva Facebook, Trauma, and the 'Men Are Trash' Narrative
About a year ago, one of my favorite people blocked me on Facebook because I say “men are trash” a lot. This man—who is a friend of mine in real life, who gets it right like 90 percent of the time, who genuinely works hard to be a good man—just couldn’t handle seeing my constant critique of toxic masculinity.
Cylest NicholePublished 6 years ago in VivaA Call to Action
In December of 2015, Sweden gave every sixteen year old in the country a copy of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's feminist manifesto, We Should All Be Feminists. Why? Because we should all be feminists, especially by the age of sixteen. Gender roles and social expectations of femininity and masculinity are ingrained in young people’s minds as soon as they are born. Not only does society normalize violence and disregard inequalities, but it also continues to encourage the continuation of the patriarchy through young people who just do not know any better. We should all be feminists in order to acquire a critical consciousness of the intersecting injustices of the world so that society can be changed for the better.
Sarah TreasterPublished 6 years ago in VivaFemininity and the Male Gaze
Two weeks ago, my sister and I were catcalled as we walked into the mall. This isn't the first time this has happened to us, and it won't be the last.
J.C. MariePublished 6 years ago in VivaMen Have Periods Too
Due to my previous job, I am in a lot of Facebook groups. So many Facebook groups, in fact, that it's easier just to let them fill up my Newsfeed rather than attempt the mammoth task of removing myself from them. Most of the groups are centred around environmentalism and the topic of periods, and the best way to reduce waste on your period comes up regularly. These posts are often accompanied by some quip warning men against reading it because it's a 'lady problem'. What might seem like a harmless yet deeply unfeminist comment is actually a real cause for concern. This sort of language needs to be examined closely and it's time we started realising that men can get periods too.
Ziggy MothPublished 6 years ago in VivaWhy We All Need Feminism
Feminism. A word that contrary to popular belief, does not signify a movement of man-hating, angry white women complaining about a lack of female traffic light signals. Instead, feminism has a rather simple meaning. In its truest sense, feminism is about the uplifting of all women, regardless of their race, sexuality, socio-economic background, or any other factor.
Gabriel ObenPublished 6 years ago in Viva