Respect; specifically, gender.

I'm starting this blog with a bit of an ambiguous angle, before I turn to my own experiences, so bear with me, it's a little rambling.

I've got a real treat for you ladies today. That's right, here's a guy who thinks women are more important than men. Shock and awe, right? Well, shocker, I'm not the only one. Most of us just don't care enough to put our thoughts out there because most females lump us in with the male chauvinist pigs who populate this planet.

I have to get my bit of male dominance out of the way before I can start kissing ass: Screw all of you who are too stuck up to give us a chance. I think you're all either too suspicious or too jaded to admit there might be an example of a real man in front of you, and this is what turns nice guys into assholes.

Now on to the real point of this post: What ever happened to good old fashioned respect? I'm not saying we have to go back to medieval woman-worshipping lifestyles, but is it really so much to ask for a man to treat a woman as an equal? I can't really gripe from experience; I live a sort of modern chivalristic lifestyle, and while I won't by any means go out of my way to help a woman I don't know, if I know you and care for you, I will make that fact obvious.

Now, let's be honest, guys; how hard is it to open a door for your lady? How difficult is it to pull a chair out, or hold her coat for her while she puts it on? These little affectionate gestures that I have always dreamed of finding a nice, normal woman to do for, are coming to be thought of as almost admonishing; an indication that the man thinks the woman is too weak to do so for herself. Some may even become offended: Just recently, I walked into a Burger King for breakfast and held the door for a young Latin woman with a stroller, and she was immediately shouting and telling me to move, asking what I thought I was doing. I merely looked at her with an almost disbelieving expression, until she finally stopped and realized I was holding the door, to which she immediately countered that it was nice to see a man willing to help out. To me, this implies her child's father is less than forthcoming in helping with the family..which I find repulsive.

People, is this REALLY how we want to live our lives? Do we really need to verbally, physically, emotionally abuse those around us? Take it from me, one of those so-called rare gentlemen left in this world. Give us a chance to make a comeback, and we'll be delighted to help you grow in return. Not ALL men act the way those that hurt you in the past did.