Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Viva.

The Key to Gender Equality:Women Empowering Women
As a Vietnamese immigrant growing up in the 80s and 90s in America, I didn’t see many women running companies and definitely didn’t see any female Vietnamese immigrants leading businesses in America. But I was very fortunate enough to see a strong female, my mom, work hard to make a living and learn English, so her children could live the American dream.
By Swaay8 years ago in Viva
The SWAAY Story: “I Am An Immigrant”
I am an Irish immigrant. SWAAY’s Founder is a Muslim who emigrated here from Morocco, and our Managing Editor is a first generation Cuban whose grandparents arrived on JFK’s Freedom flights. Our stories are as diverse as they come, our backgrounds worlds apart and yet we have all ended up here in New York at the same time. There is no cosmic cause that explains why we have all met each other – there is simply the fact that this country has welcomed immigrants since its birth, and here we are, three immigrants of some variation, legally living in this country. And yet for the past week we have been questioning our very status because of a ban that persecutes those executing their right to travel here under years of agreements and contractual legislation between their countries and this one. Yes, it’s been temporarily stopped by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but with our new President responding with a law suit threat, it seems the ban is far from disappearing.
By Swaay8 years ago in Viva
The Bourjois Rouge Laques Are So Much More than Just Another Liquid Lipstick
I’m happy to speak for us all when I say, I think we’re at liquid lipstick capacity. From their first appearance one the “scene” a couple of years ago it seems every brand has been pushing out a new “air-light,” “waterproof,” “fully pigmented,” goo in a tube. And while there have been hits, there have been a whole bunch of misses, too. It’s a hard line to walk between too emollient (resulting in a smudge-fest disaster) and too dry (which results in a possibly even less attractive peeling effect). I’m all too happy to start letting this one go: admitting that totally fool-proof lipstick is actually just too big of an ask.
By Annie Walton8 years ago in Viva
"But Women Abuse Men, Too..."
Well, yes, there are women who abuse men. This well-known fact is brought to our attention whenever violence against women is discussed, just so the men don’t feel left out (nothing to do with derailing the original conversation, of course.) But we also know that there are far fewer women that abuse men, than there are men who abuse women. Nothing new learned here. But there is something that can be learned from the domestic violence statistics that may change our assumptions about the way intimate partner abuse manifests itself. There is a pattern along gender lines, but it might not be what you think.
By Katy Preen8 years ago in Viva
Can “Is(m)s” Merge to Make “Is”
Feminism and humanism are two world views that are constantly present in Western culture, regardless of how each individual identifies themselves. Despite their similarities, many, such as Corliss Lamont, question their political compatibility. Rightfully so, feminism has more of a socialistic tendency and humanism’s ideologies are much closer to a totalitarianism. That being said, it is important to look back on how these two world views came to be in order to draw conclusions.
By Megan Le Stum8 years ago in Viva
The Fairytale Lie
Have you ever looked at your newsfeed and felt the bitterness and envy of seeing yet another engagement photo or extravagant wedding? Did you feel frustration that you hadn’t found a love like that? Or anger that your own partner hadn’t popped the question? I felt these emotions many times before and brushed it off as if it was normal, but it’s not. I stayed in a loveless relationship for 6 years because I felt the pressure to get married especially since we had a child together. I worried if I left what others would think, and I worried most about who would want me after a failed relationship. I thought that my fairytale ending would be impossible if I left. These are all premeditated thoughts I had, but never really questioned why those fears were so strongly present. I mean men don’t have that same pressure on them if a relationship fails right? If you admit to having felt any of the thoughts above, take a minute and question where are these thoughts coming from? And more importantly what is your definite purpose in life? Is it solely to find a partner? Or have you just been so distracted by society's pressure, you never got a chance to answer what else you want out of life?
By Tee Dot8 years ago in Viva
Dear My Body
Dear My Body, We shy away from the camera; we always have. We are like the Sasquatch — rare sightings on FB. I am not interested in what you look like. I don’t want to see. I don’t need to see. I prefer the role of the observer, not the observed.
By Kat Thorsen8 years ago in Viva
Walking in Style With 'Colors of Mei'
Filipino fashion blogger, color lover and wife Meileilan “Mei” Mattinson talks about her journey as a fashion blogger with her husband, her style, challenges and how she wants to inspire her readers.
By Sydney Cooper8 years ago in Viva
5 Countries Making Surprising Gains In Women's Rights
America's women's rights groups are not happy right now. Attacks have been launched to defund Planned Parenthood, abortion restrictions are at an all-time high, and many states are now allowed to fire women based on sexual history. This is not the America that feminists wanted to see, and unfortunately, we are stuck fighting against it until tyrants realize they can't stop progress.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart8 years ago in Viva
Teal is For Real. Top Story - September 2017.
So, this one is going to be shorter than my other articles, but since it is September I wanted to dedicate this article to the women in my family who have been affected by ovarian cancer, including my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother.
By Tatiana Parker8 years ago in Viva
PMDD: Reminders to Partners
If you are the partner or family member of someone with PMDD, you have our sympathies. We know how challenging, disruptive, and scary that can be. Why does the ordinarily reliable, loving, generous, nurturing, capable woman in your life become decidedly unreasonable, overemotional, paranoid, seemingly selfish, and full of rage once a month? She seemed to like you so much only yesterday. Now she's demanding some space and acts like never seeing you again would be a gift. Is it something you did or said? It can be all too easy to take the PMDD behaviors personally and worse, lash out in return. So here are some helpful things to remember:
By Cheeky Minx8 years ago in Viva
Entheogen, Goddess Within
At some point in human evolution, something changed. We moved from being primarily concerned with survival to being creative, abstract, and spiritual. We created myths and rituals to help us to find our way through the spirit world and to bring spiritual meaning to our everyday lives.
By Sarah Johnson8 years ago in Viva