Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Viva.
I Am Not a Victim
I am not a victim. I am not a scared little girl. I am not the person you pushed me to be. A long time ago, I was happy. It was easy to smile, to laugh, to make friends. Now, thanks to you, it's not. I loved easy. It was easy to love you. It was easy to pour my entire being into loving you. You made me smile. You told me I was beautiful. You supported me and lifted my spirits. Until you didn't. Until you broke them.
By Emily Jones8 years ago in Viva
Love Yourself, Love Your Body
This is my first post so I want to discuss something that plagues me day in and day out... the way I feel about how I look. I, like most women, have major issues with my body. My thighs are covered with cellulite, and I have trouble finding jeans that don’t make me feel like my legs will burst out of them. I constantly say I have the shoulders of a man and my arms are flabby, which means there are certain styles of tops I have to stay away from as no matter the size they will not fit me. My stomach is wobbly and I carry the dreaded “mummy pouch.” I have severe muffin top and pull my bottoms up as high as possible to cover this. Despite me feeling it’s large I have no bum no matter how much squatting I do. After loosing weight I now have no boobs and I often compare them to balloons you find 5 days after a party. I have many issues with my body and some days I find it hard to look at myself in the mirror... until tonight.
By Laura Rainbow-Fearnley8 years ago in Viva
You Can Say "Period."
Some days I feel like the world has made great leaps in breaking "female" taboos. BodyForm has released an ad with blood in it instead of the strange blue fluid we've all grown used to, women talk more openly about their periods, about reproductive issues, and the stigma behind getting a sexual health check seems to be reducing.
By Lizzie Ellis8 years ago in Viva
6 Sneaker Trends to Watch Out for in 2018
Sneakers are probably some of the most comfortable footwear options around, and in 2018 people are going to go in for comfort, along with style. With brands like Yeezys and Puma taking center stage and coming out with some of the most eye-catching kinds of sneakers, there are more options than there have ever been.
By Andrea Dawson8 years ago in Viva
What No One Tells You About Abusive Relationships
We started dating my senior year of high school and I instantly fell for him. He was charming, funny, polite, a true gentleman... or so I thought. It wasn't until about a month into our relationship when things changed for the worst. He started controlling every aspect of our relationship, what we would do on dates, where we would go, when I could hang out with friends and with who, he tried to control how I looked, and he attempted to tell me where I should go to college. That should've been when I ran, but for some reason I didn't, I chose to stay in an abusive relationship that would eventually drag me down.
By Abigail Sikora8 years ago in Viva
The Girl
A relationship with a significant other is never what it looks like in movies. There are always hard times. Sometimes it takes “reading between the lines” to see what is actually going on behind closed doors. In public settings they might seem happy. And one of the people in the relationship might actually be happy. Thinking that the other will never run away, they will never flea. Especially since she has a ring on her finger.
By Savannah Ferrell8 years ago in Viva
Has Feminism Gone Mad?
This is something that has been plaguing me recently. As a young feminist in this infinitely connected world, I am constantly seeing both parts of the argument (no matter how stupid or logical; it seems both receive the same amount of airtime).
By Courtney J Wilkie8 years ago in Viva
I, Human
It is almost three years since I have been attacked one early October morning as I was jogging around my neighborhood. Fortunately I was able to escape and the cops were able to catch him, but he was never prosecuted for it. Just once someone called about the incident a month later, but nothing after that. My trust with the police was already rocky to begin with, and this incident proved my belief even more. And even though I was not harmed, the incident left me paranoid around men and scared to the point I had to quit my job because the majority of my coworkers were guys. I just couldn't be there.
By Selena Villegas8 years ago in Viva
Broken Reflections
Poor self-esteem has always been an issue of mine. I don't know where it began, but it's left its mark on me. I am a 24 year old woman with an infant child. I want the world that I raise my child in to be good and wholesome. But today I had to look into the mirror and tell that broken, desperate woman that she was beautiful and worthy of love. What kind of world is that? When did beauty become so unattainable? When did it begin to dictate the value of our lives? How do we reverse the damage and smudge out those dirty words written on our mirrors?
By Camille Martin8 years ago in Viva
I'm Not, "Too Much"
My whole life I've been told I'm too loud. Too opinionated. Too expressive with my thoughts. You're so bossy! Quiet down. Stop being so honest. People don't like you because your personality is so strong. Well excuse the fuck out of me. Maybe I should just quiet down, stop being truthful, and turn into the little demure flower society obviously expects me to be.
By Shana Nizeul8 years ago in Viva
