body
Feminism demands a future free of fat shaming, body obsession and the male gaze.
I was Sexually Assaulted.. Shouting My Story to the World
There is something important I need to address. Throughout the last couple of years I have noticed that people have been using their platforms to speak their truths on sexual assault in the industry (#METOO), work place, homes, etc. I’ve always considered myself a courageous, confident, outspoken women, except for when it’s come to this topic and my personal life.
By Coco Feliciano5 years ago in Viva
He Destroyed My Home.. Top Story - April 2021.
I am writing the following story because I want to let go of something that has made a deep impact in my life. Organizing my endlessly scattered thoughts works best for me when I write them out, so here it goes. It is no secret that I often speak my mind, but I suck at communicating about the really, really, deep things that torment me. I have gotten better but every day is still a struggle. Just to sort of set the stage, I will start off by saying that I am diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 and Adult Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. My story of my experience plays a particularly important role in my mental health. It diminished my ability to communicate, to heal, to be strong and courageous for myself. It turned my entire world turned dark. I have been described as unpredictable, out of control, impossible to manage and crazy. I have been told that I am a monster, and my life is worthless. I have been told that I destroy everything I touch. I conditioned myself to shrink for others, to not upset or defy them. I stayed quiet and bottled everything inside. I smiled and said, “it’s okay”, when really, I just wanted to scream and beg for someone to make the pain stop. I accepted toxicity into my life because I believed that it is what I deserved. Every single person I have ever met knows a completely different version of me. The versions of myself constantly change, as is life. And as a result, I am a variation of factors. Yet, there are only 3 people who know me entirely. Every single secret. Every single insecurity, down to the last detail. Every single emotion, mood swing and trigger. Every single thought and opinion. Every single amount of excruciating emotional and mental pain. Every single trauma. Everything that has damaged me. These 3 people's influence on my decision to finally share my story with the world will be mentioned in my following story. I had held a secret inside of me for 7 years, one that I thought I would never be able to face. I denied it all these years, repressing it so far that I eventually did not think about it at all. All it took for me to finally accept the truth was seeing a stranger’s face in a bar, increasing self-awareness and the compassion, and understanding of very 3 important people. I have finally realized how important I am, not in a cocky way, but in the way that I matter. My story matters, my healing matters, my life truly does matter. I am not staying quiet about who I am and why I am the way I am anymore. And because of this moment of clarity, I am ready to speak about something that happened to me when I was 18. Something that I tried so hard to forget, but ultimately could not escape. This is my story about the night someone stole what was mine.
By Sarah Carver5 years ago in Viva
HYDROSALPHINX
HYDROSALPHINX A hydrosalpinx is a blocked, dilated, fluid-filled fallopian tube Hydrosalpinx may occur as an isolated adnexal lesion or as one component of a complex adnexal lesion that has caused distal tubal occlusion . The most common cause of distal tubal occlusion and hydrosalpinx is pelvic inflammatory disease. Other causes include endometriosis, peritubal adhesions from a previous operation, tubal cancer, and tubal pregnancy.
By Shafeena IGX5 years ago in Viva
How Becoming a Mom changed my Relationship with my Body
It took me a long time to get in sync with my body, and longer still after I had our baby. Growing up, I had a bad hormone imbalance. It made it impossible to lose weight, I struggled with terrible periods, mood swings, and acne, and just never felt comfortable in my own skin.
By Leah Harris5 years ago in Viva
Free the Pill
I received a helpful text on my phone one day. “Text REPLY to refill your prescription of [norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol tablets].” Not sparing a second thought to the ease and convenience of my modern life, I texted back and expected to be able to pick up my prescription of birth control later in the day.
By Rachael Dunn5 years ago in Viva
Selfies, Fat, Sweat and Tears
[Please excuse the number of selfies in this — I’m trying to demonstrate a point] When I turned 30 something crazy happened — my twenties had been wrought with insecurities surrounding how I looked, my teens even more so but suddenly I didn’t really care anymore. In fact, when I looked back on my twenties and earlier, from my thirties I wondered why I was bothered at all — I wasn’t half as bad as I was led to believe, or more importantly, had come to believe. In fairness, I didn’t regularly start wearing make-up till I was 25 and had no actual skin routine till I was even older than that. When I look back though, I can see how outside influences had an impact on me when I was gullible and naïve and how I gave other peoples’ opinions much more value than they were worth. And now I dress whatever way I want, covered in tattoos and giving way less of I shit about it… or so I thought…
By Caroline Egan5 years ago in Viva
A Nurse Called Me "Heavy" During My Pap Smear Exam
Yes, ladies, you read the title of this article correctly. (I say ladies because I doubt any guys will read this because "Ew!" right?) Two days ago I went in for a routine pap smear test. And while spread eagle with the speculum inside me, the nurse on the side of me handing the doctor the swabs, made a comment about me being "heavy".
By Lizzy Heartwood5 years ago in Viva
