Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
Why Were Women So Accused of Being Witches in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries?
Opening Early modern Europe was the epicentre of many social, religious and economic changes. Against the backdrop of the Reformation and the Peasant Wars in the early sixteenth century, the belief in witches was rampant throughout mainland Europe. Women were the main targets of the European witch hunts. Regarding the thoughts and belief system of ordinary people between the fifteenth and eighteenth century, there are a number of reasons why women were targeted as witches. Church Doctrine along with some popular writers of the time incorporated a large amount of misogyny into their ideas. These ideas, that spread quickly with the aid of the printing press would have influenced much of the European population to believe that women were liabilities and often accessories to evil proceedings.
By K.R Coughlan 7 years ago in Viva
Women in the Edwardian and Interwar Era
The Edwardian era began with the death of Queen Victoria on January 21st, 1901 and the accession of her son, Edward VII in 1902. Victoria reigned for 64 years, most of the nineteenth century which was a period of great social reform. Industrialization had created vast wealth, which was in the hands of a small minority of the population. Though the middle class was growing in industrialized countries, a significant portion of the population, those who worked in the factories which made the rich wealthy and gave the middle class the comforts they enjoyed, lived in extreme poverty. Poverty leads to many other social problems. The reform movements which sought to solve these problems often had women playing large roles. These reform movements paved the way for the social change of the twentieth century, which allowed for the emergence of some of the most remarkable, and notorious, women in history.
By Rachel Lesch7 years ago in Viva
Women's Health Organizations You Need to Know
Women's health has been under attack for the past decade, and it's really beginning to show in more ways than one. Unfortunately, many women are finding it harder and harder to actually get the healthcare they need.
By Stephanie Gladwell7 years ago in Viva
Best Books about Overlooked Women in History
Rosa Parks. Amelia Earhart. Cleopatra. Jackie Kennedy. Joan of Arc. These are just a few names on the long list of women who have unequivocally changed the course of history through their work, talent, beauty, or courage. And yet, this long list of names is immeasurably shorter than its male-centric counterpart. Over time society has been and continues to work toward gender equality; still, there are too many stories of feminine fierceness untold. While the world was busy lauding history's great men, there were women reaching equally laudable achievements, but the world wasn't ready to listen. It's time to give the long overdue recognition to some of the many women overlooked by history.
By Rachel G. David7 years ago in Viva
How to Stop the Red Pill Phenomenon from Spreading
Among feminists, there is a strong call to stop the Red Pill phenomenon from spreading. If you don't know what the Red Pill is, it's an internet community known for misogyny and telling men to emotionally abuse women to bed them. It has been linked with advocating for rape under the guise that "all women have rape fantasies."
By Chelsea Kendrick7 years ago in Viva
Moments Where Pop Culture Actually Got Consent Right
Pop culture has long since been known to cause a lot of misconceptions about dating, consent, and all other social constructs. Pop culture birthed terrible ideas like "the Friendzone," and the plot that the guy always gets the girl.
By Patricia Sarkar7 years ago in Viva