IT’S an incontrovertible truth that The Golden Girls is one of the greatest sitcoms ever made. A program ahead of its time, it was hilarious, warm, critically acclaimed and hugely popular while tackling some of the time’s most controversial issues.

Its women were fine role models; far superior to the Sex and the City gang that so shamelessly borrowed from the GG playbook.

Dorothy, Rose, Sophia and Blanche taught us all we needed to know about life, love, friendship and cheesecake. My favourite, Blanche Devereaux, flawlessly portrayed by Rue McClanahan, remains an enduring example of sass with substance and I thought of her last week as I read about the decline in manners and civility.

The South Australian Government had to remind public transport users to be “courteous and considerate” after a heavily pregnant woman was forced to stand during a recent train trip.

Mathilda Grist found that even those in “priority seats”, meant for the elderly and expectant mothers, were unwilling to move for her.

“How can an obviously pregnant woman get on a train with no spare seats and not be offered one by any of the passengers?’’ Ms Grist said. “The people sitting down around me would have clearly seen me.”

Well, yes, she is 30 weeks pregnant, so there is no issue of her condition being misconstrued. But her experience is hardly isolated, with many other women coming forward to share their stories about ill-mannered commuters. One expectant woman said she was forced to sit on the floor on a steamy 38C day because no one was willing to budge from their seats.

The lack of manners those women experienced made me think of Blanche and a line in the last season of The Golden Girls where she explains to a suitor: “I don’t want to be treated like your equal. No! I want to be treated much better than you.”

That should be the ideal all women strive for in life. It’s not only pregnant woman who deserve to be treated with all due deference.

The requirement for equal pay and opportunity shouldn’t spell the death of gallantry.

That said, standing up for a pregnant woman hardly counts as an act of chivalry; it should be a societal expectation, the type of common courtesy one expects in a civilised population, and the women who failed to offer these expectant mothers a seat are as ill-mannered as the males.

But it’s sad that so many modern men fail to grasp the importance of good manners. Too many seem frightened to open doors or offer seats lest they be seen as old fashioned. Of course, some have had a harrowing experience with an angry feminist who’s growled at them for what they consider an act of “benevolent sexism”, but that’s not much of an excuse to stop doing the right thing. A truly chivalrous man would not be so easily deterred.

AS a woman I am as capable, independent and empowered as any man, but that doesn’t mean I want to be treated like one. Being equals doesn’t mean we are the same. Do women truly want to be equal in every way? The simplistic equality-by-numbers approach fails to acknowledge that women, not all women but most, often have vastly different priorities from men.

Being truly equal means fighting in the front lines and being treated as an abnormal, ambitionless layabout for choosing to stay at home to raise children. As Facebook’s chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg wrote in her best-selling book, Lean In: “A truly equal world would be one where women ran half our countries and companies and men ran half our homes.” Is that really what most women want?

Being equal in every way means most of the women on the Titanic would’ve drowned in the icy waters of the North Atlantic; instead 75 per cent of the women survived while more than 75 per cent of the men perished. The men stood back and let the women and children board the lifeboats first. A British newspaper decrying the death of chivalry claims that it sank with the Titanic where “an age of chivalry, honour and men of all classes trying to behave like gentlemen” was replaced by an “every man for himself” mentality.

They may be right; contrast the Titanic with what occurred when Costa Concordia foundered off Isola del Giglio in 2012. Men literally pushed women and children aside in an effort to save their own skin. If that is progress then you can shove it where the sun don’t shine.

I don’t consider a man opening the door, offering me his jacket if I’m cold or helping me with a heavy bag to be condescending or subjugating. It isn’t an admission that I’m inferior or superior; it’s merely an acknowledgment that we are inherently different.

Likewise, a man paying for dinner doesn’t mean I’m obliged to be extra friendly; it’s just a courtesy that should be common practice. Of course, good manners dictates that the woman offers to pay or split the bill but a truly chivalrous man wouldn’t hear of such a thing.

Chivalrous men are not only thoughtful but they are naturally protective; I recall Terri Irwin talking about her late husband, Steve, and how he would always walk ahead of her down a narrow spiral staircase so if she tripped, he would be there to cushion the fall.

That’s chivalry and there aren’t too many sensible women who don’t appreciate it.

Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist. Twitter @Ritapanahi