Friday, May 11, 2007

I Wonder When Chivalry Died.

I've noticed as of late that chivalry doesn't seem to exist anymore. It isn't something that is valued, apparently, by a great majority of people and I guess parents no longer teach their sons to open doors for ladies and to do other nice things for them.

I started noticing it about a year or two ago. Most of my experiences were in the elevator in my apartment building. I noticed that when I was in the elevator car with a man, he would almost always exit ahead of me. There is no longer such a thing as "Ladies first" in the elevator car. Now it is a "me first" mentality.

Then, I started noticing that other men don't open car doors for women. My husband does this without fail and I guess it is something I've taken for granted. When we are with other couples, they almost always comment on it and some of them seem beyond shocked. I rarely see men doing this these days.

The most glaring example of chivalry dying is that men rarely hold the door open for me anymore. Hardly ever. It has gotten to the point that I am surprised and moved to gush over them when it does happen.

Maybe it is just me but I really like it when a man holds a door open for me or gestures for me to walk out of the elevator first. I like it when my husband does these little things for me. I am glad that he values chivalry and likes to treat me and other women like ladies. When did these things that are so easy to do become a lost art?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When I first met my hub, and he held open car doors for me, I fell over myself getting out of his way. It was sort of awkward and uncomfortable. Now, I will stand there and wait for him to open my door. Funny.

Chivalry ain't dead! You just gotta head a little further south to see it in force. The only solution? Come visit us! It's only a few hours' drive . . .

Wicked M said...

Ooh! I've been needing a vacation, GLove! I just might jump in the car someday and show up on your doorstep. :)

I love the chivalrous things my husband does for me! I don't even try to let him do things before me now -- he refuses and refuses despite all of my efforts to prove I am a woman of the year 2007! Besides, it is kind of nice to have a man who believes that women should still get to do things first.

Anonymous said...

My favorite way to return the favor of said car-door chivalry is to immediately lean over and unlock HIS door for him. The first time I did this in front of someone other than my boyfriend, his best friend who was already in the car waited until BF got in and then leaned up to the front and said, "Man, she's a keeper. That was cool."

I glowed for hours.

Long live chivalry for and by both sexes!!!