Galentine’s is a whimsical celebration of female friendship, inspired by the well-known and loved Parks and Recreation. Nicole Pontes-Coelho explores how beneath the glitz and glamour of Galentine’s, lies a weaponization of this holiday by big corporations and societal expectations that weaken what this day should represent.
Our calendars and phones are haunted by reminders of holidays, celebrations, and birthdays, which appear to have no end. You would think that another holiday is unnecessary or that there already is an existing holiday for anything and everything. However, Galentine’s has steadily gained popularity since being devised in the popular sitcom Parks and Recreation in 2010 by its main character, Leslie Knope, who asserted that every February 13th, her friends and her would leave their husbands and boyfriends and celebrate not only their friendship but also each other.
Despite its “trendiness,” this day appears more controversial than meets the eye. For instance, it is undeniable that there is an economic element to Galentine’s. This day creates a vacuum in the market that is progressively filled with cards, chocolate boxes, stuffed animals, and many other products, which consequently incentivise people to consume, fuelling the capitalist society that we live in. This also raises the question of whether, in a world in which we are educated about the dangers of overconsumption and its impact on the environment, we can allow ourselves the luxury of disregarding the constant warnings about our habits and create yet another day in which you are expected not to hold back, but to go all out and purchase as many of these products as possible - because “that is what friendship is about.”
This gives this holiday the connotation that it is meant for “lonely” women, almost as a pity prize for not being in a relationship and not having a Valentine.
Influencers and social media highlight this call to overconsume as our screens are overwhelmingly filled with TikToks and Instagram reels that recommend products to gift to your friends, party decorations, and even the advice that one present is not enough. A bona fide display of your affection and love would be a “Galentine’s basket,” filled with as many products as possible.
Even the traditional date on which Galentine’s falls is provocative. Although it is celebrated by many on different days of February, it is traditionally considered that Galentine’s Day is on the 13th, the day before Valentine’s Day. This gives this holiday the connotation that it is meant for “lonely” women, almost as a pity prize for not being in a relationship and not having a Valentine.
Moreover, this narrative reinforces the pressure of needing to have a Valentine, or at the very least receiving a card or a gift from an admirer. Not having one implies that we are “unattractive” or “lack personality,” suggesting that the only plausible reason that women are single is because they do not adhere to conventional beauty standards and/or gender expectations.
Something such as female friendship cannot be reduced to a single day. When I look at my female friendships and what they represent, it is almost insulting to think of them in such a manner.
Friendships and connections between women are not a temporary substitute for romantic relationships. Romantic partners should not diminish the value of our existing friendships but rather be additions that enrich our lives. Something such as female friendship cannot be reduced to a single day. When I look at my female friendships and what they represent, it is almost insulting to think of them in such a manner.
The Galentine’s celebration craze highlights the desire felt by women to celebrate these platonic relationships. This is visible in the numerous events inspired by the newfound holiday that encourage the development of new female connections. One does not have to look too far from home to find such events, with The Girl’s Room hosting their very own Galentines on the 14th of February which does precisely that.
Galentine’s honours the essence of girlhood and womanhood but can be overshadowed by corporate greed, negative connotations, societal expectations, and the injustice of minimizing something so meaningful to women to a singular day. Quickly corrupting and transforming the festivity into something that does not correctly depict what female friendship means to me.
Female friendship is asking for advice when you are tongue-tied searching for the perfect reply to a dry text; it is knowing you can call at any time and they will pick up. It is venting about the same things time and time again without tiring, an extended hand with a tissue just as you start to cry, a love letter just because, your favourite sweet treat as your cycles have synched, and never questioning whether we are good enough. Female friendship is this and so much more. It cannot be confined to a single day, nor can it be captured in words.