Top Stories
Stories in Viva that you’ll love, handpicked by our team.
PCOS and Me
I never wanted children. That's the cosmic joke; as a teenager, and even a young adult, I was decided against the idea of having children. Not because I dislike them in any way, but because I was certain I was not mother material. Then, after years of work on my mental health, after getting out of a bad relationship, after calming my fears I had a thought -
By S. A. Crawford9 months ago in Viva
Bloody Hell
A quick note to men You may be tempted to skip this, thinking it's not for you. Don't. Unless you live on an island populated entirely by males, there are insights here for you as well. And if you already know them, then you might have something to add. If you have a daughter, or niece, or female students, then this is absolutely for your consideration. It is likely that a girl would prefer to get a commemmorative gift from her mother, or another female relative. The other stuff? They need that from both parents.
By L.C. Schäfer10 months ago in Viva
Beauty Marked
It intrigues me sometimes the things we find beauty in. However, as a licensed esthetitician and artist, with years of experience in this segment of industry, I've witnessed firsthand how people's perceptions of beauty can impact their self-esteem and create a desire to conform to societal expectations. The paradoxical nature of beauty becomes evident as individuals seek to alter their appearance while simultaneously using makeup to boost their confidence and self-perception. Having been in the makeup/beauty industry for over 20+ years, I often deal with the vein side of people, and with that comes the expectation of pleasing everyone and insecurities. So, while it is subjective, I don’t seek to judge it, only understand it.
By Kidada Amani11 months ago in Viva
That Bloody Ride
As part of James & Oneg’s Summer Writing Challenge Extravaganza, we present to you the Awkward Elevator Challenge! The challenge is to write about a time you did something embarrassing (or make it up), and the person that saw it happen, suddenly gets in an elevator with you shortly after. There is no time or word count limit. And remember, make sure you tag some folks to participate, and share the original challenge post linked above in your entries.
By Oneg In The Arctic11 months ago in Viva
Well, MY Breasts Aren't Complaining
I had an ‘a-ha!’ moment recently. Getting dressed in the cold and dark Michigan morning, contemplating my life’s mistakes and thinking about the possible lack of coffee creamer that awaited me… I looked down at my right hand and… noticed something.
By Judey Kalchik 12 months ago in Viva
Curls Unleashed: My Journey of Overcoming Hair Insecurities and Embracing Self-Acceptance
My hair care journey has not been an easy one. My entire life, my frizzy, curly hair has been one of the main stars of my insecurities. It was either too thick, too frizzy, too thin at one point (due to health issues), or too dry. This led me on an 8-year curly hair and body acceptance journey. Today, I am bringing you along on my raw and honest journey to hair and body acceptance.
By Jaci Gonzalesabout a year ago in Viva
CHARISMA
As you know, people come and go through our lives staying and departing at various lengths of time. While it might be minutes, an hour, a few days, several weeks, many months, and more years than you can remember, it's amazing how the right person shows up at the right time. Be it a helper, a questioner, a supporter, an encourager, an accidental teacher, a believer, and more, they open our eyes and influence our actions and reactions.
By Babs Iversonabout a year ago in Viva
Creating a Portal to the Past - Databasing the OG Collection
Archivists work to make unpublished materials accessible. Through the archival process records become available for research, handwritten notes can be used as tools for learning, and concept sketches lead to artistic inspiration. Large organizations are able to pair these never-before-seen materials with their library catalog, using finding aids with search terms that allow users to discover collections alongside relevant titles, searching by keywords, year, and author.
By OG Collection about a year ago in Viva
Women in the Media, Then and Now
No matter the cutting-edge journalism and pop cultural coverage, Penthouse will always be best known for pictorials of nude women. Likewise, Guccione first and foremost was a purveyor of such images, and it is important to remember in his crusade against censorship he was ultimately fighting to keep up his own magazine sales.
By OG Collection about a year ago in Viva