The History of Valentine's Day

By Larry James, Relationship Coach & Author

Have you ever wondered how Valentine's Day came to be?

The Story behind St. Valentines Day is a fascinating one. Although February 14th is celebrated as a lovers' holiday today, with the giving of candy, flowers, Valentine's Day card and other gifts between couples in love, it originated as a tribute to St. Valentine, a Catholic bishop.

As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite of passage to the God Lupercus. It's earliest orgin was the Roman festival Lupercalia, observed on Feb. 15. Lupercalia celebrated the coming of Spring on the Roman calendar. Lupercalia became a celebration intended to ensure the fertility of flocks, fields and people.

The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion (a sexual partner) for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice.

In an effort to do away with the pagan festival, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery. Instead of the names of young women, the box would contain the names of saints. Both men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the game was to emulate the ways of the saint they drew during the rest of the year. Needless to say, many of the young Roman men were not too pleased with the rule changes.

PETA is taking Sex to the Streets

We are all familiar with the concept that sex sells, especially lesbian sex, but what if the product is vegetarianism?

Well, PETA seems to think so. Following their banned Super Bowl ad, animal rights activists PETA decided to not only push the limits of using sex to sell, but they are taking it to the streets, and I mean that literally.

PETA's "Girl-on -Girl Make-Out Tour" crossed the country last week helping to celebrate Valentine's Day and to further push their "Vegetarians Make Better Lovers," campaign.

The “Girl-on -Girl Make-Out Tour,” which was set up outdoors in various cities across the US, consisted of two scantily-clad young women on a blow-up mattresses making out and posing provocatively. (You can watch a video here.)

When asked the purpose of such a provocative campaign, Ashley Byrne of PETA stated, "This weekend is Valentine's Day, so it is a great time to get the point across that vegetarians have lower rates of impotence and this is also a great way to show off what a healthy vegetarian body looks like."

But it doesn't end there, PETA has created an entire website dedicated to sexy vegetarian women. The site, www.lettuceladies.com, comes complete with profiles of each of their lettuce ladies, including Elizabeth Berkley and Pamela Anderson, and links to various videos of Lettuce Lady events, including women's Tofu Westing and the Girl-on Girl Make-Out Tour.



So does anyone really believe that lesbian sex will sell vegetarianism? Are people really going to rush out and change their eating habits because they saw 2 - hot women making out on the street? Is PETA just using this campaign as an excuse to do what so many other commercialized corporations do, appeal to the heterosexual, male-dominated world that fantasizes about 2 women making out?

Comments? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

2009 Lesbian Valentine's Day Events

Here is list of 2009 Lesbian Valentine's Day Events from around the US. If I missed any, please email me the details and I will add them to the list.

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ARIZONA EVENTS

Prescott, Az
Valentine’s Day Party & Dance
Saturday, February 14th, 2009
5 pm ’til we’re done dancing
Prescott Pride Center
111 Josephine Street, Prescott

Love is in the air and Valentine’s Day is a great time to mix and mingle with old friends and new. Singles and couples are all invited to join us for a fun holiday gathering at the Pride Center. A suggested donation of $3 per adult (more if you can, less if you can’t) is requested.

For more information on the raffle or to purchase tickets, contact Dottie & Barb at (928) 237-1378. To help out with the party, please call Loni at (928) 499-0346 or Gina (928) 499-8517

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CALIFORNIA EVENTS

Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center
Valentine's Love Ball
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza
1125 N. McCadden Pl
A Clean & Sober Women's Event
Take your Swift Dating connection to the Valentine's Love Ball, or go solo and meet other single women for a night of dancing, music and food.

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Oakland, CA
Valentine Vibes
Saturday, February 14, 2009
200 Grand Ave., Oakland
2 - 11 pm - Open Bar
Guest Must be 21+ Invitation non-transferable Advance ticket purchase required
For questions contact Kaitlin Karkos at mailto:mkaitlin@eqca.org or 415.581.0005 x312

Specially designed as a day long celebration for SINGLES ending in a Dance for Love for everyone! Three special events, enjoy them all or pick one you prefer.

