Dating advice: How to treat a lady

As The Temptations and Cornelius Brothers with Sister Rose proclaimed, you gotta “Treat her like a lady.” Listen up fellas: there’s been a big misunderstanding over the years that just because women want equal rights and pay, they also want to be treated like a man. Not true. No matter how liberated we may be, simple gentlemanly acts make us feel like respected ladies.

Try out these simple tips to make your woman smile and prove chivalry is not dead.

Open the door

Unfortunately, this tradition got lost through the decades, and it’s rarely seen these days outside of the South and from guys whose “mamas raised ‘em right.” It’s easier than you think, but it will take practice. Here’s your door checklist: elevators, restaurant, stores and cars. P.S. You should also be doing this for elderly and pregnant ladies, and moms with strollers.

Pull out the chair

The mark of a fine gentleman indeed and commonly seen in business lunch scenarios. It’s time to translate that to the relationship, guys. When you arrive at the restaurant, pull out her chair, and each and every time she gets up, get off your bum with her. Don’t worry, that bite of food will wait, and this simple act will win you major points in the love department.

Offer your arm

Ladies like to wear the heels (sometimes tortuously high), and you might ask yourself, “Why?!” That’s not your concern. Lend your lady an arm like a gentleman, and let her lean on you, and snuggle up when it’s chilly. She’ll adore you for it.

Talk like a gentleman

There’s no need for potty mouth and crass curse words around a lady. Why? Because you are intelligent enough to have a bigger vocabulary and you respect the art of conversation, right? Also, try using words like “beautiful,” “ravishing,” and “gorgeous,” instead of overly sexualized terms like “hot” or “sexy.” It shows you look at her as a whole being, instead of just a collection of body parts.

Get off your phone

Nearing the top of the disrespectful list is looking at your social media, texts or emails when your woman is talking. (That works in reverse too, ladies.) Let her know that her life and her opinions matter, and pay attention, or at the very least pretend to. Check your phone when she’s off to the bathroom, and when she gets back, put it down right then, not five minutes later.

Don’t treat her like your buds

She’s not a guy, and by nature she doesn’t love to talk about swimsuit models or think bodily noises and obscene humor is funny. In other words, farts and poop jokes aren’t hilarious. Keep that bizarre humor and T&A talk with your fella friends.

Stand up for your lady

If someone has the audacity to disrespect that fine lady of yours, stand up for her. Don’t make the mistake of calling your woman over-emotional or melodramatic. If it matters to her, it should matter to you. Defending a woman’s honor is called chivalry and is the job of a gentleman. It doesn’t get more old school than that.