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.
Spotlight on Female Reproductive Health
Despite our hyper-sexualized society, female reproductive health often gets swept under the rug. It can be uncomfortable to talk about, either in a social context or with a health professional, and it's certainly something that isn't especially fun to get checked out for.
Ashley L. PetersonPublished 5 years ago in VivaFinding Acceptance in My Own Body
Everyday I fight a battle within myself. It’s not just cheat days of burgers, chips, and something with lots of sugar. It’s in my own mind. For every time a voice in my head tells me the outfit I have on looks good on me, there are five trying to drown out the positivity. Now, there are two. Sometimes there are five, but I can bring it down to two. I don’t know if those voices ever go away, but I can at least prevent them from messing with my mentality. They know my body is a sensitive subject for me. (It probably is for a lot of people.) They know I’m trying and everyday is a struggle; saying no to fries, trying to lower my soda intake, controlling how much of something I decide to eat, trying not to eat an entirety of something homemade in hopes of having it the next day, eliminating the constant snacking. The list goes on. For every small victory I have, I have to fight to prevent myself from going down the rabbit hole of things I might have done wrong concerning my body. It still continues, but the battle has become easier than it was years ago.
Idalis WoodPublished 5 years ago in VivaI Was Told That I Would Not Be Taken Seriously Because of My Weight
I had always loved the art of dance. From the graceful movements, to the impossible looking jumps and turns. So much hard work, yet it all looked so easy. It was an art form that really touched me from a young age, until I saw the darker side behind its beauty. I worked tirelessly to become the best dancer that I could possibly be. Little did I know that my hard work meant little to nothing in this industry, for a girl like myself.
Victoria GraciePublished 5 years ago in VivaInformation on PCOS
What is PCOS and what does it stand for? PCOS aka PCOD stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or Polycystic Ovarian Disorder a treatable but not curable disease which causes a woman's period to come less than it should or causes it to last longer than normal due to the amount of androgen, a male hormone, because of this small cyst form on the ovaries creating other unwanted problems such as: being overweight, infertility, acne, facial hair, depression, anxiety, loss of hair, and male features. If PCOS isn't treated it can cause endometrial cancer because you're not shedding the uterine lining every month as well as diabetes, and autoimmune thyroid disease.
Viola ShadowheartPublished 5 years ago in VivaBeauty Standards
Why is our appearance so important? Why is the size of the jeans you are wearing the only thing that matters? The judgement of others has become crucial to us. The most important thing is to look good and to fulfill beauty standards. We are comparing ourselves to friends, family members and even to people on the streets.
'Riverdale's Camila Mendes Talks About Learning to Love Her Body—Reigning Women
With the recent stirring of National Eating Disorder Awareness week on social media, Riverdale's Camile Mendes weighed in with her own experiences.
Reigning WomenPublished 5 years ago in VivaTrying to Learn to Love Me Again
As a child, I was always care-free and never cared about what others thought and loved myself the way I was. I did what made little Tierra happy at the time.
Tierra HessPublished 5 years ago in VivaSomething's Got to Give
British freelance journalist Stephanie Yeboah recently made social media news this month when she published a story on Refinery29, titled “I Found Out The Guy I Was Dating Did It For A Dare. Here's What Happened Next,” writing about being embarrassed by potential partner all because she is a plus-size woman.
Mpho RantaoPublished 5 years ago in VivaThe Fears of an Indie Artist
Someone in the industry told me that a plus-size female singer will never make it. But I still keep pushing and putting out new music. THOUGHTS in my HEAD. If I post an indecent photo revealing my derriere to get attention, would more people listen to my music? THOUGHTS in my HEAD. As an artist, I want to be more open and honest and not overthink my posts but society has taught me that being TOO open could backfire on you. THOUGHTS in my HEAD.
Struggling with Sexual Expression
As women, we are raised with the understanding that our bodies are viewed differently to men's bodies. The media, society, the boys at our schools, the adults who push problematic school uniform rules onto us. Girls must wear skirts, but not too short because then it's inappropriate. Remember to keep those shoulders covered, otherwise your skin will distract the boys and the teachers! We're taught that our bodies are something men will feel the entitlement to shove their dick against in a club before we're even aware of their existence. We know if we confront them with our frustration and disgust, we're the ones causing shit. We know it's easier to simply move out of the dick's way, and give our friends that watch out for the creep look.
Katie GasterPublished 5 years ago in VivaHair
I won't forget when I was a junior in high school and my anatomy teacher started to rant about how hair is dead and it's absurd we assign such significance to a part of our body that is literally dead.
E.A. ForsterPublished 5 years ago in Viva"Fat"
I have been obsessed with my body for as long as I can remember. As a little kid, my mom went to a dietitian because I was heavier than the average kid my age. I ate the same things as my mother and little brother; still, I was the heavier one. Everyone always told me to watch what I eat. As years went by, my self-esteem worsened to a point where I barely ate at all.
Unknown LovePublished 5 years ago in Viva