• Singles Salon (2 - 4pm)
• Speed Date (4 - 7.30 pm)
• Dance for Love (8 - 11 pm)
  

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Oakland, CA
Foreplay
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Velvet, Oakland
A Night of Sweet, Sexy Fun!Time: ,
Start Time: 9:00pm
$8 before 10pm
$10 after
The ALL-NEW Velvet,
3411 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, 94602, US

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Oakland, CA
SWEET
Saturday, February 14th, 2009
Femme Posse and Butch-Femme.com present
The Sweetest Valentine's Day party in the Bay Area!

There will be cupcakes, cookies, chocolates, cocktails and dancing with the amazing DJs Luna and Sue- all at the lush Club Anton!

9 pm -2 am
$10 Cover

Club Anton
428 Third St.
Oakland

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Petaluma, CA
Chocolate Lovers Dance!
Saturday, February 14th
from 7pm to 11pm. Held at Community For Spiritual Living Petaluma (CSLP) 1180 Stage Gulch Rd. (Next to the Hwy 116/Stage Gulch Rd. & Adobe Rd. intersection.)

Enjoy an abundance of hand-made chocolate treats, along with 4 hours of bootie-shakin' dance music "spun" by DJ Heartbeat (Diane)! $15.00 per person Advance tickets available at CSLP's Bookstore or from Janet & Diane. Limited parking, so advance tickets are required.

P.S. This dance is for EVERYONE - including GLBT, GLBT-friendly, singles, doubles, triples or... Please carpool if possible!

For help with directions, call CSLP @ 707-762-8509. For dance information, please call Diane & Janet @ 707-793-7525

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San Francisco, CA
Betty's List Presents Valentine's Eve for Singles
Friday, February 13, 2009
Orson- 508 4th Street, San Francisco, CA
5:45 PM to Closing
(1) Cupid's Arrow Dinner Party
5:45 PM - 6:30 PM - Pre-Dinner Reception & Mingle (Downstairs lounge area)
6:30 PM - Seated Dinner (Mezzanine Level) - Will sellout / RSVP now!
Beat the sellout by making the call now to secure your reservation. Call Lissa Arnold (415-777-1508) at Orson or e-mail: cupid@orsonsf.com.

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San Francisco, CA
Cupids Back
Friday, February 13, 2009
GLBT Historical Society's 3rd Annual Valentine's benefit
10 pm
Lime Restaurant (2247 Market St.)
Pre-Sale Tickets: $25.00 Buy Tickets Now

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San Francisco, CA
2009 Equality Awards
City Hall
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco , CA
Saturday, February 14th, 2009
6 p.m. Silent Auction and Reception
7 p.m. Dinner and Awards
9 p.m. After Party with Energy 92.7

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San Francisco, CA
Delicious Valentine's Day T-Dance
The Cafe
2369 Market St., SF
3:30 PM - 10PM * 21 + OVER W/ID
Saturday, February 14th, 2009
Last Delicious Event before the Cafe remodel begins!
This is going to be a very special day for us, as we celebrate the afternoon of lovers.

GoGo Dancers, Cocktail specials, pools tables, videos and more!

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San Francisco, CA
Cockblock Love Party
A Benefit for Women Against Rape
Saturday, February 14th
Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St. at Van Ness
San Francisco, CA
Get your pretty selves down to COCKBLOCK Party - the LOVE Party, on the day of Valentine, Saturday February 14th! We thought we’d spread some love around and give back to a cause we believe in and support. Partial proceeds of this event will benefit SFWAR (San Francisco Women Against Rape). Please go to SFWAR.ORG to learn more. All contributions are welcomed and appreciated.

And of course DJ Nuxx and DJ Zax will be present to rock your socks off with the most funkalicious and nutritious dance beats to help get your sexy on.

