Whatever we call it…..chivalry,gentlemen, manners, kindness…is it missing or is it dead?
Traveling home on my 4th plane of the week I began to wonder. In one of my trips there was a petite woman who seemed to be around 50. She was struggling to reach her carry on bag…as she reached to try and pull it you could see the bag was getting stuck on the edge of the bin. There was a large man standing right behind her…and another who was sitting in her same row. They watched as she tried to un-stick the bag…but neither made a move to assist.
I could not believe that someone could stand there and watch someone struggle and not lift a hand to help. In my day boys were raised to be gentlemen. They always walked on the street side when they walked with a woman. They carried their books or bags. They held open doors. They stood when a woman came to the table.
We fought and rightly so for our equality as women. But did that equality fight get interpreted to mean we don’t show common courtesy? The fact is we can’t change that our bodies and strengths are different. We make babies men don’t. We have lower body strength men have upper body strength. I too am a short woman…but I would step in to assist a man or woman older than me because I know they have limitations I do not have.
I want equal pay. I want laws that protect me from domestic violence. I want to have the choice to build a career or not. I want to have all the same opportunity as men.
But I also want to be feminine. I want my heels and dresses. I want to be treated like a lady. I want doors opened and my handheld as we cross the street. I want a man to reach the high things, lift the heavy things and make me always feel protected. I want to be all woman for my man and for him to be all man for me.
Ladies…what do you think…does our right to equality mean men should not be lifting our luggage? Are you feeling like chivalry is a lost? Does it matter? What’s your experience?
Georgia T
I got before and after pics copied and pasted in the reply box and tried to post, but the only things that shows up is the text I typed, not the photos.
Thanks May & Janice for all your helpful comments. I really appreciate them.
May - for the longest time, I said to myself that I will never want any plastic surgery done and that I will accept my body for what it is. Like many typical wome
I have seen this happen before and have experienced it myself. Matter of fact it was just last week I noticed a elderly woman, older than me of course having trouble in the parking lot starting her car. She was putting on jumper cables on her battery. There were plenty of men around that knew more then me or her for sure but I stopped and asked if I could help. Well it seems she had brought a new battery but they wouldn’t put it in for her. So here she is trying to put it in and charge it. Anyway she was doing just fine and I didn’t want to make her feel like she was older and couldn’t do it so I said I will be your support if you need it. So I sat there daring any man to honk at me for being in the way. Her vehicle started right up, she thanked me and off I went. Again about a month back, a woman having trouble with getting a box in her car. I do not know that it is that men do not want to help or they are scared of us. Yes, we can do many things but yes, I too like to be treated like a lady and would like to think if I needed help someone would help me. In this day and age we do not know if we should stop or not, to ask to help or not, you hear so many horrid stories now days. However in your situation yes they should of helped. People seem to mind their own business or think nothing but of them selves any more. I too have seen this and when I see someone, even at the store having trouble getting something etc. I ask if I can help. We as women are more nuturing and caring I think and think nothing of jumping right in and help where we can. With the internet, talking about dating sites etc. there are so many women and men out there. From my experience of these sites, you have to be really really careful. It is all a game to most, dishonest for sure, not truthful and just there to get laid or have cybersex. You don’t know “who” your talking too. that goes for men and women. Yes, I have heard the good stories about people on these sites and that is great but it can also go the other way. Anyway, My point being made was that men have gotten lazy. They don’t have to be a gentleman or do the right thing. There are so many women out there throwing themselfs at them , men do not have to do much of anything except lie, and be charming. Oh yeah and say all the right things. lol lol Don’t get me wrong there are some men that believe in treating a woman with respect, and will be a gentlemen but they are becoming few and far between. Like I said I hope that as I age there will still be men out there to help me if I need it but I am not counting on it. I guess that is what so scary for most of us. It seems we can’t count on much anymore to be there or people to do the right things. For now I am on my way to the Senior Facility to help out, I know “I” am doing the right thing, are you?