Feminism

Whether it is cultural differences, being polite, or gallantry and etiquette from a different era, watching your language in mixed company and hold a door open for a woman is not sexism. To claim that it is is just hysterical nonsense (a "" for those who know the etymology of hysteria).  

As soon as we allow those cultural differences to slide we are on the slippery slope to an uncaring and uncivilised society where being ignorant and rude is the norm. Politeness, gallantry and chivalry are not negative traits that we should exorcise in the name of feminism just because some well-meaning feminist believes that holding the door open is benign oppression, or benevolent sexism, with the implication that women are too weak to open a door themselves. One does have to wonder at how low an opinion you would have to hold of yourself and your fellow humans to regard an act of being polite as being so judgemental. I've seen women open doors all by themselves thousands of times, they seem more than capable to me - whoever invented doors and hinges, and whoever fitted them into the door-frames so that they were perfectly balanced and swung freely should be congratulated on making such a means of egress so efficiently that they can be operated easily by either gender - hell, I've seen YouTube video's where cats and small children can open doors, though to be fair, those are often with amusing consequences - I must remember to ask my cat if he feels oppressed by my benevolent catism when I open the door to let him in this evening. Now, if I were to insist that women should open the door for me at all times then that would be sexism, if I were to approach a door then summon the nearest female to open it for me then that would be wrong (and back in the day I have see women do this to men), but if a woman or a man should reach the door fractionally before me then sure, they can hold it open and I certainly will not feel oppressed or emasculated.

It leads to the hypothetical scenario of what happens when a woman holds the door open for a woman of equal stature - is there an impasse where neither will cross the threshold ("No, after you","No, after you" ad infinitum)? 

Similarly do I give up my seat on the bus to a pregnant woman because she is a woman or because she is pregnant? Politeness does not discern a difference here, do I first ask her if she is pregnant or just fat?

If we have reached the point in attaining equality of the sexes where courteous behaviour in the form of chivalry (defined as 'courteous behaviour, especially that of a man towards women') has become the sticking-point then perhaps it is the point at which we need to reassess the definitions of sexism and sexist behaviour.