Women Only in Women Only? Poll

[Dafydd]

Originally posted by divedude
I voted let men in.... But if it's women only, then maybe only women should be the ones to start a thread
If a man wants to start a thread go some were else.

Just a man's idea

I'm the man that started this thread. If we are allowed in then let us IN. No halves about it. A woman posed the question in an other thread but did not get the result. No data to form an answer. So I set up this poll. It's just the way it is...

 

[scubaskcubrat]

I voted that I have no opinion but then I read some of the posts and it just made me think that this was an opening for a lot of fighting. Everyone knows guys wil always want in and so what? It's not like we're excuded from anywhere. And if they can come in and look let them start threads as well, look what it did here. I do agree they should specify if they are men though as sometimes women need a womans opinion.:tree:

 

[Espinosa]

it kind of reminds me of "ladies night" at the local watering hole. there usually ends up being a 3 to 1 male to female ratio. hmmm ladies night ehh???

or seeing the red and blue lights on the freeway. you just can't help but look.

 

[Kat]

I like the idea of a womens area & when I first checked it out, was surprised that there were men. I think the category should be renamed. Instead of Women Only it should be called Womens Issues. Women Only is misleading. Everyone is welcome but the topics are specifically female related.

 

[JessicaDodge]

I voted that men should be allowed in because as one guy posted, some women just aren't computer literate and yet they dive... why should the fact that they can't run a computer keep them from learning from other women divers. The men can come in and ask questions for their wives/girlfriends, or pass on advice from other questions. I also agree that men (and women) should state that they are men (or women) when they post if it isn't obvious from their name. Just my 2 cents worth...

Jessica

 

[Wordmonger]

It's not about how many women you've seen naked during your high school days in Germany, or whether your wife doesn't want to use a forum in her off-hours. It's about the fact that in this culture and in this sport, men have a great deal of power and privledge. It cannot be an accident that women were not taught to dive for many, many years because the sport was "too strenuous" or that BCs for women are a recent addition to the equipment. I have seen many, many, many posts that are beyond offensive from men about the size of women's breasts (we won't even go into some of the adolescent terminology used for breasts), the size of women in general, the amount of weight women dive with, and whether or not some mid-sized man would be able to save a large woman -- nevermind that there are some very large men divers, but no comment about whether he could/would be "saving" a big male diver. All the forums except this one are wide open to and for the most part dominated by men. Why is it that men feel the need to come into this one small area? If they want to come and read to share the information with their wives, girlfriends, etc. Fine. But why the need to post and to post repeatedly and at such length about topics that they really don't have a lot to enlighten women about? Do you believe that we are somehow unable to provide information about BCs, about weights, about breasts to each other? If there should be some issue that is of general interest, say ear issues or the composition of wetsuits, why not simply assume that women will seek out that information in one of the other areas? Believe me, we're smart enough and capable to become divers, we've got the resources to afford the sport, we have the capacity to find information on general topics. As to topics germaine to being a woman diver --- I want to hear from other women divers.

 

[divemistress]

my opinion has vacillated from "men don't belong on a 'women only' board" to "many men have a lot to contribute".

but look at reality: men, as a gender, tend to dominate conversations. it doesn't matter whether they do it deliberately -- they simply control the space around themselves and their companions, beginning in early adolescence and continuing into adulthood.

as a result, many women, myself included, feel they need a safe place where they can ask questions and share their opinions without risking aggression, put-downs or ridicule.

a "women only" board need not divide men and women, if the women aren't using it to attack men. but it can unify the women who contribute around their shared interests, problems and goals.

edited 7/25 to add another point: also, if female divers are interested in answers from both men and women -- as opposed to women only -- there there are at least half a dozen other forums here where they can solicit these opinions -- ie, equipment, new divers, etc. etc. etc. ....there is no denying that many men posting on this forum have a great deal to contribute. the question is whether this is the best place for them to contribute.

 

[finstotheleft]

I think it's great if men want to check out the 'women's only section'.

I am a new diver, just got certified. I was trained by a great group of men....but they were men. I didn't really feel comfortable asking them the 'feminine' questions, and wasn't sure if they would even have an answer for me if I did ask!

This is a good way for male instructors to find answers to questions that their female students will be asking. It's a good way to break the ice for men and women on a topic that we both should know about.

Furthermore, it could be attributed to being a good buddy. What should a male diver know, if anything, about his female buddy? Let's face it, men and women are physically different. I want my buddy to know as much about me as possible, and that includes what problems my period may cause on a dive, if any.

So guys, if you can handle all the PMS Playtex Tampax "on the rag" talk...go for it! We're all adults here....and maybe you'll meet a woman diver one day who may be impressed at your savvy knowlege of women divers....hehehe

 

[JessicaDodge]

Divemistress, I do agree with your points but tend to disagree that we should post womens questions elsewhere. Here guys that read the posts know what they are getting into. On the other forums some of the subjects may be to personal for general reading. Men on this forum know that it is going to be personal and want to read it. Some other men may not.


Jessica

 

[divemistress]

Hi Jessica,

I completely agree with you about keeping the personal questions here. I probably didn't make myself clear about my suggestion that some posts could go elsewhere.

For example, a woman might ask an equipment question -- what BCD, what wetsuit -- on the appropriate equipment board, if she were interested in getting answers from women and from men about their or their women friends' experience. But if she's looking for a response from women, particularly, then she needs a place like this board.

I don't mean to niggle this discussion to death ))

Judy