Susan Cody: Is Chivalry Dead? If So, Are You Glad?

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So you are walking into your building and a man is 20 feet ahead of you. He doesn't hold the door for the guy going in right after him, but he does for you.

A feel-good feeling or can you manage that door by yourself?

I like chivalry. If someone wants to hold a door for me, I say knock yourself out and thank you!

I hold doors for anyone. But should a man feel he has to do those 'old-fashioned' things for a woman? Why? She can handle a door, she can handle anything.

True.

But isn't chivalry just plain old nice? Isn't it nice for your partner or husband to open your car door for you, to hold your chair out and pick the heavier suitcase to carry?

Is this chivalry or is it just good manners? These days, shouldn't we all want to bring back manners?

I'm not a person who needs to flaunt her independence, strength and intelligence and blah blah blah. Don't need to prove a thing. And I like my door being opened for me. That doesn't make me needy or weak, it makes me feel pretty powerful, actually, that my strappingly tall man is more than happy to do it for me.

So I say long live those great men who gladly give a chivalrous hand to their woman! Chivalry is not dead and if it's getting there, I say call the EMT's and revive it!

What about you? No need for it? Unnecessary in these days of equality? Or do you appreciate the impromptu gesture of your partner, or the stranger you meet at that door to your building?