Friday, October 24, 2008

When in Rome?....

Don't get me wrong, I'm a pretty firm believer in "When in Rome, do as the Romans do," but I'm also a firm believer in, and there's no quote for this, not apologizing for who you are (or the country that raised you) when you are elsewhere. For example, I spend quite a bit of time down here with a man who always attempts to take my hand as I get out of his car. Granted, it's a small two-door, and it would be difficult for anyone to get out of the back gracefully, but I have never actually needed help. Honestly, if I did need to grab something/someone, the open door would be a more stable choice. For a while, I said gracias and took his hand, but after a while that got really annoying (if either of us should be helping the other one get up, it should be me helping him), so I just said thanksbutnothanks and didn't take his hand. Apparently he found this quite rude, and thought I was being unappreciative and uncourtious. When the subject came up last night, we had an hour-long argument about it (I'm not normally so pugnacious...especially in another language...must have been the rum talking...). I (ever-practical), tried to tell him that I just didn't need help, but this argument totally didn't fly. (For better or worse, I am of the school of thought that if you want or need something, accept it, if you don't want or need something, don't accept it. If I'm not thirsty, is it really being rude to the host to turn down a glass of water? Maybe I'm just not very good at picking up on how people expect me to behave in certain situations. Whatever.) Anyway, he insisted that taking his hand was the courtious thing to do, and not taking it was rude. Now, if he offered his hand to everyone squeezing themselves out of the backseat of his two-door, that would be another issue. But it only gets offered to girls. Even girls who clearly don't need help, and, in fact, could probably break him in two with one swift roundhouse kick. Then, as the argument continued, the hand-offering was framed in the setting of "Latin culture," along with door-holding, etc. Hence, I was advised to do as the Romans do (ok, they don't reference the Romans in the expression in Spanish, but the message is the same). However, being the practical, independent, American female that I am, I took offense at the idea that because (and only because) I was female, I was a fragile flower (literally, those words were used). I mean, I'm not trying to be rude, and I appreciate gestures of hospitality and help, but where is the line drawn between adapting to local culture and compromising your beliefs and values to silently accept something you find offensive? Granted, it wouldn't kill me to take his hand, but having this argument with him (and kind of with another man, who piped in from time to time) really irked me. Am I being unreasonable? Should I just defer to the whole women-are-fragile-flowers-and-need-men's-help position? Am I being a rude gringa by sticking to my American guns? (and decidedly un-girly guns, at that.) Argh.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

You will have to date American men only, then :)
We will have a discussion when you get back: I have too many thoughts to put them all in writing. We'll have men and women participate in the discussion :)

You are a fragile flower to a man from outside but you are stone-strong (if I may say so) within. They know it. Men would all die without women. They just need ways to express their emotions/show their "manliness" :)

Anyway, please don't offend Latin men, just be polite in explaining your views :)

Enjoy the attention

Natalie Dennen said...

I have to agree with Galina there, Lizzie. Sorry. I don't think he's trying to offend you or in anyway imply you are fragile or inferior. Perhaps that notion is the origin of such gestures, but today offering a hand or holding the door for a woman are polite (albeit somewhat antiquated) manners left over from a different era. Some women would think it rude to not have a hand offered. I agree that sometimes it can take you by surprise or become awkward, but unless it is accompanied by a remark like, "Let me help you out of the car. I don't want you to strain your delicate flower-like frame," It is probably being offered as a polite custom, especially from an older gentleman.

It goes without saying that I love your boldness and free-thought and expression, but in this case I have a different opinion.

Keep these stories coming, because regardless of whether or not I agree, they are very entertaining and if I can't hang out with you at least I can read about your adventures.

Pale Blue Dot Blog said...

ok, ok, you're both right (a.u.)...sigh...
I will try to be more polite...