|
|
Re: Chivalry vs. Chauvinism
by Schizo (Aranea@Spidersdance.com)
on Dec 28, 2006 - 10:15 AM
(User info | Send a Message)
http://
|
you have a point, Feral... and so does Pixi...
When an older gentleman holds the door for a woman, that is the way he has been trained - I have a certain gentleman at work in mind - very sweet grandfatherly man... open heart... but sweetly old-fashioned in mannerisms like that... I would not take offense at it for all the world, because I know he means it in honor...
There is another man at work who also has the habit of holding doors open for the ladies... makes a big deal of it, even if he is far ahead of the person he is holding the door for... he does it to prove what a nice, gentlemanly man he is - he is not - he is a chauvinist of the worst order... when I see him holding the door for me, I deliberately change direction and take the other door... he doesn't do it for me anymore...
So I guess it is not your mannerisms that makes you an ass... it is your motives... the first man in my example treats all people with equal honor - although his training moves him to express that honor differently for men than for women in certain ways... the second man treats women with dishonor - and strives to hide that by an elaborate show of deference...
Interestingly, the first man has a loving, faithful, and spunky wife who has stayed with him through military service, the death of babies, heart trouble, losing jobs, and god knows what other terrible experiences - their love is inspiring...
The second man lives alone with his trucks and his dog... and is still wondering why none of the babes he propositions sees what a wonderful man he is...
And Feral - I will pay you to do my housework... *looks about in horror at the devastation caused by a week of stomach flu in the family...*
|
|
|