I like to think mama raised me right, and I’ve been called a gentleman a lot, and it makes me rather happy. But as has been pointed out, it all stems from general courtesy. Opening car doors is just as important to me as opening the door to a building for someone, and often times, guy friends look at me funny when I open their car door before mine. And I’ve dated a couple girls who actually got angry with me for opening doors and such. Still, it didn’t stop me from being courteous.
Some of the little etiquet things are rather silly. For example, did you know it’s proper gentlemanly code to open the door and allow the lady threw the door first if you’re entering a building, but the man’s supposed to exit the building before the lady? Why? I don’t know. I think it has something to do with “inhospitable conditions” outside…if there’s something nasty going on, you get to act as a scout and take the blunt of it, then “protect” the lady.
A lot of the stuff is all good, but as has been pointed out, just rather awkward. I’ll pull out chairs sometimes, but oftentimes the girl just thinks I’m pulling out my own chair and sits in another one. Standing up when they leave is another one that comes and goes, depending on the situation. But overal, it’s the courtesy that matters, so as long as one manages to keep that up, the rest falls into place.