Modern Day Mr. Darcys

Mr. Darcy. Every girl on the planet knows this name I would venture to say. But sadly, every girl also knows that Mr. Darcy is fictional. However, this does not stop us from dreaming of someone who will come along and sweep us off our feet with their gentleman-like manners, sweet words, and thoughtful actions.
A debate in one of my classes the other day inspired this blog post.
We were discussing gender roles and how members of each sex learn how they are expected to behave by the media and culture around them. When asked how many of us girls in the class would appreciate a man opening a door for us, paying for our meal on a date, or pulling out our chairs for us, most of the girls in class raised their hands high! However, a few raised their hands when asked the opposite "Who thinks they can do it themselves and don't particularly like it?".
The question raised was "how do men know what their roles are in this day and age when the image of men is so skewed?" I sat there in the class and was saddened to think that that question even needs to be asked!
What happened to the days when men were men and women were women, no questioned asked? It was expected for a man to open doors, help ladies down from things, and treat them respectfully. I don't understand why women would want to change this? Feminists want "to be equal and respected", but do they not realize that when a man opens a door for them, they are seeing the woman as, not only equal, but putting them higher than themselves and showing them more respect than they show other men? Is this concept so hard to grasp?!
But it cuts both ways, and I myself am guilty of it, women are not what women should be either and it really is no big wonder that men don't respect them anymore. Do we act how we wish to be treated. No. We do not.
I left that class a little bit sad. But I was pleasantly surprised by a friend of mine who walked with me through the building and opened every door on the way for me. If he was trying to prove a point, it was proved and, I might add, highly appreciated.
Chivalry isn't dead. And those of us who don't want it to be need to keep it alive.