There's yet another difference in northern and southern culture which I noticed while riding the elevator in an office building last week. Those of you who know me understand my respect for male chivalry. I whole heartedly support a male figure taking the lead role in most all situations. My southern roots just have me like that.
In the southern United States, I notice that men flex their biceps and hold back the elevator doors for women to enter the cab first. If these men are smart (and single), they will quickly follow. That just put points on the tally sheet for any man hoping to get a woman's attention. As the elevator progresses to its destination and the man happens to be going to the same floor as any woman in the cab, the gentleman (as I will rename him now) will step to the side and once again flex his biceps to hold the doors for the woman to exit first. That's just the way it happens in the south from my fifteen-plus years of experience living there.
How does this same scenario work in the north you ask? Let me remind you I have southern roots, but was born and raised in the midwest (north of the southern states). I lived in the south for many years and now I live in the north. It is in the north that I noticed an absence of male chivalry. For about a week after relocating to the Washington, DC area, I found myself competing with the men to jump on the elevator first. These same men would leave the cab first when going to the same destination as myself. Stepping to the side and holding that door for me was not on the mens agendas! This appeared to be the attitude of old men, young men, gay men, straight men, married men, single men, men of all races, blue-collar men, and white-collar men...you get the picture? I did not notice a consistent male chivalry pattern for at least seven months. However, the local women are not taken aback by these male actions. To me they take it in stride - literally - they keep moving.
I will reiterate how wonderful to a woman the actions of a man taking the lead and providing a pathway for her to both enter and exit to her destination. Aaaahh...
3 comments:
Oh, how true. I grew up in a Southern state and now live in the West.
I am new to the South, I come from the West.
When I first arrived I was instantly amazed by the courtesies that the West does not have.
I have included some of those in some of by blogs ……I LOVE being treated with respect and common courtesy.
Great Blog!
Well... being from the North, I would have to disagree, DC is technically still in the South. Don't you love the ethical standards by most people now a days?
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