Body Talk
Your body, your choice? A place to debate and discuss the complexities and controversies surrounding women's' health issues, reproductive rights, and bodily autonomy.
Cookie Cutters
Since I was young, I’ve always struggled with my self image. I hid behind various aliases depending on who I was with and what group I wanted to fit in with. My choices and my actions were heavily influenced by my need to be accepted.
Confidence 101
Over the last few years, I've been making a name for myself as a Freelance Model/Actress and I have had many women come up to me or slide into my DMs, asking me one thing: "How are you so confident?"
Aurea GonzalezPublished 6 years ago in VivaNot Taken Seriously
Periods... Every girl gets them eventually. For some, bleeding 3-5 days out of a month just passes by like any other day. Not for me. I got my period on the first day of seventh grade. I came home from school and just after I finished eating supper I went to the washroom. All day my stomach had been really bad, and I was light headed and nauseated. To my surprise when I was in the washroom I noticed some faint staining in my underwear and I realised what was happening.
Ginger CurlsPublished 6 years ago in VivaThe Rhetorical Analysis of Peggy Orenstein's 'Just Between You, Me, and My 622 Bffs'
When I first got into Facebook and Twitter, I got bullied because of my weight and looks. I would have people comment on my pictures "You're fat," "You are a cunt," "You need to lose weight," "It looks like your face got ran over a bus six times," and the worst one, "You're too ugly to be alive." This, of course, killed me inside. I stayed home for days at a time thinking to myself, "Am I really that ugly?" When I would go to school, I'd ignore everybody because I was afraid that they would start telling me all of those things to my face. But then I met my friend Adrianna in seventh grade. Adrianna always stuck up for me when people would start to call me names. Adrianna and my cousin Brittany were the two that made me feel good about myself. They made it so I wouldn't care what people would think, but then the bullying started to get worse. I went to my principal and tried talking to him about what was going on.
Kristina BratschPublished 6 years ago in VivaEverything Is Bad for You
Yes, I smoke, I drink, I drink Diet Coke (oh no, aspartame!), I even eat red bloody meat and worst of all, I eat fried food like it’s going out of style. I know these things are obviously bad for me but I mean, if I die tomorrow or even in the next two hours (dying tomorrow is too cliché), I want to know I’m going six feet under with a belly full of terrible shit I loved and lungs as black as tar.
Anik MarchandPublished 6 years ago in VivaHow Does the Morning After Pill Work?
The morning after pill has become a favorite OTC medication for women who might have slipped up while taking their regular birth control methods. When taken properly, it can be anywhere from 75 to 90 percent effective as a form of birth control.
Mackenzie Z. KennedyPublished 7 years ago in VivaBirth Control Side Effects
A lot of us love sex... I mean love sex. It's one of the more intimate activities to do with your partner. However, sex does come with a set a rules — especially on avoiding a pregnancy when you don't wish to have a kid just yet. That's why birth control was invented, to prevent getting pregnant when having sex.
Rachel BlanchardPublished 7 years ago in VivaBeauty
This one is for the people who struggle with how they view themselves on the outside. I'm no Channing Tatum. In fact I have a hard time with regulating my weight, I'm starting to need glasses and you may not be able to tell it but I'm also losing my hair, like a lot of people. I almost said "the average person" but the word average has become a negative word in our society. No one wants to be average because it's less than perfect (remember this word, because I'm going to use it later on).
Andrew SmithPublished 7 years ago in VivaDon't Blame the Girls
"Don't wear revealing clothes." "Don't go anywhere alone, especially at night." "Watch your drinks." "Don't flirt with guys—it gives them the wrong impression." "If you are walking to your car alone, carry your keys in your hands to defend yourself." "Lock your doors."
- Top Story - October 2017
My Thin Privilege
As with all topics discussed openly on the internet, the Thin Privilege argument has descended into a battle in which a side must be picked. You're either pro-fat or pro-skinny, and there's no middle ground. Well...
Katy PreenPublished 7 years ago in Viva What's Wrong with My Vagina... And Can Baking Soda Really Help?
I have always been fascinated with the human body and its organs. When I got my first period, unlike most, I was truly elated! This meant I was a woman and I could start kissing and having sex! It wasn't until very recently in my mid-20s that I started experiencing a huge shift in my own body's way of operating. It was no longer a self-oiled machine. I was not eating properly for many years and was partying extensively. If only I knew what crazy effects this would have on my sex life! I began to develop a strange odor from my vagina. I became extremely self-conscious about "her" and the odor she was giving off (especially since this was a new sensation for me). This prohibited me from having any sex at all as I was too worried about what others might be thinking. It doesn't sound like an issue for the press, however, to a girl going through a similar situation, I can promise it is. I even damaged a couple relationships due to my "between me down there" issues. I was DEFINITELY too embarrassed to talk to any of my girlfriends and found myself surprised that I couldn't even approach my own mother about the topic. Instead, I left it alone. I did nothing to rectify my issue. In fact, I made it worse by ignoring it. I would come home after work to see my panties soaked with discharge, so badly it was ruining all my Victoria's Secret underwear! Besides the odor, I was experiencing a nasty itch that I (literally) could not scratch. My girl friends and I always do a "movie girls night sleepover" once a week. We decided that even though we are closer to 30 than 20, that we would make a pact to keep our young spirits alive by having these nights together. My kitty problem got so internally and externally terrible, I stopped attending my precious girls nights for I was NOT going to let anyone get a whiff of what I was putting out there! I just wanted to be alone.
Molly MabeesPublished 7 years ago in VivaBody Pos 201
From the title, this looks like just another body activist post, I get that. This topic weighs heavy on my heart because I have neglected how amazing the human body is and how even more amazing mine is. We are all unique obviously: different shapes, different colors, the list goes on. But it’s time we start accepting compliments with, “Thank you, that means a lot” instead of, “No, I look awful. You should have seen how long it took me to pull it together today.” Why do we have to counter a compliment with a negative comment? I know when I do it I am just trying to let the other person know that I am NOT the way they perceive me; I don’t wake up with straight hair and a perfect skin. But that’s not what a compliment is meant to do, this kind hearted person is complimenting the beauty you hold, because they are appreciating the work of art you as a human being are. It’s time for you to see what they see. And this is how:
Thrifty, Curvy, & ThrivingPublished 7 years ago in Viva