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Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
On Womanhood
“You are not a woman! And you never will be!”The words hit me like a slap in the face. And their volume. The crowd at the Mexican restaurant valiantly attempted to ignore my mother, who was making a scene. “I know who you are, and I know what you are and that’s all you’ll ever be!” My demure shock turned into anger like a time lapse video of an algae bloom.“You know nothing about me! You know what I let you know, and that’s it! Don’t you ever, ever…” and just as quickly, my anger passed. I found myself standing, preparing to leave the restaurant and walk the three miles of sidewalk-less forest road home.“Sit down, son.”“Stop. Calling. Me. That.”“Why? You’re my son.” Without a word, I started toward the door. My mother grabbed me by the sleeve.“Sit down.” Her voice was far more gentle than just moments ago. I swallow my pride and sit.“What makes you think you are a woman?” She asks me.“What makes you think you are?”“I can give birth. I have. To you.”“And the other four, whoever they are.”“Don’t get snotty.”“Sorry. Do you honestly think the ability to give birth is what makes you a woman?”“Ye…”“And that said, with the anguish that this has caused in our family, between us, do you really think it’s okay for you to just rub it in my face how I’ll never have children?”“Well, not with Samantha…”“No, mom. No. The problem wasn’t just Sam. She has her own things as well, but it wasn’t just her.”“What are you saying?”“I’m saying that the reason we tried and failed…” eight times, dear reader, “to have children wasn’t solely because of her own trauma.”There was a heavy silence. The tension built. Now it was my mother’s turn to get angry.“You told me she had an IUD.”“I lied.” I said, mirroring her tone. “Sam is a survivor. I’m not going to tell you the story, it’s not table talk, but if you ever feel like finding out, you should ask her. She didn’t change her number after she split. The point is that the problem is with me.”“Oh my god, that’s what this is about! This whole transgender thing is because of Sam leaving!”I make a face. “Are you joking? How would that help?”“I don’t know, I don’t understand anything about this.”“Well, let me explain.”“I don’t want to understand.”“Understand what, mother? Me? You don’t care to understand what is happening to me? You think you know all, that you can find the appropriate Bible passage and just pray really hard and it’ll all just float away?! Why do you think I am like this?!”“I DON’T! I THINK YOU’RE TRAUMATIZED FROM YOUR DIVORCE! I THINK YOU PRETENDING TO BE A WOMAN IS ALL ABOUT NOT FEELING LONELY ANYMORE!”“I’m not. In fact, I’ve accepted that I may never find someone to share my life. And I took it gladly in exchange for not feeling the weight of my dysphoria anymore.”“Oh my GOD! YOU ARE NOT A WOMAN!”“Yes,” I hissed at her, the restaurant not even attempting to not stare, “so you have said. Very loudly.”“It’s true!” Suddenly the anger was back. As if she, by virtue of having failed to force dad to wear a condom when she was 16, knew everything. I was done.“WHAT IS A WOMAN, MOTHER?!”
Sophia-Helene Mees de TrichtPublished 6 years ago in VivaThe Funeral Industry
What’s a woman’s role in the funeral industry? From my view, nothing of any respect. That probably sounds a little harsh, and granted, I am speaking from my own personal experiences (which are many and varied)—but from what I’ve witnessed, the funeral industry is one of the last bastions of ‘Good ole boy’ chauvinism.
Andrea Van ScoyocPublished 6 years ago in VivaAn Interview with Nikki Sharp: Wellness Expert and Author of the “5 Day Detox”
Nikki Sharp wants you to love your body without having to torture it. No extreme dieting or unhealthy fitness regiments; with Sharp’s book “5 Day Detox” and her overall outlook on living life in the healthiest ways possible, she is an exemplary role model for all women looking for ways to love, appreciate, accept, and help their bodies. After experiencing firsthand what it was like to live an unhealthy lifestyle in the modeling industry, her meal preps, podcasts, books, and tips serve as easy ways to live your best life. In this exclusive interview with Spotlight, Sharp reveals what led her to help herself, and ultimately, help others.
A Lesson in Feminism and Adult Entertainment for Rudy Giuliani
It’s hard to hold my tongue when I hear people, particularly men, claim that a female who has worked in the sex industry is not allowed an opinion, certain rights, or is not a ‘credible’ source of information.
