21/02/2026
A female surgery teacher and lessons in feminism and chivalry...
Last evening while entering OT, I saw a female intern pushing a door while one of my male residents walked out of it. Unused to such behaviour, I was quick to point out unchivalrousness of the act!! And then I made both of them walk behind the door and asked my male resident to open the door and let the lady walk out of it first. I could have ignored the incident but I chose to address it both for the benefit of my intern and the resident.
These days there is a lot of confusion about feminism and chivalry is slowly dying but a teacher can put things in perspective!
Feminism to me means a woman getting equal opportunity to study and work and when she joins work, she being paid equal to a man for same years of experience and same work.
Chivalry to me is something that I have grown with. It is the basic respect and courtesy that men show to women, not just those from their own family but to any women they encounter! And that is done because only a woman holds the power and capacity to create life and nurture it!
The most feminist and of course chivalrous people in my life have been male figures in my life - my grandfather, father, some of my colleagues and my mentors; making it difficult for me at later date to appreciate any man who lacked it !!! While at residency all surgeons carried equal responsibilites; even at work (not just outside!) doors were always opened for us, we were safely seen off to our hostels, told to let our money stay inside our purses by our seniors, who would actually get offended for real if we ever tried to pay!
As a woman surgery teacher, I would like to teach my students not just surgery, but chivalry and feminism too! Neither are both mutually exclusive nor does practising them make one less of a man! In fact it makes one, a more valued and a respected man!
I dedicate this to all the wonderful men who taught me feminism while being chivalrous all the time!
