Damas Primero

Women First.  We’ve heard it enough, but it’s mostly just a saying in the U.S.  And, more often than not, it’s said in sarcasm when the men don’t want to be first.  Nothing is further from the truth here in Mexico.  I think it’s great, but it takes some getting used to.  

At the bus stop, every time, without fail, the men ALWAYS wait for the women to get on first.  Even if the woman is at the back of the line, they ALWAYS step aside and let her get on first.  Now, when I say always, I don’t mean that every man always does it, but that 99.9% of them do.  After experiencing this at the bus stop, I watched how they interacted on the next bus stops, to see if it was just me or just that bus stop.  Of those I watched, 100% let the women on first and then the men get on.  

I find this fascinating, though I’m not sure why.  Maybe cause it’s such a universally accepted “to-do” here?  Whereas in the U.S. you’re lucky if 50% of the men do that.  The same holds true for opening of doors, moving furniture, etc.  I’m so used to doing it myself or just being polite and letting others go first if I’m not in front, that it always catches me off guard when the men insist that I go first or that they open my door.  It’ll take some getting used to.