Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Beauty is in the Eye of Your Hair Dresser
I have a lot of thick hair. My teen years were filled with hairspray to keep the teased and elevated hair locked in place. All the trying-too-hard-to-be glamorous girls were doing it. I did it so well that I continued into my 20s, 30s, and even a little beyond my 40s.
Lisa Gerard BraunPublished 2 days ago in Viva
The List of 5 Ridiculous Things a Man Has Told Me About Womanhood
Women talk too much. That’s what some men say these days, isn’t it? Women talk and talk and don’t know when to stop. Well, as true as that may be sometimes, it can also just be a huge male moment of projecting without self-awareness. Contrary to popular belief, men can talk too much as well — especially when it comes to womanhood.
Kate FeathersPublished 9 days ago in Viva
It’s OK To Be Rude
The first time I was harassed, I was barely thirteen. Standing outside the grocery store where my dad was helping my grandma choose some things to bring back to her apartment, I waited with our new puppy on the sidewalk. It was busy and hot, the sun battering the pavement and the exhaust from cars clouding in the air. A man older than my father approached, petting our new puppy without asking. He then launched into a speech about how pretty I was, followed by an onslaught of questions begging to know my address, my phone number, my age and whether my parents were around. I told him I was just thirteen. He laughed, but was not dissuaded. I noticed how his eyes lingered in uncomfortable places for longer than I wanted them to. As he leaned close to me, I caught a whiff of alcohol from his faded t-shirt. Eventually, I ran inside.
Ilana QuinnPublished 12 days ago in VivaI Was Always Proud That I Wasn't A "Typical" Girl
I was always a little different from other girls in my class. While most of the girls liked to talk about clothes and fashion, I wanted to talk about books and the latest gadgets. I was always a voracious reader so wanted to discuss amazing things described in them(this was the pre-internet era when we relied on books for all our knowledge). But most of the girls couldn't share my interests.
Richa KharePublished 13 days ago in Viva
A Feminist Examination of "Twilight"...By a Man
The reputation of the 2008 cinematic adaptation of Stephenie Meyers’s Twilight precedes it, for worse and for better. Sometime in middle school, I attempted to read the original novel. Popular as it was, I found it dull and couldn’t bring myself to finish it. As such, when I was assigned to watch the movie for a college class, my expectations going in were rather low. Much to my surprise, I found myself actually liking the film somewhat. Director Catherine Hardwicke paints very beautiful cinematic pictures, and I found quite a few of the characters rather endearing—specifically, Bella and Jacob’s respective dads, Bella and Edward’s respective moms, Edward’s adoptive sister Alice, and Bella’s friend group at Forks High. And, for all the crap she has been given, I thought Kristen Stewart did well as Bella. All that said, Twilight still has its issues. Viewed through a feminist lens, though it is by no means a masterpiece, it is not completely without merit either.
Frank MacalusoPublished 19 days ago in Viva
Fangirl Culture Made Me The Badass Woman I Am Today
Originally published on Odyssey Online The first iteration of my Facebook page when I was fourteen included an expansive list of the fandoms I belonged to: Whovian, Potterhead. Directioner. Sheerio. The list went on and on. I listed my fandoms as my good qualities on a resume.
Alisan KeeseePublished 19 days ago in Viva
I Loved Gaining Weight — Until I Ventured Out of Quarantine
The moment the first lockdown happened, I quickly started gaining weight. Lots of take-out, the lack of exercise in a global pandemic, and living in a bubble of happiness with my newfound love all contributed to the change my body was going through.
Kate FeathersPublished 24 days ago in Viva
A Girl with Daddy Issues Is a Running Joke that Hides Its True Meaning
I have daddy issues. Just like dozens of other people I know personally, not to mention thousands of strangers. Women and men both struggle with daddy issues in all parts of the world, either subconsciously or on some active conscious level.
Kate FeathersPublished about a month ago in Viva
We Need to Teach Our Daughters They Are Enough
When I was five, my grandfather tried to convince me that men were superior to women. I don’t remember this, being so young at the time, but my mother has since recounted the story to me. I was standing there, looking up at my beloved grandpa with wide eyes, nodding along when she walked in and heard what he was saying.
Samantha BlakePublished about a month ago in Viva
The Post Office and Women
The Post Office: An Early Employer of Women Sarah Goddard and Mary Katherine Goddard were known female Postmasters in the 1700s. The post office archives goes on to mention Ann Clay, postmaster in New Castle, Delaware. Elizabeth Creswell postmaster in Charlestown, Maryland and in 1792 postmaster Sarah DeCrow in Hertford, North Carolina.
Paula C. HendersonPublished 2 months ago in Viva
Kim Kardashian’s Divorce Is a Perfect Example of How Women Take the Blame for Everything
In one of the latest episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kim Kardashian publicly addressed her divorce from Kanye West for the first time after filing for it in February.
Katie JglnPublished 3 months ago in Viva“Stop Apologizing — Do This Instead” is Horrible Advice for Women
Scrolling through the Instagram explore page, I see a video with the text “Ladies! Stop apologizing and say these things instead!”
