An article by Joseph Szilagyi triggered my attention this morning.
He said that as a man, he was confused by the contradicting codes of today’s social behaviour. Being a feminist means equality of sex, and holding on to your principles in your everyday life, although it might go against habits we all have been taught such as men having to hold the door for women and other acts of “chivalry”. I totally understand Joseph’s problem.
We can’t be feminist and still hope to be given these gender privileges. But we live in a time when these principles are all mixed up together, and when a man can still, wrongfully, be judged as a jerk for not opening the door, or as a sexist for doing so!
Joseph says “Wilkins’ observation presents a transition that some young women today are unwilling to make. Television and other media have engraved in these women a way of thinking that refuses to admit that chivalrous behavior is in any way detrimental to women as a whole.
But the action of pulling out a chair or opening a door for a woman is based purely on sex and, therefore, when a man does this he is being sexist. Men are behaving a certain way because they have learned this is what they “should” do for a woman.
The feeling of being treated like a princess that some women demand is pushing the current wave of feminism a step back and is inhibiting further progression. It would be hypocritical for a woman to label herself a devout feminist if she believed this way. Sexist behavior is never endorsed by true feminists.”
He defines himself as a semi-feminist, but I think it’s not the right definition. You can hold the door for a woman, as she can do for you, politeness and kindness doesn’t diminish your “level of feminism”. Husbands should open the door for their wife, and wives should open the door for their husband!
What do YOU think?
