Is Chivalry P.C.?
This morning as I was riding to school, I witnessed it again. Again crowded, as many times it is when catching the 8:30, “I’m late for class,” (as I like to call it) bus. With seats disappearing quickly at each stop, it was not too soon that all seats were completely filled. And then, a peppy girl between 18 and 20 walks on the bus. Most who were looking would think it was a gentlemanly thing to do. A man in his late fifties stands up and offers her his seat. She looks at him in confusion and he gestures again for her to take the seat and she thanks him and sits down.
I understand being polite to people and I understand giving up your seat for someone who needs it more than you. I’ve moved or stood for pregnant women, or someone with three kids held by the arm or someone that is very elderly – it’s just the polite thing to do. I guess what I have problems with is this continued archaic treatment of women as fragile beings or those that should be treated on a pedestal. I think most feminists would agree that this type of action can be somewhat offensive. Clearly in this situation, there were young men standing around without seats – what made “her” different from this?
If this is acceptable, should it be recommended? Is it a gender thing? Is it a sexual attraction thing? Should women offer to give up their seat to men? Should a gay man give up a seat to another man? Is being chivalrous still appropriate in the 21st century or is it a thing that should stay in the past?
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