relationships

Trace the link between feminism and relationships from outdated norms to modern conventions including chivalry, working mothers, splitting the bill and beyond.

Blinded by the Stars
My mom once told me that it was impossible to see clearly when you were blinded by the stars in your eyes. But I was young and dumb and never thought that my parents might know what they were talking about in life.
By Meghan Ray8 years ago 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
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
Signs That You're in an Abusive Relationship
Abuse comes in many different forms. It can be financial, emotional, physical, verbal and sexual. It's hard to see what an abuser looks like especially after the first couple of dates. Some people assume abusers have a look to them but this is not always the case. An abuser can come in all shapes, sizes, colors and backgrounds. The signs that someone is abusive are there, but they are hard to notice at first.
By Stormy Sky8 years ago in Viva
6 Things Women in Relationships Should Know About Money
I am a firm believer in being an independent woman. In a relationship or not, it is so important to be able to stand on your own two feet. I’ve gone through a series of horrible relationships, been single as fuck and married to my work, and I am now in a very comfortable and committed long term relationship (that I hope will be marked for forever).
By Samantha Bentley8 years ago in Viva
A More Complicated Butterfly
What makes a woman a woman? How does she know when she is separated from the girls? When is it okay to call her "hot" or "beautiful" instead of "cute" or "pretty"? Is it her age? When she gets her period or loses her virginity? Has she reached "womanhood" when she has to shave her legs? Maybe it's when she is treated like a woman instead of a girl? Maybe it's when she looks in the mirror and realizes it for herself? When she looks back on her life thus far, analyzing every scenario, hardship, and triumph, only to realize that she is no longer a little girl? Or, maybe it's not one of these things, but more than one? Or none of them at all? It all depends on the girl transforming into a woman. Girls are not caterpillars who spin their cocoons for a set amount of time to emerge a marvelous, transformed butterfly. We are much more complex than that. And I am no exception.
By Jennifer R8 years ago in Viva
What's in a Name?
The last name debate has been going on for quite some time now. It is not a new question for people to ask: should I take his last name? But people seem to think that it is a phenomenon of the 21st century.
By Samantha Reid8 years ago in Viva
My Victim Statement for the Trial
Victim Impact Statement Tuesday, 1 April 2014 I, K Mack, write this impact statement in relation to the charges against Robert Bonnet.
By KC8 years ago in Viva
I’m a Strong, Independent Woman but I Still Can’t Say ‘No’
As cliché as it sounds, I have long considered myself to be a strong, independent woman who won’t do anything just because someone else wants me to. Every date I’ve been on I’ve said that I’m going to be myself and if he doesn’t like that then it’s his loss. Whenever I read stories of women being coerced into having sexual relations against their will, I always told myself that they wouldn’t be able to convince me, that I’d be stubborn and wouldn’t give in. It was all well and good of me saying that then, but the truth is when the time came, it was easier to give in.
By Phoebe Cooper8 years ago in Viva
Open Letter to My Abuser
You probably haven’t thought about me at all in the past five years, but I think about you constantly. And the more I think about you, the more time that passes, I begin to realize that you were the awful one and not me.
By Mina LeAnn8 years ago in Viva
And My Family Loved Him
My first serious relationship, but not first love, was actually my fourth. I was 16 years old in the 11th grade and he was in the year above. He was my friend before he was my boyfriend. We'd hang out and go for walks and just laugh. He'd pick me up in his car and my mom would be mystified that I was at the age now where my boyfriend could drive. I enjoyed the time I spent with him, our jokes and pranks, but I didn't love him. Something kept me from loving him. But he loved me and I liked that.
By O8 years ago in Viva