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MASSACHUSETTS EVENTS

Boston, MA
Valentine's Day at the Love Machine
Saturday, February 14, 2009
9pm-2am
21+, $10
DJ KRIS KONO
Second Saturdays (GLBT dance party) at Machine will open up early on Valentine’s for the Love Machine, a charity fundraiser. Registration starts at 9 pm. .”
And per usual Dyke Night style, we’ll be sharing the love as 100% of profits of this event donated to the Boston Dyke March and the LGBT Aging Project.

Boston, MA
Valentines Day Contra & Square Dance Party!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
1st Church of Jamaica Plain (Unitarian-Universalist),
corner of Centre and Eliot Streets (at the monument),
Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA.

Here it is, that special day of the year for love! What what better way to celebrate than to share your love of music and dancing with your friends here at the Jamaica Plain Contra Dance. Yes, come out, and wear your best red outfits and let's have a great time sharing in the wonderful community of our dancing!

Cost: $10 (sliding scale), $6 for students. Under 12? - free!
7:30 - 11:00pm

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MINNESOTA EVENTS

Minneapolis, MN
Celebrate Valentine's Day with Catherine Lundoff and Nell Stark
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Location: True Colors Bookstore (formerly Amazon Feminist Bookstore Coop)
4755 chicago Ave. So. Minneapolis,
7PM - Kick off your Valentine's Day with some steamy readings by authors Catherine Lundoff and Nell Stark.

Catherine Lundoff is the award-winning author of the collection Night's Kiss: Lesbian Erotica (Lethe Press, 2009). Her short stories have appeared in multiple volumes of Best Lesbian Erotica as well as other collections.

Nell Stark is the celebrated author of Homecoming (Bold Strokes, 2008) and numerous stories featured in Bold Strokes erotica and erotic romance anthologies.

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NEW YORK EVENTS

New York, NY
Valentine's Hot Hookup Soiree
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Revel , 10 Little West 12th Street
Doors open at 10:30
$15
Dancing, Djs, GoGo Dancers

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New York, NY
Dance 208 Valentine's Dance
208 West 13th Street
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dance 208 present Valentines Dance
Dance Begins 9PM, $10 at the door, $8 online, $6 Flaggers/Fanners DJ Randy Bettis, hosted by Imperial Court, Sponsored by NYC Gay Men's ChorusIn memory of Louis Morhaim
Purchase your tickets here!

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White Plains, NY
7th Annual Hearts for ARCS
Valentine's Charity Ball

Saturday, February 14, 2009
7:00 PM - Midnight
Price:$150.00 per person

The C. V. Rich Mansiont
White Plains, NY

The annual Valentine's Charity Ball benefits AIDS-Related Community Services (ARCS), and this year's event honors the Keith Haring Foundation for its contributions to HIV/AIDS research and care. This year's theme is, "All You Need is Love," a celebration of Sixties Rock 'N' Roll.

An evening of cocktails, a silent auction, fine, food, music and dancing to support Hudson Valley residents affected by HIV/AIDS. Cocktail attire suggested, To purchase tickets, call 914-785-8326 or visit http://www.arcs.org/.

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OREGON EVENTS
Eugene, OR
Valentine's Day Dance
February 14, 2009 (Saturday)
Girls Aloud for all self-identifying womyn (regardless of sexual orientation).
Cozmic Pizza 8:00 pm - Midnight $7 or $5 with two or more cans of food for Food for Lane County. Email: lmcnamara3@yahoo.com

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TEXAS EVENTS

Houston, Tx
Sweet Presents
Suzanne Westenhoefer
Saturday, February 14, 2009,
6:30pm to 12:30am
Lesbian Health Initiative Valentine’s Dinner & Dance fundraiser,
entertainment by Suzanne Westenhoefer

Dressy to formal attire requested: No blue jeans or T-shirts, please.

At the Renaissance Houston Hotelin Greenway Plaza
Room reservations 713-629-1200

• LARGE DANCE FLOOR• CASH BARS• RAFFLE

INFORMATION: Call 713-426-3356
EMAIL: lhihouston00@aol.com
Purchase tickets through PayPal or with cash at the door.
$85 person or reserved tables for sale for $850 (10 seats).

