What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? How do you celebrate it?
Valentine’s Day means absolutely nothing to me. Personally, I don’t think a couple should need a specific date to be reminded of their love for each other and to be able to celebrate it. Alexia Micallef Gatt, 21, B. Ed Biology, 4th year.
Valentine’s Day can be seen from two perspectives. A day to do something nice for your loved one, something special and something usually expensive, or a day for single people to feel alone. Rick Hickenlaible, 22, BA Earth Systems, 2nd year.
Valentine’s Day is marketed as a worldwide event that people should celebrate by buying cards, flowers, presents and going out to dinner. Even though I do not totally agree with it, I still go out to dinner and celebrate the day. Nigel Micallef, 18, Bachelor of Law (Hons), 1st year.
Do gender roles or sexual identity play a role in Valentine’s Day? How so?
Possibly, many couples might feel that part of Valentine’s Day is taking on gender stereotypical roles such as a man taking a woman out to dinner and buying her gifts such as chocolates and roses. Alexia Micallef Gatt
Gender roles do play a role. The man is more likely to be the one who has to put effort into Valentine’s Day.
I don’t often see women at flower shops on Valentine’s Day looking like they’ve just done something stupid.
I guess sexual identity could also play a part in it all.
There’s always going to be one character more romantic in a couple, so I don’t think this makes much of a difference. Rick Hickenlaible
No, I believe love should be and is expressed by both sides of the couple irrelevant of their gender. Nigel Micallef
Is Valentine’s Day a purely commercial holiday or is there more to it?
It is most certainly only a capitalist-driven holiday characterised by photo competitions on social networking websites, needless spending and forced romance. Alexia Micallef Gatt
Sadly, I do find Valentine’s Day to be a bit too commercial. It’s not a day when we all go picking flowers and giving them to our loved ones. It’s a day to go to the candy store to buy a box of chocolates, to go to the flower shop to get a nice bouquet, to go to the jewellery store to get a nice necklace and finally to go to a restaurant and wine and dine her. It’s a lot of money for one day. I’m sure millions are spent worldwide on Valentine’s Day. Rick Hickenlaible
It’s tough to admit, but I believe Valentine’s is just another ordinary day. Love shouldn’t have a day to be celebrated on. Valentine’s Day can be seen as an event of happiness and also sadness for those who have lost their partner or are going through a hard time. Nigel Micallef
Interviews conducted by Insite – the Student Media Organisation.