According to Angeline Close's expository article, "Gender roles escalating for women on Valentine's Day", Angeline Close, UT Assistant Profesor of advertising, points out "motives behind women's gift giving rituals." She then goes on to explain the difference between men viewing this holiday and women viewing this holiday. And me, well I am shocked at what women really think of this holiday and how they go about their Valentine's Day.
A study done shows that more women than men feel "that they aren't doing enough..." Women want to make sure they go out and try to buy the best things to impress others. Even though Valentine's Day is traditonally for women, they still want to buy things for their peers; whether they be male or female. "Women establish these behaviors during childhood..." They are often gender-neutral. Both men and women as children buy other people gifts. Then when they grow older they change for men and stay the same for women. Which brings me to my next point, Anti-Valentine's Day. "Their primary motives for resisting Valentine's Day were not financial." Women and men who did not celebrate Valentine's Day were not because money was an issue. They just do not feel obligated to celebrate. Which I understand, more women are depressed on that day because they are single and every woman's dream is finding someone who can make them happy.
For seventeen years I regretted Valentine's Day because I was alone and had nobody. Other women just like me felt heart-broken and down because they have nobody to buy a gift for. This article makes a connection to myself, because unlike many women who want lavish things to be bought for them, I on the other hand hate people spending money on me and so Valentine's Day for myself is a depressing day every year.
All in all, gender roles for men and women on this holiday are celebrated differently for each person, but what is never changing are the expections set for men to buy women a little something and when they are with someone they tend to spend more on them. Women will always expect to get something on that day and go out and buy everybody something so they do not feel excluded like so many single women on Valentine's Day.
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