15. Anti-Valentine’s Movements
Not everyone embraces February 14th as a day of love. Anti-Valentine’s movements, including protests and calls for activism, highlight the day’s problematic history and commercialization. For instance, in 2015, the Japanese group Kakuhido marched in Tokyo’s Shibuya district, protesting against the “passion-based capitalism” of Valentine’s Day. (theguardian.com) Similarly, in 2019, Indonesian Muslim students in Surabaya held demonstrations against the celebration, viewing it as promoting Western decadence. These movements underscore a growing resistance to the commercialization and cultural implications of Valentine’s Day.
