I'm curious, why all the questions here about chivalry? There is a difference between common courtesy and sexism, no?
by 
23Skidoo
ANSWERS: 4
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There is, but some people have difficulty understanding it anyway. Rule of thumb: would you do it for a man? If not, it isn't common courtesy. It's very uncomfortable to have someone push you up on a pedestal when all you want is to be treated like a person. It's a bit of a paradox: chivalrous men often say they are treating women with greater respect, but isn't it awful disrespectful to blatantly disregard people's wishes like that? Yeah, some women like the chivalry thing, but some don't, and forcing it upon the latter is rude and degrading, because it sends the message that their opinions and feelings are unimportant to you.
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What feminists call sexism, normal woman call chivalry and actually like it. I have no problem treating a feminist like a man, that is, equal to a man.
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Common courtesy: "I'll help you change this tire..." Sexist: "...because of course a woman would get a flat tire." I personally don't see how anyone could confuse the two. But I can understand discouraging some amount of chivalry in a man you're not interested in. Of course he's being polite by pulling out your chair or opening a door, but it's also a behavior you expect in a romantic relationship, and one that you don't want to be romantic might be better off without it. So you get to the door first and pay your own way. Perhaps some of the people that complain women don't like men to be deferential anymore were being turned down subtly.
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If you wouldn't do it for a man, it's not just common courtesy. If you wouldn't do it for a man, it's not equality and thus not compatible with feminism. That's why true feminists reject chivalry.
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