2008 Woodie Awards
Opening a door means more than it seems
Issue date: 11/2/05 Section: Opinion
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Mary Fordham
Features Editor
As I stumbled up the stairs with eight boxes in my arms, I saw it - that large looming obstacle that blocked my path. It was a heavy door that would not push inward. It shouldn't have been such a big deal, since there were eight guys standing all around and one of them would surely open the door for me.
Approaching the door, I realized that they were simply starring at me. Surely they were going to help me by opening the door! If not because I am a woman, at least because I could barely see past all the boxes in my arms, which were obviously indisposed at the moment!
But not a single one of them helped me. "What has the world come to," I thought as I struggled to open the door, "when a person will not open the door for a fellow person burdened under a heavy load?"
Maybe I missed something in the past couple of years that made the thought of guys opening doors for girls irrelevant. I usually don't expect it, but it is always a welcomed gesture and I have to admit I was expecting and hoping for it on this particular occasion.
So I decided to get to the bottom of this, and question students for the answers to this great mystery. Why do some men open doors for women and others do not? Is it a change in the men or is it a change in the women?
"Opening doors for women is a culture thing. It is not expected in Vermont anymore. You open the door for yourself," said Ben Levasseur, junior undecided.
"I open the door for anyone. It's just a nice and respectful thing to do," said Michael Rush, freshman sport management.
Sometimes nice guys have to watch out for vicious girls, however, as Jacob Fordham, senior history said "Opening the door for a girl is a kind and polite gesture, although I was cussed out for doing it once by a 'Femi-Nazi.' I still do it as often as possible."
Apparently another reason guys might have stopped opening doors for girls might have something to do with the attitudes that the ladies display towards men who open doors.
Features Editor
As I stumbled up the stairs with eight boxes in my arms, I saw it - that large looming obstacle that blocked my path. It was a heavy door that would not push inward. It shouldn't have been such a big deal, since there were eight guys standing all around and one of them would surely open the door for me.
Approaching the door, I realized that they were simply starring at me. Surely they were going to help me by opening the door! If not because I am a woman, at least because I could barely see past all the boxes in my arms, which were obviously indisposed at the moment!
But not a single one of them helped me. "What has the world come to," I thought as I struggled to open the door, "when a person will not open the door for a fellow person burdened under a heavy load?"
Maybe I missed something in the past couple of years that made the thought of guys opening doors for girls irrelevant. I usually don't expect it, but it is always a welcomed gesture and I have to admit I was expecting and hoping for it on this particular occasion.
So I decided to get to the bottom of this, and question students for the answers to this great mystery. Why do some men open doors for women and others do not? Is it a change in the men or is it a change in the women?
"Opening doors for women is a culture thing. It is not expected in Vermont anymore. You open the door for yourself," said Ben Levasseur, junior undecided.
"I open the door for anyone. It's just a nice and respectful thing to do," said Michael Rush, freshman sport management.
Sometimes nice guys have to watch out for vicious girls, however, as Jacob Fordham, senior history said "Opening the door for a girl is a kind and polite gesture, although I was cussed out for doing it once by a 'Femi-Nazi.' I still do it as often as possible."
Apparently another reason guys might have stopped opening doors for girls might have something to do with the attitudes that the ladies display towards men who open doors.