Why I no longer hold doors open for women

I am waiting in the playground for our daughter’s primary school class to be let out at the end of the school day. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door, longing for the bell.

When it rings, the door flies open under the impetus of unshackled desperation and some boys and girls tumble out with thrashing knees and elbows. The class teacher then appears and orders the fleeing boys to get back inside. I can see her manhandling other boys and pushing them aside to let all the girls go first.

She always does this. I have many times heard her say “Ladies first” as she gets the boys to stand back.

When we go to see this teacher for the first parents' contact evening of the year, I am going to ask if she might reconsider this policy. I shall say that our daughter and her girl friends in the class are already vain and conceited and spoiled enough without having those narcissisms confirmed by some arbitrary rule that confirms they are naturally superior. Or weaker. Or more in need of special treatment. I want our daughters to be equal. That means boys must be equal, too. In everything. If it isn’t a two-way street, it’s not equality.

 I don't want our daughters supposing that they will always, without question, have first choice of the best seats on the bus or the train nor that anybody is going to get up to offer them their seat if all the others are full. I want them to be proud of their equality, not expecting deference.

It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first – through a door, up the stairs or whatever. I haven’t held open a car door for a female under 70 or over seven since I read “Sexual Politics”

Somebody, of course, has got to go first through a door but why shouldn’t it be the person who gets there first? That one then holds the door open for the person who is next and even for the people who are coming the other way. Gender doesn’t come into it.

Question 1 (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are true or false and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

1. The teacher asks the boys to go back into school to let the girls come out first.
2. The writer has already had a meeting with the teacher.
3. The writer holds car doors open for women who are older than 70.
4. The writer thinks the person who gets to the door first shouldn’t hold it open.

Question 2 (2 points) Answer the following questions in your own words.

a. Why doesn’t the writer hold doors open for women?

b. What does the author think about his daughter and her class mates?

Question 3 (1.5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond in meaning to the words and definitions given.

a.squeezed (par. 1)       b. to wish (par. 1)         c. set of rules (par.4 )

d. reciprocal (par. 4)     e. pick (par. 5)

Question 4 (1.5 points) Complete the following sentences without changing the meaning.

1. I can see the little kids all crushed together at the other side of the glass door

The little kids ……………………………………

2. It's decades since I stopped automatically standing back to let women go first.

I have ………………………

3. I asked her  if she might reconsider that policy

I asked her:”……………………………………………….”.

Question 5 (3 points) Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

Do you think young people have good/bad manners? Give reasons