I happened to be dining at the Governor’s Mansion a few weeks ago …

Please forgive the pomposity contained in that opening statement. It’s entirely true, but not nearly as significant as one might think. Each year, journalists from points near and far in the Evergreen State gather in Olympia for a day of legislative updates and pitches from elected officials. The night concludes with a dinner hosted by Christine or Jay or whatever politico we voters have pushed to the top of the heap.

It’s an interesting day chalk full of hot air, interspersed with nuggets of relevance. But it was one isolated incident – a three-second act in a 12-hour day – that has me ruminating on the current state of gender-based affairs.

Dinner was about to start and Washington’s First Lady, Trudi Inslee, was being seated at a nearby table. Already planted in their chairs were a mix of ladies and gentlemen (giving more credit than is due, perhaps, to my journalistic cohorts). As Mrs. Inslee took her seat, one guest quickly stood while the rest remained in their chairs, clutching salad forks and glasses of in-state wine.

Which prompts a question that has been asked for several decades now. Is chivalry dead? Is it on cultural life support, waiting to be resuscitated? Or is it perhaps only wounded, hiding in the weeds and waiting to emerge?

The bigger question is, am I one of the few remaining fuddy-duddies who thought such an occasion deserved the utmost in manners? At least my view of mansion etiquette was shared by my unknown friend from Spokane. It’s no coincidence we’re both showing a bit of gray around the temples.

While giving thought to the perceived social faux pas, I hit the Internet to see what the great thinkers of our day have to say on the subject. I must admit to being surprised.

Much of the online content followed a common thread – that women initiated a cultural revolution to gain equal rights, so now they can open their own car doors.

In another camp are those who belittle traditional manners as nothing but continued male smugness. They argue it’s condescending if a man defers to a woman at any time, in any place, for any reason.

Spending far too many minutes considering the social, political and seemingly-sexual consequences of a simple, random act has done nothing but cause even more confusion. Am I a relic of days-gone-by courtesy or a well-intentioned chauvinist?

All I know is this. If you’re the First Lady of our great state and are about to be seated at my table, I’m going to stand; if you are trailing me as we head to the grocery store, I’ll step aside and hold the door for you.

And as for you guys out there, you’re on your own.