White Day

White Day is a day in March that is similar to Valentine’s day. Like Valentine’s Day in Japan, these two holidays focus primarily on heterosexual couples (meaning a man and a woman or a woman and a man) because they are both based on gender. Valentine’s Day is a day where girls give chocolates to guys, and White Day is the opposite. On White Day, guys give back gifts to the girls that they received presents from in February.

The gifts given to girls by guys on white day can be toys, stuffed animals, or candy. Often, these gifts are chocolates. It’s traditional in Japan (since Valentine’s Day became a tradition in Japan, I mean) for girls to make guys chocolates on Valentine’s Day, but often (because #masculinitysofragile) guys buy girls chocolates on White Day instead of make them. These chocolates can come in various sizes. Smaller sizes are cheaper, and can be more plain. The more detailed or big the chocolate is, the more expensive it is. Larger chocolates, however, resemble more love and compassion. It doesn’t get excessive (as everything in America does) because it’s not worth it, and Japanese people won’t buy excessively large things. Instead of enticing, ridiculously large amounts of food seems ridiculous to Japanese people.  

White Day and Valentine’s Day are very heterosexual holidays. Valentine’s day is for girls (or really guys, since they’re getting stuff) and White Day is for guys (or really the girls, for the same reason. In Japan, acceptance of the LGBTQ community is much less than here in America. These communities are very uptight when it it comes to tradition, and gay people are not considered equal in Japan. They have to hide and will be shunned from the community if they try to be openly gay. They can even be barred from jobs and lose friends by coming out openly. This is just mainstream Japan, however. In some places there are gay communities where it’s accepted and okay. People in these communities are often gay or gay supporters and are very kind and respectful of sexuality and gender differences.

During White Day or Valentine’s Day, both members of a gay couple will exchange gifts. Sometimes, one gives gifts and the other waits until white day. They don’t assign certain roles based on femininity or masculinity, they treat each other as equals. I wish Americans were the same way. Many people are often sad or lonely in America because they don’t have anyone to love, or someone won’t love them. My friend, Dakota* is afraid he will be alone forever and will never ever in his entire life find love, other than those two girls he dated who refused to see him in public (really? Two? He let two people treat him like that?) when they were together. He’s not well-adjusted at all and absolutely hates Valentine’s Day in America.

In America, we don’t have White Day. Valentine’s Day is a day where both parts of a relationship give candies and sweet gifts to one another. I love Valentine’s Day because I can show my love and be extra sappy. Naturally, I like being lovey-dovey but I don’t like PDA so it can be difficult to have a relationship. But on Valentine’s Day I can give gifts and say lots of cute things to the person I love and that makes me happy.

*name changed