Miss Raquel doesn't understand context...

[Daenerys]

A quote from her latest post on 'how to be a lady'...

· Possesses a gentle and quiet spirit.

· Respects her elders and the men in her life.

· Focuses on what is being told her.

· Never denies something offered by a gentleman (unless offered assistance is unnecessary)

Not really sure how this fits in with the man in the park this morning who offered to show me his penis... Raquel doesn't define what makes a gentleman, so I guess this means any guy goes!?

[FJismyheadship]

you should totally ask her that.

[Daenerys]

you should totally ask her that.

She'd never answer though... only positive comments are allowed!

[holierthanyou]

"Hi Miss Raquel, I'd like to offer you a night of horny animal sex in my dirty basement apartment"

"Oh, well I'm a lady, so I'll take anything you're offering, kind sir"

[synchroswimr]

She did leave herself an escape clause: if the assistance is unnecessary

[FJismyheadship]

She'd never answer though... only positive comments are allowed!

Dear Miss Raquel,

You are so awesome!!! So are ALL men gentlemen? OF COURSE you know everything. But this one guy said something pervy to me. So because you are so wise and all knowing you are OBVIOUSLY the only person I could POSSIBLY ask!

There. Play to her ego.

[Anise]

Obviously, she has never read Gone with the Wind in which Scarlett explains that her mother taught her that ladies never accept any gift from a man unless it were flowers.

[OohLaLa]

Good god, the first thing this makes me think of is the first chapter of The Gift of Fear. It talks about a young woman who dropped her bag of groceries while walking up the steps to her apartment. A man was coming up behind her and picked up her groceries and INSISTED on walking them up with her and helping deliver them inside her apartment, despite her discomfort and repeated assurance that she was fine. He was so adamant on helping her though, that she let him, thinking he was just trying to be overly nice, even though something didn't feel right. Once in her apartment, he raped her and would have killed her had she not escaped.

I guess if my refusing help from a "gentleman" makes me an evil feminazi, that's just too bad.

[Dinorah]

Good god, the first thing this makes me think of is the first chapter of The Gift of Fear. It talks about a young woman who dropped her bag of groceries while walking up the steps to her apartment. A man was coming up behind her and picked up her groceries and INSISTED on walking them up with her and helping deliver them inside her apartment, despite her discomfort and repeated assurance that she was fine. He was so adamant on helping her though, that she let him, thinking he was just trying to be overly nice, even though something didn't feel right. Once in her apartment, he raped her and would have killed her had she not escaped.

I guess if my refusing help from a "gentleman" makes me an evil feminazi, that's just too bad.

Right. Once I was dragging a heavy suitcase in a train station, and a random guy asked me if he could carry it. I said "No, thanks, I can manage." He might have wanted to do the gentlemanly thing, but then he might have wanted to steal my suitcase.

[JesusFightClub]

Good god, the first thing this makes me think of is the first chapter of The Gift of Fear. It talks about a young woman who dropped her bag of groceries while walking up the steps to her apartment. A man was coming up behind her and picked up her groceries and INSISTED on walking them up with her and helping deliver them inside her apartment, despite her discomfort and repeated assurance that she was fine. He was so adamant on helping her though, that she let him, thinking he was just trying to be overly nice, even though something didn't feel right. Once in her apartment, he raped her and would have killed her had she not escaped.

I guess if my refusing help from a "gentleman" makes me an evil feminazi, that's just too bad.

I ALWAYS remember that story. It scared the living shite out of me. I could instantly relate it to so many incidents in my life where I got in trouble for not listening to my gut.

[lilwriter85]

I read The Gift of Fear a couple of years ago and I do remember that story. A relative of mine who works in law enforcement in California went to a presentation Gavin did back in the late 90's. He said that Gavin is a very good speaker and used a lot of examples of knowing when someone is up to no good despite them acting nice. I tend to always listen to my instincts in certain situations. The only time I would accept help from a gentleman is in certain public places.

Miss Raquel is a bit sheltered from a lot of things and there are some dangerous things she probably doesn't think about. The kids she hangs out with are basically kids who are raised like her. I think Miss Raquel would refuse help from certain types of men out in public. I can't see her taking help from a guy with tattoos up and down his arms.

[Hane]

She's definitely sheltered. Just read her "review" of The Hunger Games: she LOVES the character Effie Trinkett, apparently finding her funny and whimsical--when in fact Effie's job is to usher innocent teenagers to their deaths to entertain a decadent society. How anyone could NOT get this puzzles me. (I tried to post this fact on her blog, but I seem to have been blocked.)

[Swamptribe]

Actually, as far as the rules of etiquette and decorum are concerned, Scarlett's Momma is right, and Ms. Raquel is way wrong. A lady does not accept gifts from a man unless they are married or engaged. There are also strict rules governing circumstances such as a gentleman assisting a lady out of a carriage.

[hyperactress23]

I think Miss Raquel would refuse help from certain types of men out in public. I can't see her taking help from a guy with tattoos up and down his arms.

You have to look at how she would define "gentleman". Not all men would be considered "gentlemen", and I'm guessing that her definition of it has something to do with men who are raised like her brothers and act like her brothers. In the same line of "not all women are ladies" (like the ones who dress "inappropriately" or have sex with men who *gasp!* aren't their husbands and such), not all men are gentlemen.