Valentine’s Day is pretty much a crock of shit, made up holiday. While the sentiment of honoring your loved ones/partners is admirable, it’s more about making a shitload of money for companies like Hallmark, who then use their profits to contribute to Republican candidates, who in turn support anti-abortion legislation. The Satanic Temple has proven itself to be among the most progressive organizations in the U.S., and they are in the process of suing the State of Missouri’s “72-hour waiting period for obtaining “informed consent” about the procedure (no exception for cases of rape or incest)” on behalf of a pregnant woman seeking an abortion in that state. If an abortion provider in Missouri fails to impose the 72-hour waiting period, during which women are forced to read pro-life literature, the provider risks “second degree murder to take the life of a child aborted alive” or more (source). The Satanic Temple claims that this violates the women’s religious beliefs, one of their basic tenets that “one’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.” So to fundraise for their lawsuits, they’re organizing a “Hugs and Kisses for Satan” drive, where participants pledge a certain amount per kiss and hug, and then collect hugs and kisses from the public on Valentine’s Day. TST emphasizes politeness, respect and consent in the collection of said hugs and kisses, as well as handing out a Valentine’s Day card from the TST. And whoever collects the most hugs and kisses gets a prize (besides spending the day kissing attractive people). Share the love on Valentine’s Day and check out all the official info on their site and below!
Fundraising Drive
This Valentine’s Day, The Satanic Temple is hosting a fundraising drive, “Hugs and Kisses for Satan,” to support our Reproductive Rights lawsuits against the State of Missouri over mandatory waiting periods and mandatory reading materials which claim that life begins at conception. TST objects to these requirements on religious grounds because they violate our belief in the inviolability of one’s body. (www.religiousreproductiverights.com)
If you would like to participate, simply get sponsors who will contribute for every hug or kiss you receive on Valentine’s Day. Download Pledge and Contact Sheets as well as the XO Card (you can print as many pages as you need). Find people who will sponsor you and fill out their info on the Pledge Sheet. On Valentine’s Day, solicit hugs and kisses using the XO Card and ask the people who hug or kiss you to write their initials on the Contact Sheet.
After Valentine’s Day, collect contributions from your sponsors based on the number of hugs and kisses you received. Contributions and contact sheet should be forwarded to TST either by mail or by PayPal preferably by February 28th. Prizes will be awarded to the person who raises the most money, receives the most hugs, and receives the most kisses.
Please note that TST believes religious organizations should be taxed, so contributions are not tax deductible. Questions regarding the event can be emailed to us at info@thesatanictemple.com.
PLEDGE SHEET
Obtain sponsors prior to February 14th and record each sponsor’s name and contact information as well as how much they wish to pledge per hug or kiss. Sponsors can cap how much they give. For example, if they are willing to pledge $1 per hug or kiss and provide a maximum pledge of $20, then this would be the pledge limit even if more than 20 people hug or kiss you. After Valentine’s Day, collect money from your sponsors and write down on the PLEDGE SHEET how much you received from each person. TST will award prizes for the person who receives the most hugs, the person who receives the most kisses, and the person who raises the most money.
Collected monies should be sent to TST either via paypal to info@thesatanictemple.com or via mail using check or money order to TST 64 Bridge Street Salem, MA 01970. To be eligible for prizes, be sure to send in your donations by February 28th and be sure to include your CONTACT SHEET.
Feel free to print extra sheets as needed.
PROTOCOL
Be polite and respectful at all times. As participant, you are asking another person to hug or kiss you, which is designed to assure that contact is consensual. If a person shows no interest; move on immediately. Persistent requests are a form of harassment. You might want to present a person you approach with a Satanic Valentine’s XO card as means to courteously explain the event.
People who hug or kiss you should provide their initials on the CONTACT SHEET.
