Friend of Queerty Brian C. Cummings shared this wonderful Valentine’s Day card, dating back to the 1940s. It’s an early example of comic-book merchandising, in which sapphic heroine Wonder Woman proclaims, “FOR YOU, VALENTINE, I’D MOVE – HEAVEN AND EARTH!”
But what truly makes this a queer valentine is the inscription, “To Franklin, from Robert Ager”
As Cummings wisely says, “history speaks more often than most may think.”
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Chad Hunt
I have to wonder if it was truly meant to be a Same-Sex Valentine in the sense that you are trying to pertain to. I mean, I remember tons of Valentines during my elementary school days from other boys. The rule was you had to get one for everyone in class or no one. Even the kids you didn’t like. Of course, the valentine card company’s were always smart to make some generic ones to give to those people. This one actually seems to be a little generic since it doesn’t allude to love, kissing, liking, etc.
Mr. Enemabag Jones
@Chad Hunt:
I understand what you mean about school days, and teachers making it clear that you give one to every kid in class. However, the handwriting on the above card looks more adult, than childlike.
Personally, in the second grade, I made sure to give the nicest and most special valentine in the package to my secret crush, Kyle. Something which I’m sure many boys and girls did.
In case anyone is curious–Kyle summarily tossed my valentine in the trash on his way out to recess.
mlbumiller
Well looking at the hand writing:
1) not printed, most elementrary school kids do
2) Never do elementary or middle school kids call eachother my the full name; the author would have written Franky, from Rob or Robby. Even during the 40’s kids in high school didn’t use formal names. Adults do so with adults. To this day anyone using my parents and grandparents “christian” names would really be out of place; would question if they were really new them at all.
But I find it really strange that anyone would be so formal with their vanlentine.
3) The style of the writing is that of an adult, not young person.
yaoming
It’s not very romantic, anyway, since it’s formally signed: “from Robert Ager”. Who does that to his sweetie?
Charli Girl
@Mr. Enemabag Jones:
Lmao too funny! Kyles loss! Funny how WE KNEW even then,huh?
Chad Hunt
@Mr. Enemabag Jones: The formality of the To: , From: makes me wonder if like me some child had his parent fill them out as mine did for me in kindergarten, first grade
Cam
We can dissect it all we want. I’m choosing to think it was from one man to another and the formality was just in case somebody else saw it. I could be wrong, but it makes a nice story.
And Enemabag Jones. I’m sure Kyle went back later and with tears in his eyes, pieced your valentine back together and carries it with him to this very day. 😉
And if he didn’t, then he is in a miserable relationship with a 3 times divorced, abusive woman with 14 children all by other men.
DarkZephyr
When I was in school the girls were given lists of the names of all the boys and the boys were given lists of the names of all the girls. There was no same sex valentine giving at my school, unfortunately.