Germany

Modern German society shows little deference to women, not even to old ladies, who are invariably surprised though seemingly pleased when a man holds the door open for them at a department store or supermarket. Naturally most educated people can be as polite as, say the British.
A more general lack of manners on the streets is not due to rudeness but rather shyness; it certainly has nothing to do with gender equality: Germany remains a profoundly chauvinistic society, a cultural legacy.

Even though Germans grudgingly voted in a female chancellor in 2005, the personnel policies of the country’s major corporations see to it that women are kept in their place, which is definitely not the boardroom. Many claim that women are not qualified enough, others approve of positive action to raise presence. Whatever the reason, the facts speak for themselves, movement is excruciatingly slow.

Yet deep-rooted patriarchy seems also to exclude younger males in comparison to many other countries. Under fifty members of cabinet have recently faced a barfage of verbal attacks and character smears by aged and respected members of society and the media.