Editorial: Accept everyone on Valentine’s Day

A+Dose+of+Pride%3A+The+Iowa+State+Dailys+Pride+Month+series+throughout+June.

A Dose of Pride: The Iowa State Daily’s Pride Month series throughout June.

Editorial Board

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day where we celebrate our relationships and the special people in our lives. But that’s not so easy for everyone to do.

The LGBTQ+ community deserves to be respected and accepted everyday, but especially on a day like Valentine’s Day which can make some feel excluded.

Hallmark, one of the most popular card brands in the world, has a pitiful selection online of 11 Valentine’s Day cards for same-sex couples to choose from. Now compared to the 557 options for women and the 207 for men, this number is worthless. On top of that, there are almost no cards for transgender couples.

When an industry giant for Valentine’s Day cards has such a restrictive card selection, it makes it difficult for same-sex couples to celebrate their relationships. It can make these couples feel ostracized instead of accepted by the people around them.

According to a Gallup poll, 4.1 percent of Americans identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in 2016. With such a small population, it can be difficult to find representation in the mainstream media.

Showing images of only heterosexual couples and using words and phrases that exclude anyone who is not in a heterosexual relationship can be harmful and make it difficult for the LGBTQ+ community to enjoy their Valentine’s Day.

Make sure you use language that supports every kind of relationship during Valentine’s Day. It is a little thing that can go a long way.

And if you think these things aren’t a big deal or people shouldn’t get mad about them, consider how it feels to be excluded and ignored at every place you go. Consider how those “little things” can quickly add up as you have trouble finding the person you love a quality Valentine’s Day card. Consider how it feels to be ignored by publications that only acknowledge heterosexual relationships, intentionally or unintentionally.

These little things are important because no one in the LGBTQ+ community should have to feel excluded on Valentine’s Day for being themselves. It is a day to celebrate love, no matter who you love.

Let’s all be inclusive and accepting this Valentine’s Day instead of ignoring those whose relationships are different from your own. Everyone’s relationship deserves to be celebrated and accepted on Valentine’s Day.