I spent the summer of 1987 in Spain (wangled a volunteer position as a camp counselor just outside Madrid). I'd been in Rome for Spring semester, and much as I adore Rome, it was a relief to cross the Spanish border where men were more respectful of women than they were in any other Mediterranean country I'd visited (in France & Italy, a woman literally could not sit in a train car unmolested). I believed at the time it was because Spanish men were more noble, but. . .perhaps another thesis asserts itself now?
In Italy, any time a train was overcrowded, the attitude was "first-come, first-serve" and tough toodles for you, Handicapped Grandma without-a-seat: chivalry is dead. It therefore left an indelible impression on me when I crossed the Spanish border on an overbooked overnight train. An elderly gentleman in my car had been assigned the same seat I was in; I stood for him, but this impressively cool-looking Spanish dude insisted I take his seat, and he stood --ram-rod straight and impassive-- outside the seating area all night long, just staring out the window. Once during the night I got up to walk and stretch my legs just to let him sit, but he would not take my seat as long as I was standing there --I had to leave his sight, and the instant I returned he jumped right back up again. That was my introduction to the Spanish national trait, "Orgullo." Literally it means pride, but you can see what it means to the Spanish from my anecdote: it's pride mingled with nobility. The Spanish pride themselves on their strong will. (I not only give up my seat, I refuse to recognize I had any need to sit down).
I witnessed many momentos orgullosos that Summer. Therefore I would never have guessed the Spanish would be so quick to capitulate to the same-sex marriage movement.
