Women in Diving

[BubbleBlower1]

Wow !

It's GREAT to see a web site for women - Finally!
I assume your site is not located in the States.
But find, it a wonderful idea and forum for women to be able to speck openly about the many issues we as the female divers have. In a "sport" in which males out number the females!
Don't get me wroung - I love the males (married one myself ;D. But as a fromer "Dive shop owner" in the
Northwestern United States. I've learned we (females) have
alot of questions that can not be answered by the male counterpart. And have not been given a forum in which this questions can be answered in a comfortable forum.
I give you a 10 Thumbs up. (assuming you can use my 2 thumbs and eight fingers as a total 10 up).

Good Luck - BubbleBlower

[Dive Bunnie]

Hey Bubble Blower!

Welcome aboard, how fantastic to get such great feedback.

You are right I personally am based in the UK, however that has very little bearing on the web, and it is great to have such an international community building up here.

I hope that the board proves interesting and helpful, and look forward to welcoming you back.

[BubbleBlowerAgain]

DB-

It seems that I have had a very negitive response to my posting of Oct 13th.
It seems to be viewed as a statement of the "huge difference between men and women". It is not my
desire then, nor ever my desire to give such the impression!
I must therefore apologize for the miss understanding I have caused to your forum!
While diving when pregnant should not be done and issues of diving during menstruation should be a topic of discussion for women. My comments of women being unlike the men and unable to speck openly were in regrads to questions of comfort. For example many females students have asked
what should I use during my menstruation? If I use a ----
then could I get a air bubble? If I use a ---- , I'm in a wet suit. Would it get icky! These are questions women have, yet many times go unspoken.
Prehaps I have unwilling placed myself in the "outdated and potentially frustrating" cataloguer. This agian was not my desire!
Issues of proper fitting / comfortable equipment made for the female diver are the issues of my concern for myself, my students, former customers, and new-be divers to come.
How many of your members have purchased ill-fitting
equipment? A BCD, that fall's off the shoulder, or shift's to one side during a dive? Boots that are to big, but told
" wear some socks, you'll be ok" ?...
I do not wish to state men are better then women, nor women better then men. One dose not make the other a better diver, nor human being.
I have educated many divers of both sex.
In Rec diving and on Navy base.
I again apologize to you and your forum!

[Deep Diver]

Hello - to all of you!
Let me tell you all a bit about myself -
I'm a PADI, NAUI, SSI, and TDI Instuctor in the states.
I have been given your web site by my Instuctor.
Her hope and wish for me was to be introduced into a womens forum as a female diver.
This is not to say anything, to the negitive!
So - let me tell you all a story -
My husband and I enrolled in a open water class, I must say I was very uncomfortable at this. My husband loved the class, I did not, I hated mask cleaning. The water was up my nose, and I choked each time I tried to clear my mask. ( I was in a pool under 4 feet of water and I'm 5'7, so really how much water was over my head). Now as I look back - I' am a instuctor and my husband is a DiveMaster/ Master Diver.
I have watched many divers from my time as a Open Water diver in the late 1990's to the person I am today.
I have veiwed your forum today - and I must say ,
Thank you for putting the forum out there!
And also must say Bubble Blower is a person that believes in diving and her hope is to make people ask questions. Like me and not only me , fellow divemasters, master divers, search / rescue divers .Have all been given classes paid for by BB. What's out there? Whats under there? B B said to me once
" to know what I am is to be, the life around me, Because I love what I see, and within the sea I swim , I float, and I'am happy there!"

[Dive Bunnie]

Hey Bubble Blower and Deep Diver,

Firstly I would like to welcome you to the forum DD, great to have you with us.

Secondly I would like to reassure you BB that I for one did not take any of your comments in a negative light at all, and am a little concerned to hear that you have received anything other than positive feedback.
It would be foolish to pretend that there were no differences between men and women at all. Whilst we have equal rights and should accordingly receive equal respect, your average male does differ physically to your average female. And in diving, it is simply wise to acknowledge that some of these differences can have an impact. Much of the time we are merely talking about potential issues, however it is something to bear in mind. And to raise this subject should certainly not be berated.

You have noted some valid points BB, which is essentially one of the main reasons that Dive Bunnie was started.

I hope that has reassured you all, and look forward to seeing this thread develop.

Despite the fact that this forum is aimed at women anyway, I feel that this thread deserves its own category, so you will now see a "Women in Diving" heading in our main forum page. Please feel free to add your thoughts there.