Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Viva.

Why Shouldn't I Be Confident?
Being a woman is hard. They want us to be thin, then they want us to be thick. And sometimes, both at the same time. This is an everyday struggle that we all face.
By Mikaela Ball8 years ago in Viva
Snip, Snip, Snip
After leaving a mentally and physically abusive husband, after years of feeling like a constant piece of ass, and a sexual assault later... I got the grand idea to donate all my hair to charity, thinking that it would make men stop staring at me every where I go as if I was a vulnerable gazelle in the wild.
By Alicia Lynne8 years ago in Viva
Wearing the Pants
Who wears the pants in your relationship? It's one of those questions that people always tend to ask couples and it's one of those things that has always gotten to me.
By Samantha Reid8 years ago in Viva
The Betrayal of Myself—My Miscarriage Experience
Can you be betrayed by your own body, if it is an intrinsic part of you? Can you personify a part of you to the point of alienation, enough so that it can endure your suffering for you? Suffering so deep to justify the segregation?
By EP Jenkins8 years ago in Viva
My Best Friend Was Raped
It was July of 2016. We were laying in a small canvas tent with our matching pillowcases we had tie-dyed and braided hair. She was snoring softly, I always made fun of her for that. The top of our tent was plastic so I was able to watch the stars. I always had trouble falling asleep, but I enjoyed listening to the mountain sounds. I turned towards her and watched her sleep for a moment. She went still, her snoring stopped. I thought maybe she was waking up. Instead, she let out the shrillest scream I have ever heard.
By Tabitha Shiloh8 years ago in Viva
Survival
Brittle, hollow, not exactly broken, but very near it. That is how I felt after everything. Everything that I was, the strength that I had built over the last few years, and the courage that I had come to expect of myself, was carved away by this process. The process of naming my attacker, facing my attacker, and listening as his lawyer took apart my character piece by piece in open court. I feel brittle. Like pieces of me might break off at the slightest touch.
By Heather Clarke8 years ago in Viva
How I Made Myself Feel Better About My Body
I never thought that I would get this far. I had no future plans. I really thought that by the age of 16 I would kill myself. Here I am today now 21. I still struggle with things but I'm not as bad as I use to be. For the record the picture featured is not mine. I don't own it.
By Jess Perry8 years ago in Viva
Why I Like to Let the Sistas Hang Low
So let's talk about something that most of us, if not all us women have had to deal with at some point or another in our lovely lifetime. There's a lot that falls under this category: some good, some bad, and some just simply annoying. Right now, I will complain about bras because I know for a fact that I am not the only one out there who hates wearing them. Don't get me wrong, some of them can be very cute, especially when you get one in your favourite colour and it just adds that little bit of confidence you need to conquor the day. But most of them have something annoying about them.
By Marissa Matthews8 years ago in Viva
How I Dealt with Repetitive Sexual Assault
In today's world, most women are afraid to tell their sexual assault stories. For some, they have kept themselves in silence for so long, why would they talk now? For others, they fear the disbelief, or that others will blame them. A small percentage will say it's because of the celebrity misconduct happening, which is paired with the fear of disbelief.
By Megayn Fall8 years ago in Viva
#YouToo
This past summer, I was working at a summer camp at an international school in Tokyo. This was the third and final time that I was working at this camp, and I had so much fun teaching kids about black history, building rockets, and enjoying sports day.
By Honami Kawamura8 years ago in Viva
Where Is Your Evidence?
Seriously, in light of all the allegations and accusations of the elder men/women in power positions (this is inclusive) and all you've got is, where is your evidence?
By jessica young8 years ago in Viva
Guys We F*cked
I am an avid Podcast listener. My obsession began this past summer, when I was looking for a healthy distraction from a lot of chaos in my life. I am fortunate to work at a job where I am not micromanaged, I work at my own pace, and I have the freedom to put in my Air Pods and listen to Podcasts all day long. I love it and I recommend Podcasts to anyone who needs a good distraction. Honestly, they have helped me overcome my depression and anxiety and feel less lonely during a period of time in my life that proved to be extremely difficult. I discovered the Guys we F*cked Podcast about two months ago, and I have been binge listening ever since. If you haven't heard of this amazing Podcast or if you have and are unsure of what the hell you just stumbled upon, allow me to introduce you.
By RaeAnna Mercado8 years ago in Viva