Being ready to tolerate abuse from women does not make me their doormat. It makes me a gentleman.
A 'gentleman' whose behaviour is guided by others is only play-acting; he is reading out his script, and will revert to nature the moment that script is interrupted by a real-life disturbance. A proper gentleman remains one irrespective of the vagaries of the external world. I was not born one; nobody is born one. One is taught by example, and, in my own sorry, thoroughly sordid case, by introspection on stupid things that he has done.