Samantha BentleyPublished 6 years ago in VivaBeyond the 'Reasons' Review: Part 1
Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers of the first two seasons of 13 Reasons Why. This is 1 of 3 reviews of the Netflix series.
Maddy MoserPublished 6 years ago in VivaBest Books About Feminism Every Feminist Should Read
Whether you're looking to begin your path as a feminist, or simply further expand your knowledge on the movement as a veteran feminist, we've got you covered.
April DemarcoPublished 6 years ago in VivaI'm Not the Pretty Girl
Do you ever feel like you're not going to find your soulmate? I definitely know that feeling. I also know the feeling of thinking that you're not enough for someone. I know the feeling when your mom or dad says, "You would be one hell of a catch," but I know that I wouldn't be. I know the feeling of being crazy excited when you're finally talking to a hot guy and then you feel like you're worth something because someone like him wants you. I used to know these feelings. Not anymore.
Madison RheamPublished 6 years ago in VivaFeminism
You hear "feminism" and your mind instantly goes into arguing mode. Stop. "Feminism: the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes." This movement is entirely about equality. Not about women being better than men or vice versa. All women want is equality. In the job world, women still get paid less for doing the same job as a man simply because they are women. We get told we can't do certain jobs because it's not what a woman should do. What exactly is a woman meant to do? Has that been set in stone? No. We are all able to do whatever we want. A lot of people still believe women shouldn't be the breadwinner or earn more than a man. Some even still believe women shouldn't be in certain job roles because it's "too much" for them. I say screw all those opinions. I class myself as a strong, independent woman who can achieve anything she puts her mind to. I have massive goals for my lifetime in a field that is mainly male dominated, but I intend to work hard and make my way to the top. Hard work is what is needed to get to where we all want to be. If I work hard enough to get to the position I want to be in, then who on this earth has the right to take that away from me? I try to encourage my friends to work just as hard and achieve everything they want. Positive enforcement is sometimes all that's needed to trigger something in someone's mind to make them believe they can do anything in this world.
Annica WebbPublished 6 years ago in VivaOde to a Time When Justice Looks Different, We Listen to Women and Survivors, and Blackness Is Not Used as a Means to Support Serial Rapists
All over social media, Cosby rape apologists are passionately decrying his conviction. It doesn’t seem to matter that he admitted to putting Quaaludes in the drinks of the 62 women he violated. He framed drugging the women in a cavalier manner because apparently everyone used to do ‘ludes in the 60s. You know, no big deal. He just forgot that really essential part of allowing the women to consent to drugs and sex before chemically rendering them immobile and unable to say yes or no. He even joked about slipping mickeys in women’s drinks in a 1969 comedy routine. He clearly felt an unquestioned entitlement to these women’s bodies. And somehow, the voices of 62 women are eclipsed to many by the perspectives of one powerful man who wanted to drug women and assault them, but not have any consequences for those actions.
Richard Wright, MAPublished 6 years ago in VivaEvery University Student Should Have to Take a Women's Studies Course
Coming from a small town, I knew I was more “progressive” than a lot of other people in my area, but I also knew that there was a lot I was missing out on and sheltered from because of where I come from. Before going away to university, I had never even heard of Women’s Studies, and all I knew about feminism was what was depicted in the media, which was pretty much that all feminists were "man-haters" and that their end goal was to eliminate the male species.
How I Overcame Losing My Breasts
Body positivity is a growing trend, and a good one. So much of society seems determined to knock people down for their appearance that it is time reclaim our relationships to our bodies. Today’s post is about my breasts and how such seemingly trivial things can greatly impact a person’s body image, especially when you consider how other people respond to them. Yet despite the power of these simple fatty deposits, you can still have the confidence to define and redefine your own self-worth. I know, because I did. Here’s my story.
Elizabeth BertPublished 6 years ago in Viva10 Inspiring Female Journalists
Compared to how it is today, in the past, the majority of women weren't taken seriously in their professions. In fact, it was pretty difficult for women to obtain higher and professional jobs, because men believed that they weren't properly equipped for them. But when women do work as professionals, they're still not being taken seriously.
Lilliana BackmanPublished 6 years ago in Viva