Is chivalry dead these days, or does it live on under another name?
The younger generation is not tied to the traditional norms of how men and women should act towards each other.
FATIHAH PIRDAUS25 Feb 2025 02:00pm
Who needs chivalry when women can do everything themselves in 2025? Photo: Canva
Now here's the million-dollar question: is chivalry dead amongst the young generation today?
And how can we explore their perspective of courtesy especially compared to how the previous generation expressed it?
TODAY'S YOUTH IS A DIFFERENT BREED
Of course it would be ridiculous for us to be able to measure the 'gentleman meter' of today's Gen Z males just by looking at how they treat their girlfriends, because chivalry is not only about love.
It is also about how they treat the people around them, no matter within their close circle or at their workplace.
Forbes revealed that a study by ResumeBuilder found that 31 per cent of surveyed managers avoid hiring Gen Z graduates due to their attitudes.
Hiring department managers mentioned that many youths fail to dress appropriately, do not make good eye contact, have bad communication skills and do not seem very interested or engaged.
Unfortunately, it is an ice-cold truth for Millennials that Gen Z have relatively very different views on how they should dress and behave.
They strive to do what they believe is right and most of the time, it means doing the exact opposite of what their managers want them to do.
Suffice to say that their chivalry at their workplace is at an all-time low, no?
THE EFFECT OF WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
Social media has also enhanced women's empowerment by providing the younger generation with a platform to create awareness and express their viewpoints openly.
Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram were also key to mobilising supporters and coordinating demonstrations, as seen during recent movements such as the #MeToo demonstrations, and protests for reproductive rights in countries like Argentina and Poland.
Indian sociologist Dr Mohammad Habib wrote: "Social media has shown to be an powerful device for raising public attention of [women's] rights issues, inspiring protests in cities across the globe, in addition to inspiring [lawmakers] to increase their pledges to gender equity."
Through this platform, women meet each other and form a strong connection which unites them against the idea of gender discrimination in various aspects of life, including the workplace, healthcare, and social interactions.
Who needs chivalry when women can do everything themselves in 2025?
REVERSING THE GENDER ROLES
Another respectable trait of the younger generation is that they are not tied to the traditional norms of how men and women should act towards each other.
They are very open and happy to reverse the common roles; these days, women can take the initiative to bring their partner out for dates and pay for the bills.
In conclusion, while traditional notions of chivalry may seem less relevant to them, this generation is more open to redefining what it means to be courteous and respectful.
For Gen Z, chivalry is not confined to specific behaviors tied to gender; instead, it is about mutual respect and support, allowing both men and women to express care and compassion in their own ways.
Isn't that something from which we can all take a lesson or two?
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