Founded in 1974, the Women’s Center was established to:
Dismantle, from a feminist perspective, all forms of oppression, including but not limited to those based on ability, age, class, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation.
Advocate for an equitable environment free from violence and harassment based on gender, race, and sexual orientation.
Create an anti-racist, non-sexist, queer-affirmative space where all people can feel valued and safe.
Facilitate and strengthen connections among people across lines of difference through programming and educational campaigns.
Integrate an appreciation of Women's Gender and Multicultural Studies across the disciplines.


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Valentine's Day = Fake Holiday

Alright, I'm going to be the stereotypical angry feminist and write about how I hate Valentine's Day.

It's like Jersey Shore...you can't get away from talks about it (see, I just did it. Damn!). The world revolves around this one particular day where people feel obligated to confess their love to their significant other, spend an obscene amount of money on jewelry, flowers, chocolates, dinner, mushy love letters/cards, etc. GAAAAAAAG

It might sound cliche, but if you really care about someone, shouldn't you strive to make sure they know it EVERYDAY. Why do you need a holiday to remind you to let them know how much you care, and in turn, remind single people that...well, they're single? It's just another commercial holiday that we feed into.

Now, I know you're probably thinking: "She's single, she's jealous, blah blah."
My answer to that: "Yes, no, and meow meow."

Even if I was seeing someone, I'd treat Feb. 14 like any other day. I HATE mushy gushy shit.

Jewelry: Have enough.
Flowers: I kill them.
Chocolates: I love chocolate...can't wait to have it just 1 day out of the year. And the special V-Day ones usually suck.
Dinner: Save $$ and dine in. I like cooking.
Love Letters/V-Day Cards: Don't make me vom. Show me; don't tell me.

Maybe I've just never had a good experience with Valentine's Day, but I dare people to make me change my mind...any takers? Tell me about your favorite Valentine's Day or describe your perfect Valentine's Day.

4 comments:

  1. Lol...valentines day chocolate does suck. As Jim Gaffigan puts it...

    "Valentines Day...you get the heart shape box filled with the gamble chocolate...take a bite..."aw crap I got the one filled with toothpaste!!"

    But yeah, you're right. Valentines day is just crass commercialization and a way to get us to spend money on worthless crap and empty gestures. It takes away from any true individuality. Now people are given "standards" to show their love. Plus it's one more day us guys are going to forget and we'll get yelled at for not remembering!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish that people would realize the true meaning and implications of Valentine's Day (as well as other holidays!). Here's a good quickie synopsis: http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day. St. Valentine tried to fix the injustices in the government, defied the laws of war, and promoted the sanctity of marriage; even in some stories giving his life. I think we need to realize the true implications of these stories, learn from them, and realize the strength in the human heart and the power of marriage when even in the most harsh conditions. The true appreciation for love is not through cards or flowers; it's through giving all of yourself to another person, every single day. So sure, celebrate a figure/story that exemplifies this, but do it creatively (and don't forget about all the other days of the year!)

    Great Post Laura =)!

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  3. In spite of its vague origin in some ancient observance, the modern version of Valentine's Day is a fake holiday, a commercial extravaganza promoted by greeting card companies, florists, jewelers, and candy manufacturers.

    I worked at a florist's shop for three years, through three hellish Valentine's Day/Mother's Day cycles. The extra tens of thousands in profits rolled in, directly into the owners' pockets. We employees, who took the brunt of the nightmarish increased workload, got nothing extra. I handed in my resignation at the beginning of the following February to escape suffering through these 'holidays' for a fourth time. Screw Hallmark, FTD, and Mary See!

    ReplyDelete
  4. In spite of its vague origin in some ancient observance, the modern version of Valentine's Day is a fake holiday, a commercial extravaganza promoted by greeting card companies, florists, jewelers, and candy manufacturers.

    I worked at a florist's shop for three years, through three hellish Valentine's Day/Mother's Day cycles. The extra tens of thousands in profits rolled in, directly into the owners' pockets. We employees, who took the brunt of the nightmarish increased workload, got nothing extra. I handed in my resignation at the beginning of the following February to escape suffering through these 'holidays' for a fourth time. Screw Hallmark, FTD, and Mary See!

    ReplyDelete