"When I first came to the House of Commons and walked out into the lobby, men sprang to their feet. I asked them to sit down since I'd come to walk around. I didn't want them doing me favours"

Agnes Macphail's quote offers a peek into her experience as a pioneering female political leader in a male-dominated political arena. Macphail was the first lady elected to the Canadian House of Commons, an amazing accomplishment given the social norms of the early 20th century. Her quote catches the tension in between standard gender roles and her desire for equality and regard without unique treatment.

"When I initially came to your home of Commons and went out into the lobby, men sprang to their feet". This opening section highlights a customary practice of men showing respect to ladies by standing when they get in a space, a gesture showing both politeness and a recognition of gender standards of the time. In the context of Macphail's newfound political position, this action could have been packed with both genuine regard and an undercurrent of condescension, as if to highlight her unique, practically unique, presence as a female in such areas.

Her action, "I asked to sit down since I 'd come to walk", highlights Macphail's intent to be dealt with equally, not as a specific in requirement of purchasing from gestures. She was not interested in disrupting the workplace with procedures that distinguished her based upon gender. Instead, she sought to walk freely and engage with her environments on equivalent footing with her male equivalents.

"I didn't want them doing me favours" is a clear expression of her desire for authentic equality. Macphail's statement shows her resistance to any kind of unique treatment that may lessen her authority or expert capacity. By declining favoritism, she asserted her identity as a qualified and equivalent member of the parliament, efficient in performing her tasks without the requirement for difference based on gender.

In this quote, Macphail not only asserts her individual convictions but likewise challenges the wider social structures, promoting for a future where women are met with equal respect and treated as coworkers rather than abnormalities in political spheres.