Body Talk
Your body, your choice? A place to debate and discuss the complexities and controversies surrounding women's' health issues, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy.
Myth: All Fat People Are Unhealthy
Kenzie L Stapleton Age: 22 Height: 5’5 Weight as of 8/30/2018: 285Ibs Body Image: Hates her body. Doctor says: “Go on the Paleo diet and I also want to run a million and one tests on you to see what kind of problems you now have from being overweight."
By Kenzie Lane Stapleton7 years ago in Viva
Men 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.
By Ziggy Moth7 years ago in Viva
Struggles of a Chronic Dieter: Shopping Edition
I hate shopping for clothes. I do not know any woman who does. We may put on a brave face for our friends—lie through our teeth when we say how much we love shopping—but as soon as we are by ourselves in that dressing room, the reality hits. We usually have a pile of clothes that are just the same pieces in three different sizes. Because even if you know what size you are, you never really do. It changes from store to store and even in the same store, you could be two different sizes depending on what cut of pants and shirt you have picked up.
By ms_jessica _stewart7 years ago in Viva
Show Me How You Burlesque
When the movie Burlesque came out with Cher and Christina Aguilera, I couldn't stop watching. I was transfixed by the music, the flawless makeup, and the glittering costumes. However, I was raised in a religious home and to me it all seemed so inappropriate and taboo. But I couldn't stop watching it!
By Kyrsta Morehouse7 years ago in Viva
Bea-Utiful
The word "beautiful" is such an amazing adjective, but it's more than a word. It describes many feelings and actions, but it all starts within yourself. When someone calls you beautiful, do you feel that you are? Or do you feel validated? When you feel beautiful, you feel like you accept yourself with who you are and what you do. You love yourself. You have that control. On the other side, when you feel validated you go based off what others tell you. You need to be accepted by others. You crave for positive opinions from everyone but yourself.
By Lesley Neomi7 years ago in Viva
Politics of Hunger
We are introduced to it young. We set our young eyes on female cartoon characters with impossibly tiny waists and grow up to see these same collarbones and legs on our magazine racks. It is so normalized we forget how truly unnatural and wholly unattainable it is. People may argue that our society as a whole has become more accepting of "thick" women, but despite this, dieting and hunger have not ceased.
By Thai Judiesch7 years ago in Viva
She is Art
For the longest time, I've absolutely hated my body. Sometimes I'd like my boobs, or my shoulders, my lips... but that didn't always matter. There was always cellulite, dimples, I was BIG--there was no way I could be called sexy or even beautiful. I hid in oversized hoodies and heavily relied on the color black and black leggings.
By The Painted Hoodie8 years ago in Viva
Do You Have the Mom Body?
What exactly is the "mom body"? Well, it’s pretty simple really: it’s the body almost any woman has after pregnancy. It’s the stretch marks. It’s a little or maybe a lot of extra around the middle. It’s the super stretched out skin. Maybe it’s the continuation to look pregnant even though your last child was born years ago. It’s the body that brought the miracle of life into the world, and, for a lot of us, it’s also the body that’s completely different from when we were younger. It’s a body that has possibly caused us to lose our self-confidence.
By Amanda Brock8 years ago in Viva
Don’t Be Beautiful
You are beautiful,” “beauty is from within,” “be your own kind of beautiful.” These are things that women are told every day. But why should women only aspire to beauty? Why not kindness or intelligence or success in their career or physical athleticism? Why is the way a woman looks a reflection of her worth? We live in a world where vanity is seen as the most important thing Women should aspire to achieve. Because if we are not beautiful we are not worthy of love, friendship, respect.
By Emily Tarff8 years ago in Viva
