By Opening doors is misogyny
Misogyny is getting good at disguises, and it’s increasingly difficult to spot him.
But have no fear – we’re here to uncover the true identity of this social monster in all his hidden forms, and today, he has been outed as the guy who holds open a door. (Note: he must be a man. Women holding doors open are exempt from sexism.)
The scenarios go like this.
- A man opens a door and politely gestures to whoever is behind him to enter first, and there’s a 5-minute British dance of ‘no, please, after you’ which is an entirely separate post in itself. This person is:
A. Female. Blatant example of misogyny.
B. Male. Thank you’s are exchanged; nobody cares. - A man approaches a door behind a person. He kindly opens the door for them and says, “After you.”
This person is:
A. Female. Obviously he thinks a woman can’t open a door. Misogyny.
B. Male. Thank you’s are exchanged; nobody cares. - A man walks through a door and holds it open for whoever is behind him as he walks through.
This person is:
A. Female. He’s obviously interested in her sexually.
B. Male. Thank you’s are exchanged, nobody cares. - A man approaches a door and sees a person with their hands full of bags, boxes, anything. They’re fumbling for the door handle. The man offers help by opening the door.
This person is:
A. Female. Kindness is sexism – this man is making assumptions about where the woman is going because he wants her to go back to his.
B. Male. Thank you’s are exchanged, nobody cares.
In case this is getting too complicated – which it should be, it makes no sense – here’s how it works.
Man does something polite for a man = kindness.
Woman does something polite for a man = heroine.
Woman does something polite for a woman = kindness.
Man does something polite for a woman = chivalry = sexist.
In essence: be nice and polite to everybody all the time on the basis that all human beings ought to respect one another and remember to say please and thank you.
Unless the person you’re being polite to is a woman, and you are a man. In which case, don’t do anything, which is apparently kind. If you happen to find yourself in the dire situation where you have accidentally held a door open for a woman without realising a woman was behind you, make eye contact, let go of the door, and watch it slowly close between you.
Here’s a feminism fairy to explain things a little more unclearly.
Have a rude day.
www.everydayfeminism.com
