In defence of Valentine's Day

By Ross Parry

It’s the 13^th of February and that means the floodgates of soppy gifts and declarations of love are about to blow open for that annual mush-fest: Valentine’s Day.

Now I can’t say I’m a particular lover of the day of romance but I’m not a hater either. I just see it as a nice excuse for people to consider how wonderful our bonds with other people (or Game of Thrones box sets) can be. However, there are a seemingly endless group of people who take such a dislike to Valentine’s Day that they just can’t keep it from the world.

Why Valentines Day is One of the Worst Days of the Year

By Megan O'Kane

I’m going to start this article by stating that I hate Valentines Day, and it’s not because I’m single. In fact, I can honestly say that I would much rather be single on Valentine’s Day than buy into the consumerist crap-fest that is February 14^th. Here are just 7 of my many reasons why:

Newspapers need more boobs, not less

Over recent years, the No More Page 3 campaign has gone from strength to strength, gaining support from everyone from women’s groups to MPs. They petition the Sun’s editors to remove the “bare boobs” from the newspaper, arguing that the presence of a naked glamour model on page 3 demeans and objectifies women. What’s more, they are winning. Public opinion is shifting and one title, the Irish edition of the Sun, has even relented, putting clothes on its previously naked models.

Single at Christmas

 By Jo Paterson

So it’s Christmas; schools have broken up for the holidays, town centres are crammed full with shoppers and festooned with lights, Christmas songs dominate radio playlists and you can’t watch anything on tv without being reminded of what the season is supposed to be about (ie. food, presents, family, love and celebrating the perfectness of life)... This isn’t a scroogey Christmas blog where I’m about to say how much I hate all these things because actually, I love them. I love Christmas. 

But what gets me is that according to the world, I’m supposed to be coupled up, receiving something expensive from my gorgeous loving boyfriend, spending Saturdays hand in hand with him in town and cold winter nights cuddling up with him on the sofa. What is it about Christmas that fills us with dread at the prospect of being alone? Christmas is all about being together, the media tell us, and I know that that is about family and friends and community. But we’re also pummelled with the idea that our Christmas isn’t perfect without an adoring other half to complete us. 

Sex Sells...But It Doesn't Have To.

By Megan O'Kane 

This year there has been a media frenzy surrounding sexism in the music industry. There was the “Blurred Lines” fiasco - where Robin Thicke’s summer smash hit was branded “sexist,” “misogynistic” and subsequently banned in nightclubs and universities across the country. The song then went on to hold the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks, selling more than 6 million tracks. Then there was Miley-Gate, and we all know what happened there! Miss Cyrus’ latest album “Bangerz” has sold an impressive 270,000 units in its first week.

I dream of self-esteem

By Nicki Fudge

Shall we be honest with ourselves for a second? We have ALL struggled from low self esteem about the way that we look. Some of us hide it behind layers of makeup, extensive wardrobes and multiple hair products. Others take the opposite route, and develop a spiky attitude that screams ‘I REALLY don’t care what you think of my appearance’, whilst hiding their body and their face behind baggy clothes and deliberate lack of effort.

So here are three ways in which I tackled my own total hatred of my physical appearance which, although it hasn't completely gone away (I still get a few days every month where I can’t stand how I look),  has now changed from something that regularly used to dominate my thoughts, to feeling laughably irrelevant to my general life.

Make love not war.

By Hannah O'Donnell

It is difficult to judge equality in a relationship from a singleton’s point view. As a singleton it is all for one and one for me and I don’t have to consult anyone else on my behaviour or my choices. I have found, however, that this isn’t the case in a relationship.

It is not for lack of freedom, but for the sake of compromise you understand.