oh, door holding. I've encountered much awkwardness with this since I moved in with two folks who are usually either on crutches or in a chair when said door is being held. well, forget the chair, there's nothing to talk about there, but door awkwardness with the female friend on crutches started almost immediately.

she picked me up at the train station and knew where she was going. I did not, and was carrying three pieces of luggage, so at one point in front of a large crowd of people she got the door for herself. the immediate response from a man right next to me was "pft, typical!" he couldn't possibly have had less respect for me. I became extremely self conscious about being sure to hold the door for her if at all possible in all circumstances. issue being...she didn't particularly care if the door was held, could manage just fine on her own, and I think she was actively annoyed if I went way out of my way to get it for her, though she was kind enough not to make a big deal out of it once she realized how uncomfortable I was.

I was sort of constantly wondering if I was being ableist and/or sexist by prioritizing other people's opinion of me (i.e. not having random strangers bitch at me like they know either of us), and it seemed generally somewhat selfish to put my desire to be seen as a door-getter over her preference for just-treat-me-like-anyone-else...but the embarrassment from that initial comment from an onlooker won out and I opened doors for her at every chance from then on.