Growing up, I never once thought chivalry was dead, much less old-fashioned. The term "chivalry" usually means that a man acts respectfully towards a lady, but when discussing relationships, people tend to focus more on how the man acts than how the woman acts. Shouldn’t chivalry be something that both genders strive to maintain?
I’m certainly not a relationship expert, but I do know this: just because we are women doesn’t mean we can walk all over men. If we expect them to show respect to us, then we must show respect to them. A man is usually called chivalrous if he holds the door open or gives up his seat for a woman on the bus. However, men want to know that their actions are appreciated, so I think it is important that we make chivalry a goal for both genders.
When I think of a chivalrous woman, I think of one who always speaks to her man with respect. She voices her opinion on important matters, but in a way that will allow a conversation to form in order to solve a conflict, not hinder the discussion. Her words are not bitter, or condescending; she speaks words of kindness and encouragement in order to build her man up. She says please and thank you, compliments him when he does things well, and helps him when he asks for it.
A chivalrous woman is respectful of her man even when he’s not around. She doesn’t make fun of him to her girlfriends and say things that would paint him in a negative light. When conflicts arise and she turns to her closest friends for support, she tells the matter like it is, and doesn’t try to pin him down as a criminal.
Women who are grateful show chivalry. There’s nothing wrong with a man that wants to buy his girlfriend/wife nice things, as long as he realizes that we also love things that don’t cost money. However, there is a problem with a woman who expects a man to drain his bank account for her or who is always demanding him to buy her nice things.
A lady is chivalrous if she does nice things for her man and expects nothing in return. I honestly cannot wait for the day when I get to come home from work and prepare a meal for my husband. Not only do I want to impress him with the cooking skills my mother gave me, but I just want to do something to make him happy, and we all know that the way to a man’s heart is through food. Whether it’s through cooking, giving him a nice back massage, or watching his favorite (and perhaps her least favorite) sport with him, a woman can show her man that she cares about his needs and desires through simple acts of love and generosity.
A loyal woman is a chivalrous one. I feel like this one should be a given, but, unfortunately, it is not. A man shouldn't have to ever catch his woman flirt with other men in front of him, and he certainly shouldn’t have to find out about her cheating on him. And of course this respect should be reciprocated. A truly chivalrous couple won’t be suspicious of each other when they’re separated, and in return for their partner’s trust, they’ll stay loyal to each other.
A chivalrous woman is one who will always strive to love and respect her man. When the divorce rate is as high as it is, it becomes apparent that we must evaluate how couples treat one another. Unfortunately, it seems as though there are plenty of couples who simply lack the respect that a relationship needs to blossom, but I truly believe that if both the man and the woman treat each other with genuine kindness, then the relationship will be significantly better off.
