Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20

Thread: Why are scuba chix ridiculed/not taken seriously by guys?

  1. #1
    Registered Users
    State
    Suffering from Nitrogen Withdrawal
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    313

    Default Why are scuba chix ridiculed/not taken seriously by guys?

    When walking into a DS for the first time, I'm always greeted by a sales pitch for Discover Scuba and/or the current OW Special Promotion. Then I get the "You don't look like a diver." [What does a diver look like anyways?]

    I am always required to show my log book to the DM in charge and he makes some stupid comment on how I can't have possibly dove recently or regularly because I'm not tanned enough.

    Just wondering if any other scuba chix out there have problems with this?
    Last edited by littleleemur; 12-02-2007 at 07:26 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered Users Sarah's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,398

    Default

    LL, it must be human nature.....

    The attached photo is part of an ad campaign from a technical dive equipment manufacturer. It has resulted in quite some controversy, as I have heard women divers being quite upset with the ad, with them suggesting that it was some oil boobed half-naked bimbo. The guys seemed to be quite fine with it.

    Turns out she is not only a diver, a rebreather diver, but a rebreather instructor, so it was women who weren't taking her seriously. The ad campaign has worked perfect for the woman who owns the dive equipment manufacturer, and it must have amused her that it was primarily other women who didn't take the model seriously.

    We have women here who are highly educated and trained in diving...we just had a new woman member sign up the other day who is GUE trained and she was writing about some tech diving stuff that made me want to say; "Yeah, what she said!"

    I am going to guess that the few people don't take women too seriously don't do so out of outright malice anymore then if you saw a 300 lb guy who told you he was a manicurist you wouldn't suspect such.

    The few times guys have treated me like a ditz I just asked them if they favor Haldean algorithms or variable permeability bubble models for deco and regardless of their answer, reply with "but what about soft tissue compartments"....turn a potential negative situation into mischief that is fun and worthy of a good story and laugh for all.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #3
    Registered Users
    State
    Suffering from Nitrogen Withdrawal
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    313

    Default

    Hehe...good one!

    Nice Ad. It's kinda like the Anna Kournakova thing. She's good, but it's mainly women who diss her.

    I guess I'm just annoyed that I can't just pop into a dive shop when I travel and sign up for a charter without going thru it all and in the end still get stuck on the beginner boat for some stupid reason. Maybe it's just a cold water thing.

  4. #4
    Registered Users Daddy-h2O's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    288

    Default

    I am man. I can change, if I have too.

    I find it interesting that you find men who treat you like you don't want to be treated. The truth is that for now it is a "Man's sport". Not correct but that is how it is preceived. So you know that I am with you in this is by stating that both my wife and duaghter dive. There is no disbelief when I say I dive, but they are surprized that my wife also dives, and completely off gaurd when they learn about my daughter.

    As more women enter the sport and begin to own shops, lead trips, and generally become more recognized in the industry, then it will change.

    At least this is the truth as I see it.
    "I have a cunning plan..."

    http://www.eoara.org/Home.html

  5. #5
    Registered Users
    State
    Suffering from Nitrogen Withdrawal
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    313

    Default

    Daddy-h20:
    It's more the case where I want to dive a certain wreck or a certain profile and only a few DS have charters going out: so I check out the shop to find that is it a Bastion of Machoism. So it comes down to do I just bear with it to do the dives I want, or go to another DS on the opposit side of town? As I'm often traveling alone and trying to squeeze in a few dives, sometimes going to that other DS isn't an option if I want to get any diving done. It just that the BS is getting really old.

    You're right in saying that more women are diving now, but that's still mostly in warmer waters. However, there's more gear for women & more sizes now; it was only a few years ago that I had to get custom or special order from the US directly through the manfacturer as no LDS would special order a women's anything even if I paid for restocking.

    Thanks for listening to my rant.

  6. #6
    Registered Users Daddy-h2O's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    288

    Default

    No problem, and again I am tossingh ouit pc for the sake of the truth. I hate to say it but, yes you will either need to deal with the BS or not dive. I will go out on a limb and say that if you stick it out and do the dive you will eventually win their respect. This is also assuming that you dive with the same group over the course of time.

    I wish you the best of luck. We don't dive alot of deep wrecks of caves or anything overly extreme but if you make it anywhere near us you are welcome to dive with us.
    "I have a cunning plan..."

    http://www.eoara.org/Home.html

  7. #7
    Master of Mask Mold seasnake's Avatar
    City
    Sydney
    State
    Nova Scotia
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    651

    Default

    Hey LL, we got lotsa lady divers out here on the east coast, b'y!

    An interesting observation that you make, and unfortunate. In theory we should all be happy if we were all treated like that because it might mean that the dive operator is actually concerned about our safety and not just our money. But if it seems "gender specific" I can imagine that's not too pleasant.

    But seriously, out here in Nova Scotia we have lots of female divers doing diving that many would consider pretty hardcore. I don't think it is as much of an issue here.

  8. #8
    Master of Mask Mold seasnake's Avatar
    City
    Sydney
    State
    Nova Scotia
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    651

    Default

    I just realized I'm in the ScubaChix forum . . . is that legal??

  9. #9
    Registered Users Chantelle's Avatar
    City
    Ottawa
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    143

    Default

    I dive with quite a few fellas that are very highly skilled and trained tech divers. I am very lucky that I have such mentors to dive with and work on skills with, including my SO. There are some in our little "community" (for lack of a better term), that think I'm just some girl, trying to fit in with the big boys. I'm really not trying to fit in with the big boys, I'm just trying to improve my skill level, and be able to do the bigger dives. I'm the first to admit I'm on the learning curve, and do not claim to know things that I do not. I do, however, seem to have to work twice as hard for some to realize, "hey.. yanno...she's not so bad afterall..."..lol.. I really don't pay attention to what people say about me being a "chick" heading in the tech direction, I just keep my head down, do my drills, and be a safe diver.

    Ok... I was going to type, "Be all that you can be," but that sounded too much like an army commercial.

    Safe and happy dives

  10. #10
    Registered Users
    State
    Suffering from Nitrogen Withdrawal
    Country
    Canada
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    313

    Default

    Most of this is when I'm traveling and go to a new DS, but sometimes home is wierd too.

    Chantelle:
    My "home" group is very similar, but I too feel that I have to do twice as much to get taken seriously or even accepted/tolerated. Most think I'm just a self-propelling spare air bottle underwater. I always get the feeling that I've intruded into a guys club and although they don't say it, it's like "why don't you go hang with the rest of the wives over THERE".

    Seasnake:
    So what are the RE prices and when is a good time to move there? Kidding aside, when is the best time to go diving? & where can I more info?

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •