Stop insisting women exit elevators first

I’m a woman, and I need men to understand this.

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When you insist I exit the elevator first, especially at night, it doesn’t feel polite. It feels unsafe. If you walk out behind me, I don’t know if you’re following me or just going the same way. Suddenly I’m hyper-aware of footsteps, distance, timing, direction.

When a man exits first, it signals safety. It gives me space. It tells me I’m not being followed. That is far more considerate than outdated etiquette.

Sometimes the respectful thing is not tradition. It’s awareness.

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