Is Feminism Killing Old Southern chivalry?

Submitted by anthony on Thu, 2009-10-01 22:11

Piece here. Excerpt:

'From where I sit I think women today, particularly in the South, have it pretty darn good.

We are enjoying the steady spread of women’s equality in the workplace, home and school system while still being treated like damsels in distress when it comes to our lifestyle.

Are we confused? Are we screaming to be treated equally while our actions are saying something else?

In a world of so-called gender equality, where do we differentiate between independence and chivalrous traditions?

Even though the feminist movement brought the right to vote and the beginning of equal pay for women, our demands for independence have been shadowed by the fact that we still expect special treatment.

Should we consider our rights and the way we clarify them to be all or nothing? Can we have our cake and eat it, too?'

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Comments

If feminism is killing off old southern chivalry then that is something good!

Chivalry has long lost its relevance in today's modern world and is more of a man's burden than asset.

If chivalry is dead, GOOD!

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Submitted by Luek on Fri, 2009-10-02 10:45

to quit being womens' servants.

it hit me the other day, as i was helping

a little old lady across the street, i thought to myself,

hey she can help herself, women are independent today!

so right there i quit helping them. no more chivalry for me.

it's amazing how much speed a wheelchair can pick up

going down hill.

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Submitted by daveinga on Fri, 2009-10-02 12:58

Good. Chivalry is a bane on men's lives.

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Submitted by Broadsword on Fri, 2009-10-02 16:33

I helped an old lady today lift a frozen turkey from a cooler at the grocery store. If it was an old man I would have done the same. I like to try to treat people equally, whenever possible.

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Submitted by the_captain on Fri, 2009-10-02 19:56

We MRA's wonder why feminists are so successful at getting attention and special treatment. IMO it's because traditional chivalry, instead of being eliminated, has been replaced with an upgraded version.

When a woman complains about something men fall over each other trying to be the one to help her, and other women watch to see who's is best at it. When a man complains, both men and women tell him to shut up and take it like a man, maybe in those words or maybe more subtly. Some version of "shut up and take it like a man" is the basis for many feminist responses to MRA's.

Practically everyone claims to support equality but I've yet to hear anyone so committed to equal treatment of men and women that they tell a complaining woman to shut up and take it like a man. Try it and listen for the gasps - hint: they'll come mostly from those most vocal about equality.

Our culture still sorts out worthy men from the unworthy by how committed we are to treating women better than ourselves. That fundamental standard hasn't changed. The difference today is that we're judged by ever more degrading criteria to prove that worthiness - and one of the requirements is that we like it.

As long as the word "equal" is used as a euphemism for upgraded chivalry we'll remain on our current path.

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Submitted by Arty on Sat, 2009-10-03 00:14

The phrase "Upgraded Chivalry" is excellent and very instructive. Captures what I have been thinking about for a while. Very well done. Okay to use that one for things like youtubes? How would you like to be credited?

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Submitted by Tom on Mon, 2009-10-05 11:18

Tom said: Okay to use that one for things like youtubes? How would you like to be credited?

No copyright on that phrase. Use it all you like (for good causes anyway). No need to credit anyone for a simple description of the world around us.

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Submitted by Arty on Mon, 2009-10-05 22:18