Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
1 in 3 Women Will Experience Violence from a Partner
With the rise of the #MeToo movement and ever-increasing allegations of sexual harassment and/or misconduct from powerful men in the workplace, the focus of women in relation to their bodies and autonomy has never been more in the spotlight. Meanwhile, European countries have been under fire for what has been seen as violations against women's rights in legislature proceedings. Then the shocking murder of Sarah Everard in the UK reignited many discussions about safety for women, unveiling the unsaid "codes" of how women often need to navigate the world around them. Never before have there been so many instances where women have risen to be talking points, not because of triumphs or glass ceilings being shattered—but because of the dangers they face in day-to-day life.
By Jillian Spiridon5 years ago in Viva
I am naked
There is a mirror in front of me. I have been standing here for hours, naked and alone. The house is empty, everybody is at work and I am home. I am fat. I am unemployed. Even though it’s daytime it's still incredibly dark with the curtains closed and so every light in every room is on and I am standing in the hallway in the cold. Even though the windows are shut, I feel like I'm freezing, there is a vicious frost at my toes. February sends chills up my fingertips and into my shoulders, there are goose bumps cascading across the very large mass that is my upper arm on either side of my body. A fit of shivers pass through me and when it is over I have a heightened consciousness of the thing I am contemplating in the mirror.
By Sharla Bean5 years ago in Viva
The Pain of Being an Elite Athlete and a Woman.. Top Story - March 2021.
I like to think of myself as a fairly optimistic and strong-willed person, but I have days of sadness, stress, and pain, just like everyone else. Behind the positive quotes, affirmations, and meditations lies a girl just trying to do her best. I write this with welled-up eyes and a deep tightness in my chest because as I train for my second Olympic Games during a worldwide pandemic, I feel like I'm about to break.
By Elizabeth Cui5 years ago in Viva
The Fairy Tale That Never Was
It’s an enchanting photograph. The black and white image of “The Kissing Sailor” romanticizes Americans’ joy and relief at the announcement that World War II was coming to an end. When I first saw it, I was convinced that the sailor and the nurse were reunited lovers who were expressing their happiness over the long awaited news. Their poignant uniforms evoked images of two people committed to service in a time of national need. They, more than most, deserved a moment of bliss after sacrificing so much.
By Mansura Ghaffar5 years ago in Viva
The Woman of History
In a society that undermines women in almost every aspect of life, often we forget to recognize the women of history that shaped the society of which we live in. Such women include, the commemorated military leader, Jeanne d'Arc. Her role as a female leader in the hundred years' war has earned her the title as the National Heroine and Saint. For centuries women have been subjected to the collective inequalities, discrimination and prejudice inflicted by men. However, it is women like those of Jeanne d'Arc that has shaped women's representation over the course of history.
By Ezra Scarlet 5 years ago in Viva
Sexism and The City
It was the day that everything changed. The city was revelling, a continuous cycle of drudgery, delusion, and desperation. Once again, I found myself standing waiting for the rhythm of the traffic light to quicken to a rapid pace and allow me to cross the road. Most people didn’t obey the traffic lights in the city, something about having no time. Yet, I quite looked forward to taking my time in the morning. With the hallowed sounds of civilisation knocking impatiently at my door and my heartbeat syncopated with the city, I looked around for a second, tried to gain my bearings.
By S.R Fleiser5 years ago in Viva
We Need To Redefine The Term 'Ladylike'. Top Story - March 2021.
How we dress says everything about us. It's the first introduction we give out without actually introducing ourselves; people's first perception of us. I've lost count of the amount of times I've been told I'm "unladylike" because of my oversized, boyish clothing. "Why don't you wear tighter-fitting clothing and show off your body? That's not ladylike."
By Jesse Bixby5 years ago in Viva
Campus Rape Culture
Campus rape culture has become a topic of great concern over the years; concerning because “we know it exists” but “we can’t control it”. As per the statistics, one in every sixth woman on-campus experiences some sort of sexual violence or harassment every day, and with the stigma around the aspect and the victim-blaming practice, only some are able to build the courage to come out and talk about their violent experiences, however, over the level of exposure, this topic has gotten many women are coming out. So, the main question that starts to linger is; when it is such a talked about topic and with such high statistics of occurrence, what makes it so difficult to overcome, especially in North America? And to that my answer would be economic politics and the bases of radical feminism.
By Thaniya P. M. Amaravathi5 years ago in Viva
This could save your life. Top Story - March 2021.
I'm 27 as I write this, 19 when it happened. I composed this piece in an effort to help other women understand potential human trafficking tactics and/or potential kidnapping scenarios. I share this because while it happened nearly 10 years ago, it wasn't until this year (2021) that I realized the tremendous danger I could have found myself in had things ended differently.
By Lexie Robbins5 years ago in Viva
A Letter to Our Criminal Justice System
You have failed us. The manipulation of the criminal justice system and more to objectify and subjugate is beyond the pale. You, as a fragmented system, ostensibly show the ways you fail to appropriately punish sexual violence. This is truly a man's world. The archaic laws for defining consent - if she doesn't refuse or resist, then go right ahead - underline this. Sexual violence is a crime built on the shame of women.
By Hannah Blair5 years ago in Viva
Perfect Foundation vs The History of Mexico. Top Story - March 2021.
My skin is the color of Mexican nationalism. I am a product of (at least) Indigenous and Spanish roots on both sides of my family, from Northern and Southern Mexico, from flour and corn tortillas. Mexico was one of the first colonized countries that advocated for miscegenation, because it would “whiten” the entire country, and the mixed race people could be known as La Raza, as foretold and advocated by José Vasconcelos. I grew up saying “Para La Raza!” (for the race) without knowing the originally racist implications - now I say “para la gente!” (for the people). Because being Latinx is an ethnicity and not a race, then people of many races are Latinx. You don’t even have to speak Spanish to be Latinx, as Brazil and Haiti are Latin American countries. However, having been raised in the Southwestern US, I grew up with the understanding that I looked like the stereotypical Latina. I’m brown with brown eyes, black hair, and short with a round face, and when I talk quickly or with strong emotion, my Chicana accent comes out. Now, I know that not all Latinx people have to look or be like me, even other Mexicans don’t look like me, since I have been trying to surpass the anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity taught in Mexican culture.
By Ariana GonBon5 years ago in Viva
