I watched Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg, on the Daily Show the other day, promoting her new book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.  I haven’t read the book yet but it’s on my to-do list (among a million other things) That interview was one of the most quotable interviews I’ve watched in a while. These are just two that I wrote down:

“The blunt truth is, men still rule the world and I’m not sure that’s going that well.”

“Rather than call our little girls bossy, we should say, ‘My daughter has executive leadership skills.'”

I loved these. I have strong views when it comes to women’s rights and equality in the workplace AND the home place, for that matter. I am a feminist to the core and don’t like my livelihood, happiness or the number of shoes I own dependent on a man. (I once worked with a guy who made his stay-at-home wife throw out a pair of shoes every time she bought a new pair. true story!!)  There is NOTHING men do that women can’t do and I tell my son and daughter this often. However, I do appreciate a gentleman and hope my son can grow up to respect women for all their worth, while at the same time offering up his seat, holding the door open, or helping a woman struggling with something heavy.

I do see and feel the challenges women face trying to “do it all”, though. It’s hard asserting yourself in this world while balancing the softer side that women naturally possess and desire to give to our children and husbands. Based on recent comments I’ve exchanged with men on the topic, apparently they’re just as confused as women on our modern roles. Even claiming “chivalry is dead and women killed it” Perhaps it’s time we readdress the definition of chivalry and women’s expectations. How about we all just start holding the door open for each other because it’s the nice thing to do?