According to Ferdinand de Saussure's A Course in General Linguistics, language can be broken down into three main components: signs, signifiers, and signifieds. The signifier is the actual word spoken, the signified is the concept or idea of that word, and the sign is an unseen link between a signified and signifier. Essentially, a sign is a link between a word and an idea. Perhaps the most important thing to understand about signs is that they are arbitrary in nature, and, furthermore, that they can carry historical weight. The concept of signs, signifiers, and signified are naturally a tad confusing because a sign does not necessarily link a specific signified and signifier consistently. This contributes to it's mercurial nature; however, it is this very aspect of the nature of linguistics that makes language so strikingly beautifully and so applicable across cultures.

Today, society is experiencing an unprecedented and, quite frankly, long awaited shift in linguistics. The word 'love' has come to mean just more than just a relationship between a man and a woman. Instead, the sign linking love has branched out throughout all of the signifieds and attached to multiple signified. Today, love can mean the love between a man and a man, a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, and much more. In the same way that love has become redefined so has gender with the concept of gender no longer applying to the traditional and constrictive heteronormative interpretations of the word.

Not only is this transition long overdue, but it is a marker of the positive growth within society today and our ascension to a new level of understanding and nondiscriminatory policies. However, just because society is trending in a exponentially positive trajectory doesn't mean that all of society is progressing as a whole. Unfortunately, close-minded approaches to love and gender still exist in the world today. Though people are entitled to their opinions, it is always perturbing when people express their interest in suppressing, and also express their disrespect of, their peers inherent instincts, and right to love.

This past Valentine's Day, the popular sportswear company Adidas posted an Instagram that insinuated a lesbian relationship with the caption "The love you take is equal to the love you make."

What an absolutely beautiful statement to say on such a special day that tends to focus on heteronormative relationships. However, such a charged statement was bound to attract unwanted attention from those who do not find gay marriage, though perfectly legal, to be morally right and societally acceptable. To those Instagram users who chose to comment in a negative or derogative manner, Adidas had the perfect response.

Thank you Adidas, for standing by the redefined meaning of love. In a time where so many people and companies are worried about remaining PC and not offending potential buyers, you did the right thing. Standing up for people's right to love is something that though controversial, means so much more than perhaps was intended when the comments were posted in response. Your comments are not a political statement, they're simply an acknowledgment of basic rights that are not always respected or recognized. As a global sportswear giant, the influence that Adidas has goes far beyond the United States and due to the instantaneous nature of modern technology a positive message of acceptance is being spread around the world, where perhaps the cultural normative is less than accepting. Thank you for standing up for what is right and for spreading awareness, whether you meant to or not.

Redefine love.