Valentine’s day signifies a day of love and happiness for many people. To others, Valentine’s day is simply the 14th day of February. There has always been a Hollywood-esque view of what the world wants us to experience on Valentine’s day, romanticizing it to an extreme degree. However, the traditional prevalence of heteronormativity, social pressure and commercialization on Valentine’s Day is outdated by today’s new standards.
Perhaps the most outdated factor of the holiday is the focus on heterosexual relationships. This is clear to see by simply walking through the greeting card aisle where one can find everything needed for a heterosexual relationship. From candles and cards “for her,” to cologne “for him,” there is little for a gay couple to find in this holiday. The media is not free from this either as advertisements often show men giving women a ring for Valentine’s Day — a common sight for this time of year.
This is slowly beginning to change, however. Hallmark, perhaps best known for their holiday greeting cards, is adamant about being more inclusive as a company. Since 2014, they have included LGBTQ couples in advertising. Though companies such as Hallmark work toward making Valentine’s Day more inclusive, this holiday still overshadows those who do not conform to outdated gender roles.
here is immense pressure placed on men to give extravagant gifts, spend a lot of money and make the day perfect for their girlfriend. At the same time, women are pressured to constantly be aware of their outward appearance, leading to a superficial focus on the holiday.
These expectations have had an obvious impact on relationships around this time. Partners feel the need to spoil each other even if the relationship has started to shatter. TED Talk presenter David McCandless said that there is a large spike in breakups beginning right after Valentine’s Day.
Along with it, strategically placed flowers and stuffed animals adorn the aisles to catch your eye and remind everyone that they must buy some sweets for their significant other. There are advantages, such as the convenience of simply buying a card and some chocolates, but these store-bought gifts often raise the question of how special that significant other is if their gifts were mass produced in a factory.
Instead of conforming to the commercial holiday, take the time to make friends and loved ones feel special every day of the year. The heteronormative, seemingly sexist and commercialist attitude that this holiday displays is outdated in this modern era. If we show love and support for each other daily, then we may realize that Valentine’s Day is truly past its prime.