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UTAH EVENTS

Salt Lake City, Ut
Valentine Day Gay-la
Saturday February 14th
Sheraton - City Centre
150 W 500 S
Salt Lake City $60/person

sWerve and the Utah Pride Center invite you to join Salt Lake City's entire LGBTQ community for a Valentine Gay-la with cocktails, dinner and dancing at the Sheraton-City Centre. Bring love. Find love. Celebrate love in style.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit sWerve's website.

Cocktails: 6:00-7:00 (Cash Bar)
Buffet Dinner: 7:00-8::00
Dancing: 8:30-Midnight
Raffle great prizes including 50' Plasma TV. Photos availabl.
Formal attire

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WASHINGTON D.C EVENTS
Big Love
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Mautner Project's 19th Anniversary Gala,
at the Omni Shoreham Hotel,
Mautner Project's 19th Anniversary Gala BIG LOVE will be an evening of dancing, glamour and celebrating all the love in your life at the beautiful Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C.

Join our Gala Chairs, and participate in our famous live and silent auctions and reception followed by a delicious seated three course served dinner with special guests (to be announced) followed by the return of the BIG DANCE! Single on Valentine's Day? We've got you covered with special singles tables. The Gala has also been nominated several years in a row by the Washington Blade as one of the best places to meet women! So what are you waiting for? Buy your ticket today.2500 Calvert St. NW. http://www.mautnerproject.org/.

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WASHINGTON EVENTS

Seattle, WA
Gala Events presents Valentine Dinner & Dance
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Bobbie Smith & Gala Events, producers of the Annual Girlz Cruise and the Girlz New Year's Eve Party presents:Valentine's Day Dinner & Dance
Alki Beach House on Alki Beach 2701 Alki Ave SW Seattle.

DJ Traci Birkett will be taking requests.BYOB (Ice, water and Coffee available)

Dinner 6pm - 7pm, Dancing 7pm - 10pm
Limited to 80 - Attire is Dress Up.

Advance tickets are $42 or $45 at the door with reservation.For tickets and information call 253-292-1520 orEmail: galaevents4u@msn.com

This party will benefit World Wildlife Federation for the preservation of Polar Bears

Freedom to Marry Week Events

This year’s National Freedom to Marry Day and Marriage Equality Day events include statewide counter-demonstrations, which asks gay couples to request a marriage license. When, inevitably, they are turned down, couples are to demand equal rights of their county clerk. Counter-demonstrations are planned at over 20 county clerk offices, in addition to statewide educational forums, benefits, and celebrations to support same-sex marriage.

The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act, or AB 43, if passed, would make same-sex marriage legal in California. Authored by assemblymember Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, AB 43 will need assembly and senate vote. If successful, the bill then will need Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s approval. AB 43 is expected to arrive to the Assembly Appropriations Committee in March.

“Marriage is the universally recognized term for two people in relationships,” Geoff Kors, executive director of EQCA says. “When you’re married, your relationship is recognized. People in domestic partnerships and civil unions, they’re only recognized in the state, where marriage is recognized everywhere.”

There are “over 1000 rights and benefits that they can’t receive,” adds Kors, about the issues that arise when same-sex couples are denied marriage.

Kors says that same-sex couples under domestic partnerships and civil unions do not receive SSI benefits, which matter when a spouse dies, partners are taxed for insurance, and for bi-national couples, one partner can’t sponsor the other for immigration.


February 12: Los Angeles Premier of The Year of Paper
February 13: AT&T showing of Pursuit of Equality (San Francisco)
February 14: Valentine’s Day marriage counter events across the state
February 14: Frameline screening of The Year of Paper (San Francisco)
Other February Events: The Future of Marriage (San Diego)


For more information on National Freedom to Marry Day and Marriage Equality Day demonstrations and events, visit www.ecqa.org, www.marriageequality.org and www.freedomtomarry.org