LGBTQ Divers?

[fjpatrum]

I googled for some of these..

I found something for black divers, single divers and christian divers. I did not immediately recognize anything for irish, white (or aryan), bi-polar, dyslexic, muslim, married, divorced or widowed divers. Admittedly, I did not look hard.

I think the context of many people's lack of understanding is dive clubs which identify themselves based on sexual orientation, right?

Personally, I don't care one way or another if there is such a club or whatever. I also don't care about whether the club wants to have an event that invites its members only or invites only a specific type of person.

I wasn't actually talking about dive clubs related to specific minorities. I was definitely getting a bit askew of the original point of this thread so if that was indeed your point, it's been taken. As for "gay" dive clubs I've not seen one yet that required you to state your sexuality anywhere on a membership application. Every "gay" club or place I've ever been associated with was "straight friendly" as long as you didn't have a beef with gay people being gay. The few dive clubs I've talked with don't even focus on the gay so much except in name only. It's not like it's a topic of conversation at club meetings and such, as far as I can tell.

 

[sffrenchman]

Our LGBT dive club in the SF Bay Area welcomes everyone, we actually do have a significant number of straight members. It is not a question of only diving with other LGBT divers, it is a question of diving in an environment where everyone feels comfortable being who they are. It does not mean that we only dive with our members, but sometimes it is fun to do things within one's community, and you may end up finding "the one". When it comes to minorities, you have to think about history to understand the need for community-based activities. Remember that LGBTs were harassed by the police in New York city and revolted in 1969. LGBTs are still harassed by law enforcement in some places in the US. A gay cruise was not allowed to dock in the Cayman Islands in 1998. Sodomy between consenting adult males was criminalized in Texas until the Supreme Court decision in 2003. So we are talking about very recent changes in society and you can't blame us for wanting to spend some time among ourselves once in a while (and with accepting straight friends).

I find your "didn't rub your nose in it" comment very telling. It is OK to be gay as long as you don't show it? Well, you are exactly making the point for having a LGBT club. I want to be able to show it, I want to be able to kiss/hug my husband if I want to (like straight people do), I want to be able to hold his hand if I want to (like straight people do), without having to deal with disapproval from others.

Cheers

 

[Hoomi]

Sodomy between consenting adult males was criminalized in Texas until the Supreme Court decision in 2003.

Not to detract from the point, but in many states up to that time, various sexual activities between consenting straight couples - including married couples - was also criminal per the law books. I've always found it a bit odd and presumptuous that the state would create more restrictive rules about private, intimate, behavior, than the Bible that they claimed as the basis for their restrictions.

Yes, indeed, in many states and communities, Bill Clinton could have been brought up on criminal charges for his behavior with Monica Lewinsky - not because he was married or the President, but just because of the act they indulged in. He could have been brought up on the same charges if he'd engaged in the same act with his wife in the privacy of their own bedroom (though how anyone would have known about it, is probably the only reason more couples weren't charged with these "criminal acts").

 

[BVickery]

Not to detract from the point, but in many states up to that time, various sexual activities between consenting straight couples - including married couples - was also criminal per the law books. I've always found it a bit odd and presumptuous that the state would create more restrictive rules about private, intimate, behavior, than the Bible that they claimed as the basis for their restrictions.

Yes, indeed, in many states and communities, Bill Clinton could have been brought up on criminal charges for his behavior with Monica Lewinsky - not because he was married or the President, but just because of the act they indulged in. He could have been brought up on the same charges if he'd engaged in the same act with his wife in the privacy of their own bedroom (though how anyone would have known about it, is probably the only reason more couples weren't charged with these "criminal acts").

In some states a cop could walk up and look into the bedroom to make sure it wasn't happening. It sucks we have such a regressive culture when it comes to sex. But at least we have grown past Victorian England where they had curtains around table legs because they felt the sight of a bared wooden table leg would cause a man to lose all control, and well, want to put on some Barry White and do some things with it.

