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7 Ways To Resist On Valentine's Day

by Cate Carrejo
Spencer Platt/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Valentine's Day can be a pretty superfluous holiday, but in the era of Donald Trump, nobody has time to mess around. Even on this day, you can choose to put a political spin on your actions and work towards a greater good, rather than just supporting the corporate interests that proffer V-Day for their own profits. Here are seven ways to resist on Valentine's Day so that you can make the holiday count for something real.

Love has been the rallying cry for the Trump resistance since even before he won the Electoral College, so it actually makes perfect sense to turn Valentine's Day into an action day for progressive causes. Plus, considering the holiday's decisively anti-feminist history, it's a powerful way to reclaim the real spirit of the day. Spreading love outside yourself and personal relationships is a great way to keep in mind what Valentine's Day is supposed to mean, a celebration of love in all its forms.

Love at the societal level is especially important right now because of the polarization in America, so there's no better way to spend your Valentine's Day than by these acts of resistance. These seven acts embody what Valentine's Day really means, and they'll make your day a lot more special than flowers or chocolate.

Wear Orange To Support Domestic Violence Victims

2016 exposed a lot of the remaining misogynistic aspects of American society, such as domestic violence. Wearing orange is a great way to show your support, but try to donate to the National Coalition Against Domestic violence too.

Write A Love Letter To Immigrants

Immigrants definitely need a lot of love this year, and the organization To Immigrants With Love can help you spread some. You can write a letter, make a video message, or send a tweet to let immigrants in this country know you love and support them.

Call Congress With Love

The organization Revolutionary Love will connect you with your Congressional representative so you can let them know you stand with all the people who need protection. Just call 1-855-408-2357 and check out their website for a handy script for your call.

Share These LGBTQ+ Inclusive Photos

Valentine's Day tends to be a heteronormative holiday, and it's important to include the LGBTQ+ community in this day of love too. Donate to the Human Rights Campaign if you can as well!

Listen To Some Break Up Jams

Youtuber Tyler Oakley compiled a mixtape of break up songs, and a portion of the proceeds benefit Planned Parenthood.

Go To A Protest With Your Bae

Whether bae is your girlfriend, boyfriend, partner, or best friend, take someone you love to a protest today. Strong relationships are built on both actions and ideals, and protesting together reinforces both. There's a protest happening in New York City right now, and check in with your local community leaders if you live elsewhere in the country.

Get Ready For The Day Without A Woman Strike

The follow up to the Women's March is coming in three weeks, so now's a good time to start preparing. Get all your girlfriends together to figure out where you want to protest that day, and treat yo selves while you're at it.