Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Viva.

My IUD Story and Why You Should Get One
Ahhh, the IUD. First of all, most of you are probably asking, what even is an IUD? Isn’t that for women who have already had kids?
By Ella Riley8 years ago in Viva
Requirements
Being a woman comes with a certain amount of "requirements" in a way. You're required to spend a lot of time making sure your make-up is perfect for every occasion, you're required to wear nice dresses and heels for every occasion to make sure you look good to everybody there, but probably most importantly, you're required to be a feminist and make sure the rest of the world is too.
By Madison Belknap8 years ago in Viva
Things Boys Learn by Age 5 That Perpetuate Rape Culture
Through a combination of parenting and unconscious indoctrination, there are many things boys learn by age 5 that perpetuate rape culture. And if you find the term "rape culture" to be too much, ask yourself if the widespread sexual violence exposed by the #MeToo movement is itself too much.
By Ben Kharakh8 years ago in Viva
A Small Box
If you grow up in a female body, this is what society will tell you: you are fragile, weak, and inferior. You should wear pink: dresses, bows, ruffles, and sparkles from head to toe, and you should never do anything that could get you dirty. Now, you may be the kind of girl who likes to wear shorts and t-shirts, who skins her knees climbing trees and stains her white dress jumping in mud puddles on rainy spring days. If that is the case you’re not a girl at all, you are a tomboy. Oh, you like sports, and you asked for a toy gun and soccer cleats for Christmas? Well, you’re getting an American Girl doll, a new dress, and a play kitchen equipped with mini cleaning supplies. Everyone knows that trucks and tools, blocks and guns, these things are for boys. If you’re a girl and you like these things, you’re simply abnormal. Oh, and your best friend Charlie, you simply have to have romantic feelings for. I mean you’re only eight...but you chase him on the playground, share animal crackers with him at lunch, plus, you were the only girl at his birthday party, and girls and boys can’t just be friends. There is more going on, even if you don’t know it yet. Also, you suck at science, math, and anything that requires actual thought. You should stick to reading and writing, keeping the house clean, you know, "lady's work." You can’t play football or soccer or any of those man sports because you will get hurt, and you will get muddy. So, try out for cheerleading instead, it is a better fit for you after all. You were put on this Earth to support the men.
By M Krizan8 years ago in Viva
In the Eyes of the Beholder
In the Eyes of the Beholder: Classification, labels, branding: we have all been sorted into groups whether through our income, gender, religious beliefs, or even the most simple of things; your shirt, your shoes, the way we look at each other. According to Linguist Benjamin Whorf, “the words we use to describe things aren't just idle placeholders-they actually determine what we see" (Psychology Today). Adam Alter wrote about the physiological classification of everything we surround ourselves with. It is human nature to label, it makes a complex idea more simple for us to process. In The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hester Prynne is labeled as a sinner and branded with the letter A, which is embroidered on all of her garments. This is the town's way of deeming her “the other” and stripping away her power and morality as an individual. Hawthorne unveils where power truly lies and how we can use that power through Hester Prynne.
By Clare Woodford8 years ago in Viva
Clip-On Earrings That Slay
There are many reasons for choosing to wear clip-on earrings. Your body might reject piercings, you might want to be able to remove your jewelry quickly, or you might simply not want to get your ears pierced.
By Georgia de la Bertauche8 years ago in Viva
When It's Too Hard
Role models are abundant. There are writers like J.K. Rowling who was rejected twelve times before becoming the author of one of the most popular series of books ever. There are actors like Robert Downey Jr. who overcame substance abuse and are now uber successful in his industry.
By Maya Conroy8 years ago in Viva
Why Are Periods Still So Embarrassing?
Today was the day of all days. I started my trillionth period, or so it felt. I went to the restroom, just to… you know… handle my business? Once my body stopped spewing waste through its natural process, I proceeded to wipe my twat clean. To my surprise, there she was, shedding from the inner layers of my love button; Mother Nature. As vibrantly red as she could be, arriving every month at any time she felt convenient, just to remind me that I am not pregnant (as if I could be). With all her glory, politely tearing my insides apart as she flows down my slit onto my panties. No matter how many times she has paid me a visit, I continuously feel the utmost amount of embarrassment, equivalent to my first visit. Now I started to become distressed. With my undies and jeans wrapped tightly around my ankles, I began to question my next move. Conveniently, I was in a restroom that contained a sink to my left. As I stared violently at my cunt, I told her, “Melinda, we are going to take off these bottom layers and walk to the sink to clean the panties that protect you. I swear on everything, if you drip blood on this floor or on my leg, you will not be receiving pleasure for a week, so be a good little girl and do as you're told.” Once we agreed, I slowly removed my shoes, then each pant leg slid off my bare feet, and finally my drenched panties slipped off as carefully as can be. I walked to the sink, soaked my panties with cold water and soap, and vigorously rubbed both sides of my panties together to remove the socially stigmatized blood that my inner loins created (without my want, permission, or control). I began to wonder, how will I now clog my hole to prevent more blood from escaping? I walked back to the john and rapidly put my clothes back on, in hopes that when I walked back into my last class, I would have some form of Mother Nature protection. As I desperately searched my bag, it became evident that I did not have any protection for this unexpected visit. I only had two choices. One, I go back to the bathroom and stuff an enormous amount of toilet paper in my trim, in hope that it will clog my hole long enough to provide protection. Second, share my embarrassing, current experience with another female by asking for a tampon. I went with the second option, as stuffing my twat with toilet paper like a turkey on Thanksgiving wasn’t appealing. I looked over to my classmate next to me and asked her for a tampon. She glanced over to me and secretly handed me a tampon under the classroom table, so no other student would notice. I nervously hid the tampon in my back pocket prior to racing out of the classroom to the restroom. I was able to confidently fill Melinda with the protection she deserves when Mother Nature occurs.
By carashari8 years ago in Viva
Feminist
A constant insult to those who call themselves a feminist has often been “feminazi.” Some people, seem to believe these are the same things and that if you are a feminist, you must obviously be a feminazi.
By Maya Conroy8 years ago in Viva
10 Inspiring Female Journalists. Top Story - April 2018.
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.
By Lilliana Backman8 years ago in Viva
Finding Feminism in Film
It is easy to find feminist characters in everything, but even though this is the twenty-first century, the movies are hardly ever centered around them, and when they are, the messages often go unnoticed or shamed and criticized. This made choosing a movie hard because I could spend hours writing about a real-life story that would most likely bore most of you. So instead, I am going to take one of the most popular series, Pitch Perfect, and strip all jokes, music, and drama away to really look at the characters that many of us have been watching since 2012.
By Maya Conroy8 years ago in Viva
10 Fun and Affordable Girls' Night Out Ideas
It's always a great night out when you have made memories with your friends, and finding things to do that don't require emptying your wallet is even better. These are the top ten most affordable girls' night out ideas that you're actually going to want to do. From bowling to wine tasting and much more, these ideas are sure to fill your weekends up quickly.
By Kelsey Lange8 years ago in Viva