Everything is too big and too tall for me. Ladders? Too tall. LP 104s? Too heavy. And too long. “Unisex” wetsuits, masks, fins? Sized and shaped for men.
I make it work, but it’s frustrating navigating a sport where the “default” gear and procedures were all really designed with men in mind. I really appreciate the many wonderful men I dive with who DO get that, and who both appreciate the strengths that come with me being a smaller woman (gotta love that ~ .27 SAC rate!!) but also are willing to help navigate the bits that don’t work for me (that ladder at Buford? NEVER gonna happen in doubles, crawling through the swamp it is!).
It’s encouraging to have you ask, bc you can’t know what you don’t experience and don’t see. For instance, the regular advice about BP/W being more comfy - I’m sure for men they are! But there are lots of ladies who are just squished up top by a standard harness; a women’s back-inflate BC is often a better choice for them, bc the straps and start placement are designed with breasts in mind. Same with buoyancy; I find when working with new women divers that standard advice on buoyancy and trim really doesn’t take into account women’s different body shapes.
Finally, what I find most depressing… while many (most!) men in the sport are lovely, I also regularly run into enough men divers who either ignore me, are rude to me, or leer/creep/make crude comments, that I am reluctant to dive with men I don’t know (or who someone hasn’t vouched for). That makes me sad! I’m sure I’ve missed out on some fantastic dive buddies, but it’s just not worth the risk of being alone in the backwoods of Florida with a stranger I can’t a hundred percent trust to be decent with me. I’ve rarely if ever had those issues diving with other women.
For instance, the fill station dude who always ignores me unless I’m with a male dive buddy (or one of the other men customers steps in). The much (much) older man who spent a whole specialty class making rude and sexist comments to me until the instructor stepped in and later apologized to for the other student’s behavior. The constant assumptions (in tech shops) that I’m an open water diver, and the assumption at dive resorts etc that I’m only doing it for my boyfriend (which would be quite a feat, as I’m very single lol). I could go on but I won’t. I’m sure those guys are assholes to other men too, but there’s something extra depressing in realizing that someone has reduced all of who you are to just… “being a girl,” and treating you differently because of it.
The flip side is that I’m really appreciative (and grateful!) for the many legitimately awesome guys I meet and get to dive with; they rock and I try to let them know it.
I make it work, but it’s frustrating navigating a sport where the “default” gear and procedures were all really designed with men in mind. I really appreciate the many wonderful men I dive with who DO get that, and who both appreciate the strengths that come with me being a smaller woman (gotta love that ~ .27 SAC rate!!) but also are willing to help navigate the bits that don’t work for me (that ladder at Buford? NEVER gonna happen in doubles, crawling through the swamp it is!).
It’s encouraging to have you ask, bc you can’t know what you don’t experience and don’t see. For instance, the regular advice about BP/W being more comfy - I’m sure for men they are! But there are lots of ladies who are just squished up top by a standard harness; a women’s back-inflate BC is often a better choice for them, bc the straps and start placement are designed with breasts in mind. Same with buoyancy; I find when working with new women divers that standard advice on buoyancy and trim really doesn’t take into account women’s different body shapes.
Finally, what I find most depressing… while many (most!) men in the sport are lovely, I also regularly run into enough men divers who either ignore me, are rude to me, or leer/creep/make crude comments, that I am reluctant to dive with men I don’t know (or who someone hasn’t vouched for). That makes me sad! I’m sure I’ve missed out on some fantastic dive buddies, but it’s just not worth the risk of being alone in the backwoods of Florida with a stranger I can’t a hundred percent trust to be decent with me. I’ve rarely if ever had those issues diving with other women.
For instance, the fill station dude who always ignores me unless I’m with a male dive buddy (or one of the other men customers steps in). The much (much) older man who spent a whole specialty class making rude and sexist comments to me until the instructor stepped in and later apologized to for the other student’s behavior. The constant assumptions (in tech shops) that I’m an open water diver, and the assumption at dive resorts etc that I’m only doing it for my boyfriend (which would be quite a feat, as I’m very single lol). I could go on but I won’t. I’m sure those guys are assholes to other men too, but there’s something extra depressing in realizing that someone has reduced all of who you are to just… “being a girl,” and treating you differently because of it.
The flip side is that I’m really appreciative (and grateful!) for the many legitimately awesome guys I meet and get to dive with; they rock and I try to let them know it.
