Chivalry is often misunderstood.

"In the age of men striving to be alpha males and sigma males, I just want to be an old fashioned gentleman."

I've had the discussion on who pays for dinner on the first date or date in general with a few of my friends. There seems to be some kind of a misconception. While most men agree to pay for dinner, I've also heard some advocating for the bill to be split because women want to be treated equally after all. I've heard a similar argument from women as well who feel they are independent and can pay for their own meal. I want to pay for dinner not because you're helpless or I think you can't afford it but because it is a nice thing to do. It's a form of courtesy and showing you that I care about you. No one has any problem when we hold the door open for you, or pull the chair out, or follow the sidewalk rule. Why is it an issue when it comes to paying for dinner? Just like how it doesn't mean that you can't open the door yourself or that you can't pull the chair out for yourself, me paying for dinner does not mean I think you can't afford to pay it. I don't expect anything in return for it nor will it make me feel I am doing something special or great. It just shows that I care about you and it's a nice gesture. Nothing more. However, I do understand some people may still feel guilty or uncomfortable and would rather split the bill and I am okay with it. Your opinion is the most important at the end of the day. I'm just putting forward my case as to why I'd want to pay on dates.

I've often wondered if chivalry and feminism can coexist. Feminism in its essence believes in the equality of men and women. What one considers as chivalrous can easily be misunderstood as being sexist. It can lead to awkward and even embarrassing conversations and men will be more and more reluctant to do anything with the fear of being misunderstood. In the ever changing landscape of culture and tradition, I do hope some of the conventional dating etiquettes continue to remain the same. 

I truly hate the internet at times for how easy it is for a trend to start and thousands of people blindly following it. You can imagine my horror when terms like alpha male and sigma male became popular and for all the wrong reasons. It also pains me to see an awful, horrible, degenerate piece of trash masquerading as a movie called Animal be so successful and the clips of him calling himself alpha male go viral. God forbid you do something nice without being called a simp. There are enough reservations as it is for men to not be chivalrous anymore and I just hope that men who are aren't accused of being sexist. Once that happens, chivalry will well and truly be dead.