What is “Galentines?”
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that may bring a lot of different feelings for different people. Some feel that it’s a dumb, made-up holiday designed to boost the economy. Others think it is an important day to show the person or people in your life how much you love them. For single women, though, Valentine’s Day has historically been a reminder from society that you are “alone” and that you should spend the day wallowing in your tears and a gallon of chocolate ice cream, that is until recently.
Over the past few years, I have observed the Gen-Z creation of “Galentines” take form and cement itself into popular culture. “Galentines,” if you are not familiar, is a new way that single girls, or even non-single girls, celebrate Valentine’s Day with their best friends. It’s meant to celebrate the love in their life that may not be romantic, but is just as fulfilling, nonetheless. Galentines has been celebrated across generations since its creation and brings girls together, rather than isolating them with the societal narrative that they are “forever alone.” Galentines is a celebration of feminine energy and love and has flipped on its head the notion that women need romantic love to be happy.
What does this Mean for Society?
America has experienced drastic social changes in its history, such as the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Suffrage Movement. However, for the past decade, America has once again been enlightened to the social injustices of our nation. Black Lives Matter, the Me-Too Movement, and Universal Healthcare have been issues at the forefront of American politics for several elections now and Gen-Z seems to lead the pack with a desire to correct society’s pitfalls.
Feminism is one of these issues that has taken over the political and social landscape. Galentines shows how Gen-Z is breaking down gender roles and stereotypes set in place for women by the men of the older generations. Previous generations of women were fully dependent on their husbands, and men in general, to provide for them. However, Gen-Z has been brought up in a society that empowers women to enter the workforce and start careers on their own. Most women in America today are financially independent from their spouses, but there is still an underlying notion in society that women need romantic love from men to truly be successful in all aspects of life. Gen-Z women roll their eyes at this idea of “needing” a man to provide happiness in their lives and instead pour their effort into connecting with the divine feminine energy in their lives.
Galentines is a powerful demonstration of the next generation of women’s dedication to “cutting out the man,” in the sense that women no longer need men and refuse to be controlled by them. Women of Gen-Z are rewriting the narrative and showing that romantic love, whether with a man, woman, or nonbinary person, does not make a woman worthy or unworthy. Rather, romantic love is seen as a bonus to a successful life and being independent is celebrated just as much as being in love. Galentines is a tradition that empowers girlhood and womanhood and is one that I hope continues for generations to come.