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Women's Lib Killed It36% Voted for by Launcelot, Lstjed, caressed in blue, webdemon666, Coach Yoda. (13 total)
If you look at the history of chivalry, it was all about the woman. A man was suppose to give the utmost respect to a woman. To be truely romantic and chilalrous meant to not only win wars and competitions in a woman's name, but give enough respect to a woman to do all those other things for her. True romance is a gesture of complete loyalty. Opening doors and pulling out chairs is not sexist. Those things are a sign of respect. and it's sad that women have listened to the womens lib BS and have forgotten how to appreciate that gesture of respect.
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Know Thy Lady13% Voted for by JM Kenyon, CrazyRebel, Enma Ai, M.Ridgway, RebelRebel.
What one woman will accept sweetly and take as flattery another woman may scorn and consider insulting. I would say, instead of targeting women's liberation for disarming the code of chivalry, that you take the initiative to know the woman.
Some women would love the idea of a Knight in Shinging Armor come to dote on them and battle dragons for them and other women would as soon don the armor themselves and slay the dragon as well.
Women today don't need frivolous, superficial respect just because they are women. They have talents and educations that equal many men. They are not raised as delicate, fragile flowers that need utmost tenderness and care, they're raised to compete with men on every plane.
So, before you go a-courting to woo a woman and win her affection with chivalry, you might consider who you're dealing with.
As a woman, I'd say that the greatest respect a man can give me is not to underestimate my intelligence or abilities and most definately not assume that I was born 400 years ago and raised to be sweet, demure or docile. If you're giving respect, then it should pertain to me as an individual.
Know the woman you are dealing with before you assume that she would be pleased. Women are not raised the same way they were raised when such a code was intact. Some might be swept away and find it romantic, some might be okay with it in moderation and others may have absolutely no tolerance.
~genie~
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Re-define ChivalryChivalry has been confined to "Men" helping out women. Why cannot women help out men? Helping a disabled man should count as chivalry. A woman opening a door for a man should be chivalry...if it's "Man for Woman", it is surely sexist.8% Voted for by Piscean Wisdom, The Risen Sun, spanner.
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no...5% Voted for by ohsweetie2788, Enma Ai.
no it is a sign of respect and kindness and affection towards the woman you love. i play fight with all my guy friends but i really do love when they open doors for me or pull out the chair so i can sit down and then push it in for me. it is a reminder of the romantic past that once was and of the past where men treated women with a certain respect and kindness...where they seemed to have manors. i am not saying men do not have manners now they just seemed to have more back then because of chivalry...
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Misunderstood5% Voted for by SuperMoose, Enma Ai.
Chivalry is often misconstrued as some sort of subserviance of men to women. Chivalry was a code of conduct that meant a man would strive to be the strongest they could, both morally and physically. Along with the basic concepts of doing no evil and protecting those that could not be protected, chivalry introduced courtely love. Courtely Love often had nothing to do with the romancing of a woman by a man, but more so it was the ideal that one man held of a woman that made her perfect to him. The woman in question would be placed on a pedistal from which they could never fall for the man.
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Chivalry5% Voted for by ytyt, CrazyRebel.
It would depend. But i think women are capable of opening doors.
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Yes, please hold that door for me, because my feeble muscles can't handle it...Voted for by London Calling.
Well I have to say, Genie's post pretty much summed it up for me, but there's something else I'd like to add.
CHIVALRY (in the sense of holding doors open for the poor weak female etc) IS outdated, becuase it rests on the assumption that women are weak and powerless and can do nothing for themselves. I think it should be replaced by RESPECT, I do expect a man to hold a door open for me, but I also expect a woman to, and I hold doors open for other people. It should be about common courtesy, not gender.
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No, but....Voted for by Enma Ai.
it is dead. Or at least very nearly dead. Now it is seen as insulting to an "empowered" or "independant" woman. Its sad that in todays world a show of respect or compassion for your fellow (wo)man is labeled as "sexist" or some other nonsense. Ahhh how I do miss the dayes of olde.
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dependsIt depends. Some people do it out of respect, others cause they know they should whether they want to or not, and then some because other people are around. I think the reasoning behind it is more important than the actual doing. I dont think theres anything wrong with it other than a girl can sit in a chair by herself.Voted for by Stepherz804.
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NO.If you google "chivalry definition" the first result that'll come up will say "courtesy towards women". How can that, be sexist? No, I do not think it is sexist.Voted for by Stella Cadente.
There should be more men opening doors and pulling out chairs, and more women accepting these courtesies as such...courtesies.
I read somewhere that it started with the idea that women could not take care of themselves. Remember people, it was a different time back then. Women could not take care of themselves because women can not fight, duel, carry heavy weights, etc. etc. Biologically speaking, men are stronger. Yes, they are. And, unless some woman takes steroids or something like that, she can't be stronger than a man.
Where people get the idea that men and women are equal is beyond me.
We will be equal only when men will start bearing babies.
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It's not only about men and womenChivalry is the sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, dexterity in arms, bravery, honor, and gallantry toward women.Voted for by Gaz H.
Yes, gallantry towards women (to be exceptionally polite, courteous and attentive to women) is one of those qualities but that's not all being chivalrous is about.
And in answer to the OP's question;
No I do not think it is sexist at all, being polite and courteous to women is just good manners. -
Sexist?I don't think so. I don't bother giving the fact that a man holds a door open for me deep thought, usually. If I do, I don't start accusing a polite gentleman of being a sexist pig. :/Voted for by Benedictum.
And I suppose you could say I practice chivalry. I'm female, but...I hold doors open for both male and female. I give up seats to people, even if they seem like they can stand. It has been said that I'm TOO polite, but I've never thought so. I don't think that modern-day chivalry is limited to men. I actually wish it was contagious, so more people would do it...
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October 19, 2005
Actually...
Chilvalry was based on the idea that women couldn't take care of themselves, so it was the responsibilty of the man to take care of her. It was this same idea that prevented women from getting any sort of influential job, being able to vote, etc.Xelgaroth
March 12, 2007
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petethemeat
February 4, 2006
April 10, 2007
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Brew Kline
February 11, 2007
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Test of true chilvary
If your gesture of "chilvary" is exercised on men as much as it is on women, then it is true chilvary and women (and men) will respect you for it.If what you do is for women only, then the secret is that women will despise you because you have supplicated to them. You have placed yourself below them. Women don't want women, THEY WANT MEN.
Not many of them left these days.
M.Ridgway
April 10, 2007
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Stella Cadente
April 11, 2007
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