“Walking on the Outside: A Tradition of Protection and Respect”

Ever since I was a child, I was taught that, as a man, you’re supposed to walk on the side closest to the street when walking with your woman. I’ve followed this pretty much my whole life. I also do this when walking with my child, my pet, or anyone I feel I need to protect.

I remember a few years back, I met up with a friend I hadn’t seen since grade school. We went out to grab a bite, and after dinner, we took a short walk to her place where I dropped her off and went home. As we walked, she noticed me shift to the outside and seemed genuinely surprised, saying, “Wow, you’re walking on the outside.” I smiled at her and said, “This is just how I am; it’s how I’ve always been.” I think she appreciated that.

In today’s world, some folks might take issue with this, but it’s just part of who I am. Most of the time, people don’t even notice, but I do it without fail. There’s a mix of reasons behind it. In my culture, they used to say that if you have your woman on the outside, she’s not really yours—you’re basically “offering” her, so to speak, for others to approach her. Having her on the inside symbolizes that she’s your partner, and she’s not available to others.

There are also practical reasons for this. When crossing the street, I always move to the side where the cars come from, so that if anyone is going to get hit, it’s me. I apply the same logic when walking on the sidewalk. So, when it comes to my Latino upbringing, I do it because of the way I was raised and the symbolic meaning. When it comes to safety, I do it to provide some sort of buffer for my loved ones.

What are your thoughts on this practice?