activism
Feminist activists are not deterred by the daunting statistics so much as they're fueled by them.
Something for the Pro-Lifers to Think About
Abortion has been gracing the headlines and news outlets a lot lately. Not for its decline or anything along those lines, but for people marching in the streets. Many on the hating-it side are yelling at women that they are murderers. Then there are certain bills that are up for rejection or approval that could yet again hurt women.
By Catherine Agati7 years ago in Viva
Capitalist Activism
Activism is not a commodity. It is not a product to be bought and sold and advertised. It is not a successful marketing strategy, either. Activism can neither be consumed with dollar bills, nor can it be used in advertising to sell goods. To involve activism with capitalism is to invalidate it; social justice doesn’t carry a price tag. Police brutality continues despite Kendall Jenner gifting a Pepsi to a cop, catcalling will not stop because Gillette put out a new ad campaign, and stereotypes refused to dissipate after the #LikeAGirl campaign by Always. Regardless of what today’s commercials and billboards might lead one to believe, it is impossible to put in place effective social change by merely consuming products.
By M Dudukovich7 years ago in Viva
The Aftermath of Rape
*Warning: some details of my story maybe triggering for some* Hello, I’m yellow sun. Now, of course my name isn’t actually yellow sun, but how sick would that be? Anyways, I’m 22 and my childhood was weird. You know how sometimes life seems like a distant memory, almost like a dream? Not a beautiful dream, but a nightmare. Yeah, that’s repression. So, I’ve always automatically repressed things. How do I know this? Because I watched a movie a couple of years ago, and this teenage girl was being raped by some of her family members. I left the theater feeling nauseous and I couldn’t sleep for months. Crying in the middle of the night, feeling disgusted, and hating my body more than I ever have. I didn’t realize what was actually wrong.
By yellow sun7 years ago in Viva
The Price of Toxic Masculinity
So recently, Gillette released an ad criticising negative behaviour exhibited by men and most of the internet proceeded to lose its collective shit. I'm sure a lot of people saw straight through it for what it was; a business making a corny attempt at pandering to social issues of the time whilst hawking their product (Hello? Pepsi?) but its underlying message is simply too hard to ignore. Essentially, the ad calls on men to be better, to call out toxic behaviour like bullying and sexism, and that's something I can get on board with. However, there are those who see this as a weakness. Reflection and self-improvement are profound transitional periods and are traits of strong, intelligent people. Having empathy for others is not a weakness. Excising bitterness and resentment is not a weakness but the removal of weakness.
By C. Raymond Martin7 years ago in Viva
Why Black Women Hate the Word 'Sassy'
Despite the amazing strides towards cultural and racial awareness in the U.S. in the past decade, there still seems to be a lot of confusion and debate about some words. And it's understandable! There are so many tricky words for a non-minority person to navigate. If our freedom of speech is to have any practical value, why are some seemingly harmless, culture-specific words socially sanctioned and some not? How are you supposed to navigate these unspoken rules when society can't even agree on what they are!? Well, I'm here to help with one word in particular.
By Ashley Davis7 years ago in Viva
Gillette's New Ad Is Infuriating Both Men AND Women
Gillette came out with a new ad the other day… and it’s driving people completely up the wall. It focused on the fact that toxic masculinity is still a huge issue and that if we want the future generation of men to be great, we need to stop excusing bad behavior. It doesn't mean that all men physically, sexually, or even verbally attack each other, but a lot of men do sit back and do nothing. That in itself is toxic masculinity and it adds to the problem. They pointed out that there’s still a huge issue with this domino effect of bullying, harassment, and blatant sexism and their message is that men can do better. That they don't need to act like this and they need to stand up to the ones that do. It shows that men also need to teach little boys who are going to be the men of tomorrow to always act decent, responsible, and not like animals. To always do the right thing even when it's not exactly easy or convenient.
By Mardoll Gatsby7 years ago in Viva
The Fear Behind Cat Calling
There was an instance some years ago where I was leaving my mother's house late at night. Before heading home, I decided to head towards a fast food place and grab a quick bite. It was a Sunday night and, being a relatively small town, the streets were empty. As I crawled to a stop at a red light, I noticed a white car that was in the second lane to my left. Two men looked to be in their early 30s and, once I stopped right next to them, were staring dead in my direction.
By Ashlyn Harper7 years ago in Viva
What I Really Mean When I Say Me Too
The #MeToo movement has given a voice to countless women (and men, but for the purposes of this article, I’m just going to refer to women) who have survived sexual violence. For many, it was the first time they were able to admit to being a survivor of a sexual assault. For others, it was something they’d already announced to the world, so to speak, and writing those two little words really wasn’t such a big deal.
By Holly Paine7 years ago in Viva
Gifts That Support Susan G. Komen
While she was dying, Susan G. Komen made her sister Nancy G. Brinker promise that she would do everything possible to find a cure for breast cancer. Nancy followed through with that promise and created the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart7 years ago in Viva
Being a Young Woman in America
Being a woman in today's society means... Avoiding going out at night Always looking over your shoulder when you walk alone Walking in a group because it is safer that way Bundling yourself in as many layers as you can in hopes no one sexualizes you Being scared to go anywhere at night for fear of being harassed or harmed Being the butt end of jokes from men Being shamed for coming forward with harrowing tales of assault and harassment Feeling like you have to explain every decision you make Making less than a man for the same work Looking to an unrealistic image of beauty and perfection and being expected to live up to it Knowing you will be made inferior frequently throughout your life Being told that your only purpose in life is to marry, have children, and please your partner Knowing that no matter what you do, someone is going to think you’re not good enough or you’re not trying hard enough Walking with your keys in your hand as a weapon in case things go bad Checking your backseat and locking your doors the second you get into a car Double and triple checking the locks in your home for fear of an intruder Being quieted when all you want to do is speak out Seeing stories like Mollie Tibbets and being scared to do the things you love to do Feeling like you must always live up to this unachievable standard set by a patriarchal society Having men make decisions about your health and well-being
By Makayla Richards7 years ago in Viva
What It Really Means to Be a Survivor
I was a little girl. I went to a babysitter during the days I wasn’t in school, and when school was done during the year. She wasn’t anything great. She was mean sometimes, nice others. The other kids that were there were nice, too. I even have one I still talk to.
By Not In Use7 years ago in Viva
