Is Chivalry Dead

With the military's decision (or pending decision) to allow women onto the front lines, a lot of people have been talking about chivalry and how men and women should interact with one another. It's been interesting to hear the difference of opinions between the two sexes and the different reasonings between these opinions. Here's what I've learned:

• Men WANT to be chivalrous. In general, they WANT to hold doors open, pull out chairs, and treat the women that are important to them like ladies.
• Men view ladies differently than women that let it all hang out. They only feel protective chivalrous towards the ones that are ladies.
• Men are confused about whether or not women like their chivalry and many men have received negative feedback after opening a door or offering a seat.
• Men do not connect chivalry and women being weak.
• Women in general WANT men to be chivalrous.
• Women feel guilty for wanting men to be chivalrous, like they are letting down their mothers and grandmothers.
• Women fear men and believe they all have bad intentions. They fear that by accepting chivalry the man will feel that they "owe" them.

As a woman, I can say that I love it when my husband opens a car door for me, even though it doesn't happen all that often. I love it when strangers open the door for me, offer to help me get the stroller into my trunk, or do some other random act of kindness. More often than not, it's a man doing one of these small acts and when it is a younger man, you can almost read his internal battle on his face. Men never know if they are going to get a thank-you or a slap.

I'm not unrealistic. I know there are men out there that have horrible intentions and are just bad people in general, but the majority of men aren't like that. Most men are nice to women not because we're weak or because we are frail, but because they respect women. They respect women enough to show kindness, even if they don't know you. They respect you enough to let you go first, have the best seats, watch their language around you and acknowledge your presence.


So ladies, if you really want to practice feminism, the next time a man opens a door for you, go through it. Say thank you and smile to yourself knowing that he has just shown you respect with the small courtesy.