Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDXLVIII

I'm walking toward the door of the Coffee House, and the reflection in the window alerts me to the fact that a woman is right behind me, heading for the same door. I know what to do. It's second nature to me, because I was taught as a little boy how to act in that situation....I grab the handle, pull the door open, then step aside and hold it for the lady, letting her enter ahead of me. I was taught through all my formative years how a gentleman is supposed to treat a lady, and I still adhere to those rules, even though I'm not sure if they still hold true today. The way I've done it has worked well for me down through the years. Usually the lady will smile and say "Thank you," although occasionally she will walk through the door without acknowledging me, but I can also recall a couple times when the woman rudely informed me she preferred opening the door herself without my help. So here's my question: Do the younger women of this new millennium still like it when gentlemen hold doors open for them? As a husband and a dad to women, it would be unthinkable for me to be okay with a man who is performing equal work with my wife or daughter to be paid more than they are just because he's a man. I have no problem voting for a woman, as long as her political views match mine. I could be happy working on a job where a woman was my boss. My teacher in my Community Group at church is a woman whom I deeply respect and love, and I thoroughly enjoy her teaching. I guess my point is I believe in gender equality, and I believe major decisions in our home should be made by both of us jointly. It is my opinion that men in general, me included, desire to treat women the way they want to be treated, but it's those few who are so vocal about not wanting us to open the door for them, etc. that make us uncomfortable and unsure how to treat ladies. What if the tragedy of the "Titanic" happened today instead of more than one hundred years ago? Assuming that just as then, there would be an insufficient number of lifeboats, would it still be proper to have the rule about making sure all the women and children were able to board the lifeboats before any men could board? Would it still be considered shameful for any man to try to sneak on board a lifeboat before all the women had a chance? I wonder if the woman who doesn't want me opening a door for her would refuse when I stepped aside and offered her the chance to get on a lifeboat ahead of me. I've discussed this matter from time to time with female friends and family members, and I've concluded that practically all of them still want gentlemen to treat them like ladies in practically the same way it's been done for generations. Ladies should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, as equal creatures with men, yet with just a little special treatment simply because they're ladies. There's nothing wrong, disrespectful, or demeaning about telling a lady how nice she looks as long as she is also respected for the intelligent creature she is. That's how I feel, but then I'm "old school." Here's hoping the "new school" feels the same. Preston