Queer Valentines: Powerful, Poignant, or Painful?

A Prism & Pen writers prompt

My eight-year-old heart pounded as I slunk toward the back of my classroom. I clutched a bundle of Valentines in my sweaty little hands. One by one, I slipped simple store-bought cards into heart-decorated shoeboxes Teacher had us make. Nobody would feel left out; each child would get a card from every other child.

But a special card made my hands shake.

With child-safe scissors, I had cut it out of construction paper and doilies. I drew hearts on it with crayons then used colored pens to sketch two boys playing ball. I spelled out “love” just like the store cards. I signed it with a different color for each letter of my name.

When I reached out to drop it in Scott’s box, I lost my nerve.

I ran back to my desk. Somehow, I knew I must not give another boy a special card, but I didn’t understand why not. I also didn’t understand why my heart beat hard when I spoke to him. I had no idea why I felt intense joy the few times he came over to my house after school, intense sadness if he couldn't make it.

Later that Valentine’s Day, I talked myself into courage. I took one last look at the card, gulped, closed my eyes hard, and jammed the damn thing into Scott’s box.

He never mentioned it.

Many years later, when my first serious lover took me out for a Valentine’s Day dinner, I felt my heart pound again, my hands turn slick with fear. I laughed off my nerves and told Lenny all about how my fear of Valentine’s Day started. The very next day, he gave me a card made of construction paper and doilies.

I cried.

Queer Valentines: Powerful, Poignant, or Painful?

Queer people love Valentine’s Day. Queer people hate Valentine’s Day. Queer people fear Valentine’s Day. What’s your take?

P&P editor Sieran Lane says, “For me, [feelings about Valentine’s Day] may actually relate more to my aromantic identity than to my trans and gay identities … I have mixed feelings towards Valentine’s Day myself. But I do see it as a general festival of love, not just romantic love.”

Is Valentine’s Day a festival of love for you? Do you enjoy it? Or do you see it as hopelessly heteronormative or commercial?

Regardless of how you FEEL about the day, what do you DO about it? If you celebrate, how? If you don’t celebrate the day, do you ignore it or replace it with something different or better?

Queer Valentines: Powerful, Poignant, or Painful?

That’s our Prism & Pen writing prompt for the next two weeks. Whatever your take, we invite you to share YOUR stories, thoughts, dreams, or fears. Please don’t let my little story suggest how you should write. Whether you’re gay, bi, trans, asexual, or anywhere else on the rainbow spectrum — whether you’re old, young, or in between — we’re asking for YOUR experiences and ideas.

It’s time to write!

Quills out, editorial support available! Even if you don’t think of yourself as a writer, P&P editors can help you make your story look sharp and professional. Your voice is what matters, not your skill level.

Also, you don’t have to submit stories to P&P based on our prompts. You can submit stories about anything in the LGBTQ universe, whenever you like. Please do!

You tell your stories, we’ll help you share them.

Please send in your essays, poems, short fiction, memoir, or history. Don’t forget film, TV, and art reviews.

If you’ve not yet written for P&P, here are our submissions guidelines and procedures:

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