Hide Show content-list with only CSS, no javascript used

I wouldn't use checkboxes, i'd use the code you already have

DEMO http://jsfiddle.net/6W7XD/1/

CSS

body {
  display: block;
}
.span3:focus ~ .alert {
  display: none;
}
.span2:focus ~ .alert {
  display: block;
}
.alert{display:none;}

HTML

<span class="span3">Hide Me</span>
<span class="span2">Show Me</span>
<p class="alert" >Some alarming information here</p>

This way the text is only hidden on click of the hide element

This is going to blow your mind: Hidden radio buttons.

input#show, input#hide {
    display:none;
}

span#content {
    display:none;
}
input#show:checked ~ span#content {
  display:block;
}

input#hide:checked ~ span#content {
    display:none;
}

<label for="show">
    <span>[Show]</span>
</label>
<input type=radio id="show" name="group">
<label for="hide">
    <span>[Hide]</span> 
</label>    
<input type=radio id="hide" name="group">
<span id="content">Content</span>

I used a hidden checkbox to persistent view of some message. The checkbox could be hidden (display:none) or not. This is a tiny code that I could write.

You can see and test the demo on JSFiddle

HTML:

<input type=checkbox id="show">
<label for="show">Help?</label>
<span id="content">Do you need some help?</span>

CSS:

#show,#content{display:none;}
#show:checked~#content{display:block;}

Run code snippet:

#show,#content{display:none;}
#show:checked~#content{display:block;}

<input id="show" type=checkbox>
<label for="show">Click for Help</label>
<span  id="content">Do you need some help?</span>

http://jsfiddle.net/9s8scbL7/

There is 3 rapid examples with pure CSS and without javascript where the content appears "on click", with a "maintained click" and a third "onhover" (all only tested in Chrome). Sorry for the up of this post but this question are the first seo result and maybe my contribution can help beginner like me

I think (not tested) but the advantage of argument "content" that you can add great icon like from Font Awesome (its \f-Code) or an hexadecimal icon in place of the text "Hide" and "Show" to internationalize the trick.

example link http://jsfiddle.net/MonkeyTime/h3E9p/2/

<style>
label { position: absolute; top:0; left:0}

input#show, input#hide {
    display:none;
}

span#content {
    display: block;
    -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    opacity: 0; 
    height: 0;
    font-size: 0;
    overflow: hidden;
}

input#show:checked ~ .show:before {
    content: ""
}
input#show:checked ~ .hide:before {
    content: "Hide"
}

input#hide:checked ~ .hide:before {
    content: ""
}
input#hide:checked ~ .show:before {
    content: "Show"
}
input#show:checked ~ span#content {
    opacity: 1;
    font-size: 100%;
    height: auto;
}
input#hide:checked ~ span#content {
    display: block;
    -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    opacity: 0; 
    height: 0;
    font-size: 0;
    overflow: hidden;
}
</style>
<input type="radio" id="show" name="group">   
<input type="radio" id="hide" name="group" checked>
<label for="hide" class="hide"></label>
<label for="show" class="show"></label>
<span id="content">Lorem iupsum dolor si amet</span>


<style>
#show1 { position: absolute; top:20px; left:0}
#content1 {
    display: block;
    -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    opacity: 0; 
    height: 0;
    font-size: 0;
    overflow: hidden;
}
#show1:before {
    content: "Show"
}
#show1:active.show1:before {
    content: "Hide"
}
#show1:active ~ span#content1 {
    opacity: 1;
    font-size: 100%;
    height: auto;
}
</style>

<div id="show1" class="show1"></div>
<span id="content1">Ipsum Lorem</span>


<style>
#show2 { position: absolute; top:40px; left:0}
#content2 {
    display: block;
    -webkit-transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    transition: opacity 1s ease-out;
    opacity: 0; 
    height: 0;
    font-size: 0;
    overflow: hidden;
}
#show2:before {
    content: "Show"
}
#show2:hover.show2:before {
    content: "Hide"
}
#show2:hover ~ span#content2 {
    opacity: 1;
    font-size: 100%;
    height: auto;
}

/* extra */
#content, #content1, #content2 {
    float: left;
    margin: 100px auto;
}
</style>

<div id="show2" class="show2"></div>
<span id="content2">Lorem Ipsum</span>

This is what I've used recently.

CSS

div#tabs p{display:none;}

div#tabs p.tab1:target {display:block;}
div#tabs p.tab2:target {display:block;}
div#tabs p.tab3:target {display:block;}

HTML

<div id='tabs'>
  <h2 class="nav-tab-wrapper">
    <a href="#tab1" class="nav-tab tab1">Pages</a>
    <a href="#tab2" class="nav-tab nav-tab-active tab2">Email</a>
    <a href="#tab3" class="nav-tab tab3">Support</a>
  </h2>

  <p id='tab1' class='tab1'>Awesome tab1 stuff</p>
  <p id='tab2' class='tab2'>Tab2 stuff</p>
  <p id='tab3' class='tab3'>Tab3 stuff</p>

</div>

https://jsfiddle.net/hoq0djwc/1/

Hope it helps somewhere.