While doing research on integrity, I stumbled across a 104 year old essay by a John MacLaren that answered the question, "What is a Gentleman?"  It's wonderfully written, so click on the link if you're interested. 

Mr. MacLaren's essay prompted me to put on this public site the reason why I chose the title "First Gentleman."  Initially, when people asked me what they should call me I said, "call me Dan," and that remains my preferred moniker.  But after being asked repeatedly, I decided if a title was in order, why not call me "the first gentleman."  I chose this title for a few reasons.  First, other male spouses had already claimed the fun names: first hunk, first dude, and first coach.  Seriously, I learned from my Irish grandmother's repeated instructions, that gentleman meant something, and most important it meant that you showed respect to ladies, and a special fidelity to your lady.  I am proud and humbled to serve my wife.  As "first lady" connotes a respect for her husband and her governor, it seems like "first gentleman" is an appropriate mirror image that conveys respect to the leader of the state.  Second, I chose the title with the thought that it might help to inject this word back into our vocabulary.  I think all men should strive to be "gentlemen," a word, and perhaps therefore a style, that has unfortunately lost meaning in our culture.  We have lost appreciation for the humility and civility that the word connotes.  So, I see the title as something I try to earn every day, by showing respect to my elders, love for my wife, kindness to children.  Mr. MacLaren says it so much better than I.  I hope you'll read his thoughts -- more potent today than at the outset of the 20th century.  

- Daniel Granholm Mulhern
- First Gentleman