body
Feminism demands a future free of fat shaming, body obsession and the male gaze.
Update on My Rape Case
For a while I believed that my soul was permanently shattered. I believed that what this man took from me could never be retrieved again. My pain was so excruciating physically and mentally that every day was full of new struggles. I was lost in a sea of my thoughts day after day. Running from him was something I became an expert at. However, it didn’t diminish the humiliation and pain I’d grown to live with. He lacerated the core of me and it ruined a lot of things as a result. It was of subtle comfort when the courts granted me with one year of a sexual violence protection order. The max was three years and honestly what I had aimed for. He fought it. Because of course he can’t just admit to the horrible things he’s done to me. I decided to fight after that day. No matter how afraid I was of him, he couldn’t just get away with one year of a protection order. That had to be the lightest slap on the wrist. Sexual assault is everywhere around us. The perpetrators scare their victims into keeping quiet and it’s the most disgusting thing. When I decided to fight I didn’t know it would be so hard. I had anticipated that it would undoubtedly take time but I never imagined it would take this much time. I just want the whole thing to be over.
By The Darkest Sunrise8 years ago in Viva
Abduction Survivor
When I was a moody teenager, about 14 years old, I listened to Green Day and Nirvana on my Walkman every day on the way home from school. Being a freshman is such a confusing, yet exciting time. Fresh new hormones pumping through your body as you go through adolescence, and a fresh new crush every week. I was just beginning to cozy into a fun group of friends, and found my classes to be such a welcome change from middle school, I was actually interested in what was being taught!
By Amber Bastedo8 years ago in Viva
Do You Have the Mom Body?
What exactly is the "mom body"? Well, it’s pretty simple really: it’s the body almost any woman has after pregnancy. It’s the stretch marks. It’s a little or maybe a lot of extra around the middle. It’s the super stretched out skin. Maybe it’s the continuation to look pregnant even though your last child was born years ago. It’s the body that brought the miracle of life into the world, and, for a lot of us, it’s also the body that’s completely different from when we were younger. It’s a body that has possibly caused us to lose our self-confidence.
By Amanda Brock8 years ago in Viva
Body Acceptance
All my life, I’ve been overweight. I remember the fat jokes starting as early as elementary school. Now, at 29, and still to this day (20 something years later), the ridicule still rears its ugly head. Sometimes it’s lightly joking. Sometimes it’s just rude remarks from passerby’s. Sometimes it’s just a blatant comment so hurtful they may as well have just stabbed me with a knife. I’ve tried every diet known to mankind. It’s not like I chose to be fat, but here I am. Fat and happy to be here.
By Jess Dickison8 years ago in Viva
Life As a SSBBW
As you can pretty much tell from the title, I am a big woman. I like to consider myself just to be a BBW, which stands for Big Beautiful Woman. But if you have ever been on urban dictionary, I would be considered an SSBBW which simply means Super-Sized Big Beautiful Woman since I weigh over 400 pounds. No, that was not a typo, it is truth. When I was younger, I never imagined that I would get this big. But when you grow up and you don’t really feel loved, you turn to things to comfort you. Since I did not have anything to really comfort me, especially after my grandfather passed, I turned to food. When I was eating, I wasn’t thinking about pain, loneliness, and how empty I felt inside. I did what all fat people do, I ate my feelings and I never exercised. I just kept getting bigger and bigger. In spite of what others may think, I wear my size boldly and with confidence!
By Shanita Marshall8 years ago in Viva
Don’t Be Beautiful
You are beautiful,” “beauty is from within,” “be your own kind of beautiful.” These are things that women are told every day. But why should women only aspire to beauty? Why not kindness or intelligence or success in their career or physical athleticism? Why is the way a woman looks a reflection of her worth? We live in a world where vanity is seen as the most important thing Women should aspire to achieve. Because if we are not beautiful we are not worthy of love, friendship, respect.
By Emily Tarff8 years ago in Viva
You Took My Innocence and With it My Control!
“Shh. Stop crying or someone will hear you!” She covered my mouth with her hand while her other hand remained on my breast. “If someone comes in here, I will beat you up!” I remained still and let my cousin’s hand roam over my 5-year-old breast and my private parts, the threat of her beating me up remaining in my head. I was terrified to scream, but I knew what she was doing to me was wrong and I had no control. She was ten years old and knew better.
By Nanette Tenpo8 years ago in Viva
Do You Love Yourself?
Do you ever wonder where body image issues stem from? It's just as common in men as it is in women. Wanting to be muscular, thin, beautiful. Is it from the magazines? MTV? For fuck's sake, the Kardashians? Why do we feel the need to impress everybody else to feel good in our own skin? Why do we think we need the attention? Some people blame being the middle child. Or not being hugged often enough. But I think the human brain is so much more complicated than that. It's about being true to yourself. Or, at least, I think it should be. We shouldn't have to wonder if these jeans make us look fat. Why does anyone care? And the end of the day, can you look in the mirror and honestly answer, "Do you love yourself?" Because if the answer is no, maybe you should start. Start taking the steps to love your body, your personality, your curves, or not? Maybe you’re reading this and wished you looked like me. Is that possible? Grass is always greener on the other side, I suppose.
By Abbey Nims8 years ago in Viva
My Rape Recovery
As expected the occurrence of rape can change a person. A simple, despicable act can alter the bubbliest of personalities. So many things come to surface when you face the path that someone else has chosen for you. You feel as though you have no control over any situation at all. There may even be a period of time where you knowingly begin to self-destruct.
By The Darkest Sunrise8 years ago in Viva
