Anti-Vday | serenaviola

“To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.” - Bell Hooks

Manifestation of Love celebrations started in 2018 within Mystic Moon Mamas, a feminist community support group. These gatherings are in response to a narrowly capitalist and patriarchal Valentine's Day. Year after year, it's been about coming together to give and receive platonic love, intimacy, and pleasure. At this gathering, we rejoice in each other's company and practice vulnerability. We reject the nuclear family as the main source of community and love. We extend close relations and importance to our neighbors and friends. We bathe each other in good food, wine, homemade gifts, and more. Anyone can host an Anti-Vday party. We celebrate our sexuality and creativity by dressing up. We practice consent by having a tickle table, where someone volunteers to lay down and then we ask to feed them grapes, whisper compliments in their ear, or play with their hair. Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about expensive gifts or romantic relations. Manifestations of Love can look like a lot of things.