Stroll through any major urban city in the world, whether it is Tokyo, New York, or New Orleans, and you are bound to notice a version of the same, repetitive sign posted above chic nightclubs: BEFORE 11PM - GUYS PAY $20 COVER, LADIES FREE! This concept comes hand in hand with women expecting that men hold open doors and purchase drinks for them. The most astounding aspect of this phenomenon is that the same American woman who expects the door out of her office building at the end of the work day be held for her will go on to complain about receiving a significantly lower average salary than males working the same position as her in the United States year after year. I am all for women’s rights and progress, a strong proponent I should say. That being said, ladies, it’s time to pick a side. Either pay for your own appletinis and watch your salaries rise, or have your doors held and never climb out of this unequal, sexist world. There are two types of people in the world: those stuck in the past, and those ready to advance.

The question of how chivalry began is an interesting one. Traditionally, women in society were exploited: they couldn’t vote, had few opportunities in life, and even further back were only considered worthy for their childbearing abilities. Yet, this idea that men should treat women with a heightened level of respect has always seemed to exist. Throughout history, men have customarily had to ask a woman’s father if he could take his daughters hand in marriage. Even in the modern day, the whole attitude towards sexuality and dating is that the man is always chasing the woman. How were these cultural practices put into place?

The women’s rights movement, particularly in the United States, has reached a new peak. Each year, more and more women are attending colleges, earning degrees, and working jobs that were traditionally male dominated such as lawyers, accountants, and CEO’s. We even had a female democrat almost win the primaries for the presidency. This is a positive movement, as men and women are proven to have the same brain capacity as one another. Should we support this movement, and we should, chivalry must not be eliminated. Instead, chivalry must be extended to both sexes. Men and women should pay the same price to enter nightclubs, buy drinks, and hold the door for one another. You never know how far the movement could go; you might even see women proposing to their future husbands!

Regardless of if men and women ever truly become equal in each and every way, women must give up some of their assumed societal roles in order to gain a true and equal footing in the world. Without doing so, yes, the margaritas will continue to dominate the male tab, but so will the high salaries, prominent political positions, and successful business careers.