By: Ollus Ndomu
Valentine’s Day is often seen as a day wherein men are expected to shower their female partners with attention, affection, and gifts. Similarly, Women’s Day is traditionally seen as a day where women are celebrated, praised, and honored, while men are generally ignored. Unfortunately, this emphasizes the idea that Valentine’s Day is only for one gender and there is little acknowledgement that both men and women should be celebrating its joys.
Many of the activities associated with Valentine’s Day, like gift giving and romantic dinners, are typically viewed as female-oriented in nature. Unsurprisingly, the barrage of flowers and chocolates being advertised for the day often excludes men’s interests, which furthers the stereotype that it’s only a holiday for women. By heavily focusing on one gender, it sends the message that the other gender should not be included, or that their contribution is not nearly as important as the other sex’s. Such exclusion is a form of discrimination because it automatically places one sex at a higher level of importance than the other.
In actuality, men should be just as included in Valentine’s Day as women are. It’s true that this day celebrates love, but relationships involve both parties, not just one. Men may be less fluently vocal about their feelings, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t appreciate when their partners show them they care. A thoughtful gift, a sweet gesture, or an expression of appreciation should be given to both sexes as a sign of love and respect.
It’s also important to note that Valentine’s Day is not just a day to show love for one’s significant other. It should also be a day of showing care for those who are important in one’s life, including friends, family, and colleagues. There should be no discrimination because of gender or relationship since all parties involved deserve some form of recognition. This could be anything from a handwritten letter or a bouquet of flowers. Even small favors like offering your assistance with tasks or dedicating some time to just listen can be able to show them that you care.
All and above, Valentine’s Day is traditionally seen as a celebration of love that is specific to one gender. However, this should not be the case. If this holiday is meant to be a day to show appreciation and care to people who are important in our lives, then both men and women should be given the same level of importance. Giving a token of appreciation or recognition doesn’t have to be traditional or elaborate. It just has to come from the heart.
