The ugly consequence of anti-male feminism

MY pregnant colleague expected basic courtesy would mean a seat on public transport. But the constant denigration of men has made chivalry a thing of the past, writes Miranda Devine.

MY pregnant colleague Karlie Rutherford has just experienced the ugly consequence of anti-male feminism.

The inevitable, logical backlash from the constant denigration of men in our society is the death of chivalry. And for Karlie, that meant having to stand up on a crowded city bus, visibly, heavily pregnant at 23 weeks, feeling unbalanced on her feet, and tired after a long day of work while “younger, gentlemen sat around me comfortably …. with their earphones in and eyes glued to their phones”.
Karlie thought that good manners, courtesy and a sense of chivalry would dictate that one of these men would see her plight and give her his seat. But they didn’t. So she clung onto a pole for dear life, as the bus careened around corners until finally a woman, who was a mother herself, took pity on Karlie and gave up her seat.

Pregnant journalist Karlie Rutherford was surprised when none of the seated men on her bus offered her a seat. (Pic: Justin Lloyd)

But Karlie was so puzzled by the uncaring attitude of the men on her bus that she wrote a gentle column, asking if the push for equality means “we have to forgo basic chivalry”.

Well, unfortunately, yes. Warped male-hating feminism has killed chivalry stone dead. It only takes one time for a man to be abused when he opens a door for a woman or stands back to allow her to walk in front of him or even offers her a seat on a bus. One time and he will never do it again.

TIME FOR MEN TO TAKE A STAND FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

As our reader Steve said yesterday after Karlie told about her experience, “Men have more chance of being called a creep or predator than getting a thanks these days if you try to do a polite thing for a female stranger.

“Unless it is an older woman who grew up in a different era I will treat women exactly how we have been lectured daily in how to treat them. That is, equal. You don’t get to pick and choose when it suits.”

And Dennis wrote: “Why can’t women just be women and at the same time don’t mistake a gentlemanly act as an affront to your womanhood. Men are confused these days as how to treat women without being chastised.”

You reap what you sow.

I know men whose small courtesies have been rudely rebuffed by some ungrateful chippy woman who thinks she’s striking a blow for feminism, and I don’t blame them for feeling resentful.

If you are told every day that you are inferior, at best a nuisance and at worst a violent sexual predator just because you have a penis, you’re hardly going to keep turning the other cheek.

In any case, why shouldn’t it have been an able-bodied woman who stood up for a pregnant Karlie. The whole point of chivalry is as an extension of good manners, kindness and courtesy to those who are weaker, and there’s no reason why women shouldn’t practice what they preach.