Be Mine

by on

One of the most interesting and, I think, positive developments in the gay rights movement is the current evolution of our national holiday from Halloween to Valentine's Day.

Gays helped change Halloween from its tame, American children's incarnation into a street festival for gay and straight adults. The celebrations grew so large in West Hollywood and the Castro that local government had to step in to enforce some limits. This adult Halloween is a party where people can play with individual identity, not to mention with each other.

Valentine's Day is about relationships - specifically romantic relationships. From kiss-ins in Boulder, to marriage license requests (denied) at county offices across the nation, we're storming Valentine's Day.

And how could we not? There is no more obvious example of our exclusion from the central organizing principle of most people's lives than this celebration of the fundamental love our society elevates for heterosexuals, but ignores the existence of among homosexuals.

Halloween is the context in which most heterosexuals have traditionally viewed us. But they have to see us on Valentine's Day as well, celebrating not just our identities but our loves. Valentine's Day is (you should pardon the necessary pun) the very heart of our movement.

5 Comments for “Be Mine”

  1. posted by Bobby on

    “Valentine?s Day is about relationships ? specifically romantic relationships”

    —No, Valentine’s Day is about couples making everyone else feel miserable.

  2. posted by Jeff in Boston on

    No, Valentine’s Day is about the flowers/greeting cards/jewelry and assorted other industries using our relationships to make money. Good to see Indie Gay Forum not only jumping on the bandwagon, but totally misreading the zeitgeist once again!

  3. posted by Bobby on

    “No, Valentine’s Day is about the flowers/greeting cards/jewelry and assorted other industries using our relationships to make money”

    —You’d be surprised, the Florida Sun-Sentinel took a poll about whether people are gonna spend money for V-day, 68% said they weren’t.

  4. posted by Jorge on

    You’d be surprised, the Florida Sun-Sentinel took a poll about whether people are gonna spend money for V-day, 68% said they weren’t.

    You can count me in as someone who’s not spending a dime on Vagina Day.

    I don’t know why the feminists even bother trying to liberate a holiday that’s controlled by fem women in the first place.

  5. posted by Karl Smith on

    “Valentine day is about expressing your love toward those who are close to your heart.”

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