Most people would directly say ‘yes’ to this. However, when you bring the whole ‘equality for women’ thing into the frame, it gets a little confusing. Equality, by definition,  is not just when it comes to good things but also stands for the times when you have to be on the suffering end.

Of course, chivalry is never out of fashion and it is very respectful on a man’s part to vacate a seat but if a woman is healthy and strong as a horse, its not justified on her part to demand a seat in the first place, some of my friends say.

Men often ask, would any woman ever vacate a seat for an ailing man travelling with her and should the man then accept the seat? What about chivalry then? So is it all relative? Vacating a seat for elderly, of course, makes sense; but doing so for fit and fine girls, not really. There’s nothing chivalrous in it. Though I’ve seen a lot of girls vacating their seats for elderly people. That’s always nice to see as boys are the only one’s always expected to do so.

Allowing an elderly woman a seat is fine – she needs it more than us. Asking my mom to sit in my place, yes, I would do that. Just like I would do for any other elderly lady. And it will not be because she is a woman. The *GENDER* will not be the fulcrum of my discretion here. It will be *AGE*. I would do so even for my father, a male. Also for my elder brother/uncle/grandfather (all males, in case you did not get where I was heading). So that’s that.

However, when it comes to my sister, if she is elder to me, then well, the case above again. If she is younger, then I’d probably let her sit, not because she is a female, but because of sheer colloquialism > as I would do for any of my friend (male/female, mind you).

If it is an elderly/pregnant/capably challenged person, it is anyone’s moral obligation to do the necessary. But why should a guy get trouble himself for a woman as fit as P.T.Usha when he won’t do it for another man?? And if he does not do so, why should he be judged??

But obviously a man is judged when he refuses to part with his hard-fought seat on a Delhi metro, for a woman’s comfort. So what about gender equality? Half of the time ladies keep on demanding equal rights, gender etc.; and when it comes to getting a seat they act like they are the weaker sex. Why not choose between gender-equality and chivalry?

I am sure, no self respecting woman would ever want to avail anything on the basis of her gender. It is ‘need’ that should be the basis of such decisions. But what about being a gentleman?

If only life were as clear and distinctive as mathematics and we would not be capped with such moral issues. As of now, it seems the answer to the entire argument is a relative one. While some people choose to act on moral principals, others do so on practical judgements. And all of them are right as far as anyone’s need is not overlooked for someone else’s selfish comfort.