General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: i hold doors open for everyone [View all]fishwax
(29,153 posts)" Women) I find it to be sexist when a man opens the door for me, even if benevolently so"
The individual act "when someone holds a door open for me" is an entirely different thing from the issue that was initially being made with the dicsussion of benevolent feminism (some people view women as frail, etc.). I haven't seen anyone say that when someone holds a door open for them they think that individual act is sexist.
I would think that many of the women who have been talking about been benevolent sexism (which has been distorted into this weird opening doors flamefest) would very likely say that they take the individual act as a courtesy. And, at the same time, they realize it may or may not, in this individual case, reflect a view of gender relations that is ultimately harmful to women. And it's that view that they're concerned with, not the act of someone holding the door for them.