Revolving Door Etiquette

Some think the man should precede the woman furnishing the motive power, while she follows idly in the next compartment. Others hold that the rule “Ladies first” can have no exception…

The following chapter is from the book is entitled “Concerning Revolving Doors.” Listen to a bit of it: 

There has been some discussion of late as to the etiquette of the revolving door. When a man accompanied by a woman is about to be revolved in it, which should go first? Some think the man should precede the woman furnishing the motive power, while she follows idly in the next compartment. Others hold that the rule “Ladies first” can have no exception, therefore the man must stand aside and let the female of his species do the rough work of starting the door’s revolution, while the man, coming after, keeps it going and stops it at the right moment.

 “Starting something” is perhaps of all pastimes in the world, the most popular with the sex we are accustomed to call the gentle sex; one might almost say that “Starting something” is woman’s prerogative; on the other hand there is nothing on earth so abhorrent to that same gentle sex as the thing called Consistency; and though she may be perfectly charmed to start a revolution in South America, or in silk pajamas, or suffrage, or the rearing of children, it does not follow that she will take kindly to the idea of starting the revolution of a revolving door. – La Jolla Light, 1923

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia