Wow, what great first responses. I agree about the pee valve... also about the suits both wet and dry. Let me give you a few of my experiences over the years.
Like I said I was certified when it was a huge men's sport, so when I was went on dive trips I was treated like one of the guys...kind of...I actually didn't mind. I felt accepted to a point. I have no problem with handling my own gear, tanks, etc. I did notice that when the "guys" wanted to do "guy things" and wanted to discuss similar things (no not just sex...stuff in general), I was either left out of the conversation while standing or sitting right there, or they felt they had to make "special compensations" for me because I was a woman. Buy the way, I can discuss football with the best of them...I love it (that was one of the topics I was kinda left out on, though I tried to intervene, it was like yeah, right but I think that is just a "guy" thing...lol).
Gene, very interesting reading, but I found it amazing how old these studies are and the majority of studies done are about women's menstrual cycles, effects on pregnancy. I did also like the few articles on effects of DCS on men and women (but these were divemasters), and that the difference of "deepest dive first" is safer, does not differ between men and women, but once again, these tend to be older (greater than 5 years).
Maybe its time for a study of the increase of women in the sport of diving (as well as techinical) Gosh...this could just open pandora's box. A study on the psychology of the women diver, maybe a study on the effectiveness on not being able to pee comfortable in a dry suit (Mazlows Hierarchy...being able to pee is one of them).
I totally agree with the patience of women in diving. I dive with both men and women and have a tendency to see that the women are more detail oriented,. I do notice that when I have a female dive buddy, we are more interested in taking our time and enjoying the "macro" life underwater. We tend to study a small area much closer than men do, IMHO. There is a spot here on Bonaire that is in very shallow water, with large heads of coral, particulary fire coral that are teaming with life. I can spend forever on one head, just checking out everything. I have referred many divers to that area, and find that the men don't find it as interesting as the women do.
I do have to say one thing about the suits and and the pee-valve. No understand that this is just my humble opinion, and not any type of research or factoids, but maybe just maybe, the industry caters to the male divers as they are the dominant gender, and that the investment in making "women related" suits would be cost prohibitive as the number of females divers is not enough to cover the cost and expense of making female adaptive suits, also for the ones that are making the female suits and BCDs, are these being developed by men for women? Maybe the reason a wet suit that says it fits a size 14 actually fits a size 10 women.... or maybe why I have yet to find a comfortable fitting women's BCD....
Rakkis...I stand 5'8" tall and wear a size 12-14 clothing, and am body proportionate. Why is it that a women's size 14 wet suit doesn't fit me? I do however agree about the profitability standpoint, but maybe just maybe if they actually made the correct sizing for the average women, they may sell more suits. I had to go to a men's medium to get a 3.2 suit to fit, and it is still a little to big, and the small is a little to small!!!!! The water cushion really never warms up to my body tempature so I tend to stay cold...hey maybe that is why we ladies tend to get colder faster!!!!!! (remember no research or factoids).
Just venting....I'm going to keep up with this as it seems that in the late 80's early 90's when women starting to really emerge in the sport the studies where done...
Maybe development of a few more recent studies.
Liz
Right on, Piiki! 