 

[covediver]

The thread is wandering. :focus: Back to the OPs question.
FWIW, I have a friend in SoCal who dives with this dive club.
Barnacle Busters Scuba Club - ABOUT US

Thank you, this thread was beginning to wander.
People organize to dive clubs for any number of reasons besides just getting wet. I have seen dive clubs organized on the basis of race, religion, scout groups, colleges, workplace and any other number of characteristics that obstensively have nothing what so ever to do with diving. But a shared trait can put members at ease and make for greater community and cohesion in the group. Why should a club based on sexual orientation be any more or any less surprising than a club based on any other factor?

Lots of folks join dive clubs to find buddies because they have no one else to dive with. being an unaccompanied stranger on a dive can be a stressful experience given the aversion and derision to "instabuddies" that are exhibited on this board by my many responders. And while sexual orientation is usually not apparent, I have been on boats where statements have made that would convey a certain hostility towards those with a different sexual orientation; where it exists it adds to a stress level. So why not eliminate that problem with a club?

 

[Hoomi]

Maybe what we really need are more dive clubs devoted to the idea that every diver is welcome, and so long as they're not breaking any laws or doing others any harm (real harm, not just, "You're harming my sensibilities with your behavior that doesn't line up with my standards"), it's all fine. Where you can bring your SO dive buddy along, and no one cares if you plant a big, wet one on them after a dive. Where, if you mention talking with a friend at church last week, someone from a different church or belief doesn't take that as an invitation to initiate a heated discussion on differences in beliefs or philosophies. Where the guy with the McCain bumper sticker and the guy with the Obama bumper sticker can leave the bumper stickers in the parking lot, and enjoy the common ground of being divers for the duration of the trip.

Silly idea, I know, but as humans, there are so many things that we choose to be offended by, or to fight about, that - in the grand scheme of things - are of little lasting importance. Maybe if we focused more on being awestruck by the beauty beneath the surface, we'd have less idle brainwaves to be offended by petty things above the surface.

 

[abies]

I just wanted to say thanks for all the posts helping me understand why someone would want a LGBT dive club. Makes sense to me.

 

[jmasin]

Silly idea, I know, but as humans, there are so many things that we choose to be offended by, or to fight about, that - in the grand scheme of things - are of little lasting importance. Maybe if we focused more on being awestruck by the beauty beneath the surface, we'd have less idle brainwaves to be offended by petty things above the surface.

Well said.

I'm late to this thread, read it, have a slightly greater understanding of why someone would want a specific club to go along with a certain orientation etc., but in general I'm more surprised by the fact that people out there, in general, are so easily offended by what others are doing/do with their lives (not the people in this thread, I mean general public)

I guess I'm lucky, progressive... whatever. My Grandparents, may the rest in peace, were a bit prejudiced racially and otherwise. I love them, but they lived in a different era. My parents much, much less so (if at all) and I not at all.

My industry is one with such amazing racial diversity that you couldn't get through a day if you had any prejudices. I'm sure there are some among us who have some issues, but in general everyone is here to work with their counterparts, and their race, and any other orientation matters not. I think I get spoiled a bit and think that everyone in this world is as "evolved" as those I'm surrounded by day in and day out.

 

[ccx2]

Hi!

i've just been wondering who else is around. I am in Massachusetts, and it would be great to get a group of LGBTQ divers together for some dives. If anyone else is from a different area, and has an active LGBTQ dive club, I'd like to know your experiences. Do you do weekly dives, charters, etc?



Sheesh...Haven't Gays ,Homosexuals,Queers,Lesbiens ,whatever they are being called this month been trying to be accepted by society since forever and now that they basically are you want to start a separate but equal club? Why not just join a club ,don't advertise that you are gay,just as others don't advertise that they are heterosexual ? Why bring sex into it at all? Isn't that what you all have wanted all along ,to be accepted as you are?

 

[wrybosome]

It's telling how few people responded to the thread with anything like 'I'm gay/bi/queer and it would be fun to get a group together'. With the exception of a few posters on the board SB is a pretty tolerant environment. With 100,000+ members I suppose 5000+ must be some variety of queer, and the reluctance to post it here tells me that a LGBT dive club would probably be a fun thing for them once in a while. Having a place where you can just be you and not have incorrect assumptions made would be a welcome relief for a lot of people.