Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
Dear Men: What a Young Feminist Wants You to Know
As I’ve spoken more openly about my feminist beliefs not everyone has been fully supportive. Many people have and thank you for that. Some people are confused and some people are put off. Feminism is still controversial today. It seems like some people just want me to be a ‘normal’ writer. I can focus on social change, sure, but feminism is a bit much. It excludes men, apparently. Well this is my message to men.
By Rebecca Clark5 years ago in Viva
THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT
A Suffragette was a member of militant women’s organizations in the early 20th century who, under the banner “Votes for Women”. Fought for the right to vote in public elections, known as women’s suffrage. The term refers in particular to members of the British ‘Women’s Social and Political Union’ (WSPU), a women-only movement founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, which engaged in direct action and civil disobedience. In 1906 a reporter writing in the Daily Mail coined the term ‘Suffragist,’ in an attempt to belittle the women advocating women’s suffrage. The militants embraced the new name, even adopting it for use as the title of the newspaper published by the WSPU.
By Ruth Elizabeth Stiff5 years ago in Viva
Let’s talk about periods!
How often do you think about how much waste is made when you're on your period? If you use traditional pads and tampons, it's quite a bit. In their lifetime, tampon users will use and dispose of, on average, 11,000 tampons. Each year, around 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons end up in landfills. Not to mention the tampons that are flushed and go through the water system. So what are the alternatives? Well, my fellow period-havers, there are so many more sustainable options out there. Here are just a few.
By Shae Moreno5 years ago in Viva
Black Women Can't Be Frenemies
I remember being around 14 years old, in a "fight" with some friends and saying to my mom, "Who needs friends anyway?" She laughed at me and said "Girl, every woman needs a good group of girlfriends. You'll see." At 38 years old, that was probably the truest thing I've been told. I have always been what you could call a "serial friend audition-er"; meaning anyone could get a shot, but the likelihood of survival was slim. My personality is complex and thus requires connections with simple but varying personalities that share, well, anything in common with one of the people living in my head.
By Tiffany FC5 years ago in Viva
Are We Really Talking About This?
I am here to talk about something which isn’t exactly dinner table conversation yet it needs to be addressed. From my theme picture above you have already figured out my topic by now so there are no surprises here. The information that I am going to provide however may be surprising. My goal is to provide important information which is vital to every woman’s health and for the future sake of our environment.
By Marilyn Glover5 years ago in Viva
Black Women Need Peace
We as Black Women have so much to deal with. Our children, significant others, parents, bills, pets, plants, house chores, work duties and so much more all need constant attention. It's life right? Yes, but we often too many times forget we need attention too! We may have the best support system in our siblings, parents, friends, co workers, and significant others. Our tribe may check on us every day. Yet we sometimes forget we must check on our selves. We have to make sure we take the time out of each day to see how are we feeling physically , mentally , spiritually , and financially. Kings lead and Queens stand beside, or behind our Kings, but Sis let's face it... it's us with the drive to handle it all and a lot of us do handle it all alone. If you are a single parent or if you have someone you are spending your life with it's us Queens that have a heavy weight on our shoulders because we know our men are so targeted, so oppressed that we try to take so much pressure off of them so they can lead and live peaceful lives as possible. This doesn't take away our happiness and peace we love to cater to our men and uplift them daily . Our Kings hold the household down, often are the major breadwinners, and decision makers. But still we be knowing what needs to be done and we get it done right ? We are so stereotyped to be strong at all times and never publicly show our emotions when sad or angry . It's levels of course to expressing any emotion, still we need to break the cycle and end the stigma and release what is in our souls, hearts and minds. Holding raw emotions in is not good for our mental health. If you are stressed , worried , or depressed Sis express that. Don't be ashamed , you know why? Because everyone on the planet felt those exact same feelings before. We are just the ones judged when we express it. I am so tired of us being looked at as angry black women when someone insults us and we check them on it. No we are not angry black women, we are black women who happens to get angry sometimes just like everyone else.
By Tammy Reese5 years ago in Viva
