feminism
At its core, feminism is the simple conviction that women are equal to men in every regard, and should be treated as such.
Curiosity and Its Role Within Systems of Oppression
Cynthia Enloe describes curiosity as something which “takes energy.” It is what leads humans to question aspects of the world around them. Without it, humanity would make no steps forward, and we would likely remain living without technology. We can thank curiosity for every advancement which has made our lives easier or more enjoyable. The lack of this curiosity, however, is exactly what has helped maintain existing power structures, enabling the oppression of certain groups within society.
By purple and blue7 years ago in Viva
She Must Be a Bad Bitch
In the last couple years, I have worked on becoming an independent woman; someone who can stand on my own, provide for myself, and love myself. Over these years I have also come close to knowing love, I have felt my heart break, I have seen worry in my mother’s eyes, and pain tear through my family. I have also struggled to know when I need help and when to ask for it.
By Samantha Kristine7 years ago in Viva
Can a Woman Be Happy Without Children?
I've written in previous articles about my views on motherhood. Since a child, I always wanted a little baby to take care of. This is part of the reason I was a bit overbearing when it came to raising my brother. I would treat him as my own child and chastise him, leading to me getting a talk about how I am not the mother. As I have grown and developed, the thought of childhood keeps getting pushed farther back. I'm always on the fence; do I want a baby or not?
By Ashlyn Harper7 years ago in Viva
It's Not Okay for Men to Behave That Way
Scenario One: A 17 year-old-girl is learning to drive. Her driving instructor takes her to a country road to practise stopping and starting the car. His arm is stretched behind her, slung round the back of her seat. It makes the girl uncomfortable, but she tells herself it's okay. Her instructor asks her to pull up at the side of the road. She's getting bored doing this, and wonders when she's going to start doing some proper driving. Her instructor moves a little closer, then purses his lips and heads towards her cheek as if to kiss her. The girl blushes as she pulls away. "Oh, I didn't think you were shy," says her instructor. The lesson continues.
By Dorothy Massey7 years ago in Viva
Something I Feel Strongly About
Despite the right sort of movement towards equality & progressive attitudes toward stereotypes and systems that oppress people on a daily basis- it is still hard for a woman to be taken seriously as a player in the world of both work and play! Now my piece today is not tainted in aggressive feminism because that can be just as damaging as patriarchal and Misogynist underpinnings in society. What I am looking at is the idea of women empowering other women.
By Amber Goddard7 years ago in Viva
More Than We Were Taught...
Where do I even begin? I am 11 weeks pregnant, so I am ever so slightly chunkier compared to three months ago because I am doing all I possibly can to ensure my little raspberry has everything it needs to grow to be full of nutrients. Off I went to my midwife appointment, pure elation as I start my journey to meet a tiny, little me. All was well for the first 15/20 minutes, and then, these three letters 'BMI' caused my heart to sink, and question the entire health care system.
By Alice Fisher7 years ago in Viva
Why Women Need to Stop Tearing Down Other Women. Top Story - August 2018.
We are in a scary and exciting time right now for women. With all the movements and people coming out to tell their story, it feels as if women are taking steps in the right direction. It is not like we are asking for anything crazy, either. We merely want to be looked at as equal, to be able to wear what we want, and to not have a fear of being molested or sexually harassed everywhere we turn. The only problem I have with all of this is that, while we are asking for others to treat us better, we are still tearing down other women.
By Ashlyn Harper7 years ago in Viva
Facebook, Trauma, and the 'Men Are Trash' Narrative
About a year ago, one of my favorite people blocked me on Facebook because I say “men are trash” a lot. This man—who is a friend of mine in real life, who gets it right like 90 percent of the time, who genuinely works hard to be a good man—just couldn’t handle seeing my constant critique of toxic masculinity.
By Cylest Nichole7 years ago in Viva
A Call to Action
In December of 2015, Sweden gave every sixteen year old in the country a copy of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's feminist manifesto, We Should All Be Feminists. Why? Because we should all be feminists, especially by the age of sixteen. Gender roles and social expectations of femininity and masculinity are ingrained in young people’s minds as soon as they are born. Not only does society normalize violence and disregard inequalities, but it also continues to encourage the continuation of the patriarchy through young people who just do not know any better. We should all be feminists in order to acquire a critical consciousness of the intersecting injustices of the world so that society can be changed for the better.
By Sarah Treaster7 years ago in Viva
