"The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but rather
the feeling of being unwanted."

Valentines days, aka the worst day in the calender, is next week. In the run up to the day shops, restaurants and bars are filled with relationship propaganda, trying to convince you that true love has a price tag, and that spending money can indeed buy you happiness, after all if you don't buy that crappy red gift, the fancy meal and chilled champagne how on earth would your better half know you cared. I hate the day with a passion, but for two different reasons. The first is obvious. I'm single, and being single I'm completely bitter and filled with resentment about the whole spectacle. The second reason is that it is also my birthday. Thats right, I'm the original love child, they say irony is cruel.

My birthday is no cause for celebration, its purely a further reminder that I'm getting old. You add both together and you get "21 years old and never been loved" - A double fucking whammy.

Normally being single would make me clinically depressed (CD) but not any more. Today I decided that being single was a choice, not my choice, but still a choice. I've decided to take my self out of the game. I am choosing SINGLE. I have to conform to social preconceptions from the hours 9 until 5, why would I want to do so out of that time slot.

I realized today that although I've always wanted a man, I've never actually needed one ( I can change a light bulb my self). Being part of a couple is something ingrained onto out minds from an early age, from our parents, the media, images of hollywoods golden couples, even cartoons. Now I watched many a cartoon when I was young (still a huge fan of Southpark) And if you think about it its no wonder I'm gay and felt I needed a man, afterall pinkie had the brain,sharky had George, Bert had Ernie, beavis had buthead, and who could forget batman in fetish wear being unconditionally pursued by an adoring and ever eager robin, I could go on.

The fact is singles are feared, patronized and pitied. Why would someone choose to be single? I'm afraid being single for the majority of people was there second choice (of 2). I have no problem dealing with other people's misguided fears and pity, I've dealt with that all my adult life. What I do have a problem with is the law. Why should couples get tax breaks, financial backhanders from the government. The way I see it they've got two people to pay the bills, why should their tax bills be lower, if anything the single should pay the lowest rates of tax, they after all have to pay for everything, they also consume nearly as much as a couple combined.

They say its to encourage family growth, but lets face it the traditional family is an endangered species. More and more couples are choosing pay over pampers. The main social group contributing to the cycle of life is the social under belly, yester years working class hero's, themselves many of whom are hopeless grandchildren of the late industrial age. One problem, marriage is not often top of the agenda. The single, (often poorly educated) parent IS the new family. The reality is we live by outdated law which government lawyers and accountants cant be bothered to re write. There are more single people now than ever before, a worrying trend which will most definitely continue. In this overcrowded modern world, alienation is yesterdays integration.

How long do you think it will take people to stand up and take action. Forget gay pride, which has in the past changed societies perceptions of gay people for the better, but now alienates gay people further- ask your self how many gay guys do you know who walk down the high street wearing nothing but a pair of Manolo Blanhiks, briefs, a feather headrest and a sprinkle of pink glitter? exactly - yet this is the image the many strait folks have of us - also think Pricilla Queen of the Desert. When is the real gay film coming out about a single gay accountant called "Mr Edd.d, a tale of Corporate Slavery" who instead of dressing like a woman and lip sinking to I will survive spends his free time watching TV (television), blogging and drinking too many pints of beer on a Friday night. Not that theres anything wrong with Gloria Gaynor (in controlled doses).

Singles pride will soon be hitting the streets. Single people standing up proud and demanding fair treatment both personally and financially, equal rights and above all equality.