ladylike/gentleman behavior

[Michie]

Do you think behaving in a ladylike/gentleman's way is a lost art? Are those days long gone?

 

[bicker]

I think perceptions of what refined behavior, and perceptions of the value of certain aspects of refined behavior, vary from person-to-person -- reasonable people disagree about these things, so no absolute answer is possible. Specifically and most importantly, some aspects of what is traditionally considered "lady-like" and "gentlemanly" behavior are explicitly considered by many to be objectionable, rather than laudable.

 

[dolphindan1]

I voted no...why beacuse living in the south I see it everyday....that being said I think with the sexual harrassment laws have put a damper on what is considered gentlemanly....I mean whne you can lose your job for holding a door for a co-worker....Its a shame that some people will act like that towards kindness....so I dont think its a lost art....I think its passed by for fear...I for one still open the door for a woman, say please and thank you...If I see a woman having trouble in a store with a heavy object I will help....and I will give up my seat for a woman, child or elderly person....

 

[bicker]

I for one still open the door for a woman, say please and thank you...If I see a woman having trouble in a store with a heavy object I will help

Hmmm... perhaps what has happened is that we have gone "beyond" traditional "lady-like" and "gentlemanly" behavior, then, because I will hold open a door for a man coming into a building behind me, and I will also help a man who is having trouble in a store with a heavy object. Wouldn't you? Even women -- wouldn't you?

Furthermore, saying "please and thank you" are cultural norms unrelated to "lady-like" and "gentlemanly" behavior. That gets to the question as to whether we are simply a rude society or not. There is no question that rudeness is on the up-swing, and we can get into a big discussion about why things like road-rage, air-rage and all these other more extreme aspects of rudeness are on the up-swing, too...

 

[Disney Ella]

What exactly do you mean by "lady-like" and "gentlemanly"? I certainly think manners are important, but I don't want to act like a "lady." To me, ladies are prissy little lace wearing women who criticize everybody about unimportant things and always defer to their man.

I always hold doors for people, don't cut people off in traffic, offer to help people struggling to carry something, don't litter, and the big one - don't ever cut lines at WDW, but I don't want to be considered a lady.

 

[skuttle]

One thing that surprised me when I started my new job in August was that the men in the building would let women get in and out of the elevator first. I had never seen that before...probably because I was never on an elevator everyday to notice. It didn't offend me or anything, I was just surprised.

 

[SillyMe]

Hmmm... perhaps what has happened is that we have gone "beyond" traditional "lady-like" and "gentlemanly" behavior, then, because I will hold open a door for a man coming into a building behind me, and I will also help a man who is having trouble in a store with a heavy object. Wouldn't you? Even women -- wouldn't you?

Furthermore, saying "please and thank you" are cultural norms unrelated to "lady-like" and "gentlemanly" behavior. That gets to the question as to whether we are simply a rude society or not. There is no question that rudeness is on the up-swing, and we can get into a big discussion about why things like road-rage, air-rage and all these other more extreme aspects of rudeness are on the up-swing, too...

Yep, I'm a woman and I hold doors open for men and women. I don't think about things as being lady-like or gentlemanly behavior. It's just respectful to do so instead of letting it fly in front of someone's face.