Is there really such a thing as a Southern Gentleman?

Ahh, a Southern Gentleman: the Clyde to my Bonnie, the peanut butter to my jelly, the person that makes you the happiest that you can be. Boys, take notes.

The Southern Gentleman is a myth…or so I thought

Growing up in Houston, Texas, from an early age, I constantly heard people talk about a “Southern Gentleman”. At the time, I did not understand what people meant by this foreign term. I understood that we were in the South, but I had never interacted with any gentleman…until I got to high school. I went to an all-girls private school and right next door was an all-boys private school as well. I happened to meet my first boyfriend at that all-boys school. He was the true definition of a Southern Gentleman. He opened the door for me, paid for meals, and overall, just treated me nicely. He always made sure that I was the happiest that I could be. I was rarely unhappy. I realized that I had truly came across this “Southern Gentleman” that I had grown up hearing about.

So, what really is a Southern Gentleman?

To me, a Southern Gentleman is the same thing as a gentleman, except for, the man is from the South. It is someone who has the utmost respect for women. They will stick up for woman, treat women right, and constantly go out of their way to make sure their woman is happy. Examples of things a Southern Gentleman would do include but are not limited to: opening the door of a car for a woman, holding the door, complimenting them, and many more. So, in other words, the Southern Gentleman is basically any woman’s “prince charming”.

Do women like the Southern Gentleman approach or is it overrated?

After experiencing firsthand how a Southern Gentleman treats a lady, that is what I was looking for in all of my next relationships. I wanted someone who would treat me like my high school boyfriend had treated me. Attending college in Pennsylvania, I found that not many guys are gentleman and if you do happen to find that gentleman, it is rare.

I went on and asked some of my friends about Southern Gentlemen and got a lot of similar responses.

Gaby, Texas A&M University

“I think Southern Gentlemen exist. There are tons of them at A&M. They should open the door for a lady, give up their bus seat if she has to stand, pull out chairs for a girl when they sit at the table, and more. I think it is someone who treats women with respect. It exists because of how people are raised in the South. There are certain unwritten rules that people abide by. I’m grateful that I have a Southern Gentleman”

Ashley, University of Houston

“I believe there’s such a thing as a Southern Gentleman, just like Southern belles. However, when I hear Southern Gentleman, I think of a country boy who is very polite and a mama’s boy who knows how to treat women right. They are from the South, dress well, and have a great personality. They are most likely probably in a frat, go to LSU, Alabama, Ole Miss, Auburn…pretty much the SEC schools. They exist because of society. Society always wants to put a label on everything. For me, I would not want a Southern Gentleman. I like the fact that they treat you right, but based on my cultural background, I couldn’t relate.”

Casey, The University of Texas

“Southern Gentlemen do exist. It means a guy that is polite to women and who are seen as classy. Generally, they do all the nice things that women want from a guy in a relationship. At some point, I want a Southern Gentleman because I want someone who treats me right…However, I want to have fun right now.”

Stephanie, The University of Texas

“I believe Southern Gentlemen exist and I like the qualities of one, but there are not as many as there once used to be, especially growing up in the age of media and women wanting to be perceived as independent. I am one of these women who like to be independent and I do not want to depend on any man for my happiness. My thoughts and women who think like me has led to the idea of ‘corruption of men’. Men do not know how to act when it comes to women because I think there is a discrepancy between women wanting to be seen as equals but also treated with chivalry like paying for a date and opening doors. Ultimately to me, it’s the little things that matter. So, for me, I really do not believe in Southern Gentlemen”

Jennifer, The University of Houston

“When I attended my first college in the West, I was exposed to so many different types of guys –none of them were even close to what I would call a gentleman. When I transferred to the University of Houston, I came across many Southern Gentlemen. When I found the perfect man for me, I couldn’t help but think ‘Wow, Southern Gentlemen really do exist and I was lucky enough to find one’. My boyfriend is perfect. He does everything right. He has helped me become such a better person and makes me so happy. The one person that I thank for him is his mother because she is the one who taught him to be the man that he is today.”

Now, ask yourself:

Do you want a Southern Gentleman?