"Helpful" male dive buddies

[muteki]

I was recently on a dive boat and had the DM check my BCD without asking. I was a bit surprised, but he's new DM so thought that might explain it. During our surface interval we talked about our dive experiences, and after that he didn't seem to find the need to check my gear. Other than that, I've had absolutely zero issues or unsolicited 'help'. I'm extremely unfeminine, assertive and confident, and usually act more like a guy anyway, so maybe that changes guys' perception of me.

I don't think female divers are more careful, or guys are more ego-driven. I'm also logical, pragmatic, and not overly guided by emotion, so… yeah.

 

[kimbalabala]

I can't imagine watching someone put their reg on when the bungee is at the neck of the tank - or watching someone struggle as they put on their bc and the strap is turned inside out and just won't turn for them - or see that their cam band is about to fall off the top of their tank as they're stepping up for their giant stride - and SAYING NOTHING! It just seems like common courtesy to me. I'm going to continue to offer my version of "help" for as long as I'm diving, and if you are the poor victim (male or female) of my interference allow me to apologize in advance.

 

[sup]

I just got back from Cozumel and I was shocked at how little help men on the dive boats gave each other. I went by myself, and a few of the guys were helpful to me but not patronizing. One was patronizing, which is not to say he wasn't helpful because he was also that at times. Women were helpful as well, of course. But yeah, there is definitely a difference in the way men treat other men vs. the way they treat women on a dive boat. People would always offer to buddy with me and other unpaired women, but guys would never offer to buddy with each other, even when they were both buddy-less and had established such on the ride out. So the buddy-less men tended to dive alone unless they were buddied with a woman. We had brand new divers (people doing cert dives) on our boats a couple times, both men, and both seemed really comfortable for it being their first open water dive. Back on the boat, only the women commented at how comfortable they seemed and how they seemed to really be enjoying themselves and doing really well. I thought of this thread.

 

[Katiethescubalady]

Being the only female diver in a group that regularly went out after work for night and wreck dives, I never quite experienced that. Being a diver on a dive boat, I have experienced that. I set up my reg and BCD, and checked my pressure before securing my tank. As I'm putting on my wetsuit I watch one of my fellow divers (not even boat crew) going over my stuff. Not cool.
I turned and told him "no need to touch that, it's good I've already checked it thanks" He turned and asked me what my cert level was... I told him I was the instructor. He shut up pretty fast and stopped checking my regs.
You just gotta tell em to their face and they usually take a hint.

 

[nimoh]

Being the only female diver in a group that regularly went out after work for night and wreck dives, I never quite experienced that. Being a diver on a dive boat, I have experienced that. I set up my reg and BCD, and checked my pressure before securing my tank. As I'm putting on my wetsuit I watch one of my fellow divers (not even boat crew) going over my stuff. Not cool.
I turned and told him "no need to touch that, it's good I've already checked it thanks" He turned and asked me what my cert level was... I told him I was the instructor. He shut up pretty fast and stopped checking my regs.
You just gotta tell em to their face and they usually take a hint.

Sort of sad that you had to play the instructor card when "no need to touch that" is more than sufficient.

Maybe after that exchange you should have proceeded to check that his gear was properly assembled

 

[jeremyNZ]

Face it girls, diving is a tragic breeding ground for lnpw ot all superheroes. Dare I say ot, eapecially americans.

 

[DocVikingo]

From the May, 2014 issue of Undercurrent (www.undercurrent.org )

Are Some Male Divers Too “Helpful?”: Undercurrent 05/2014

Cheers,

DocVikingo
Feature Writer, Undercurrent

 

[ozzydamo]

The Bro Code: How Contemporary Culture Creates Sexist Men (trailer)

---------- Post added June 27th, 2014 at 09:32 PM ----------

I was recently on a dive boat and had the DM check my BCD without asking. I was a bit surprised, but he's new DM so thought that might explain it. During our surface interval we talked about our dive experiences, and after that he didn't seem to find the need to check my gear. Other than that, I've had absolutely zero issues or unsolicited 'help'. I'm extremely unfeminine, assertive and confident, and usually act more like a guy anyway, so maybe that changes guys' perception of me.

I don't think female divers are more careful, or guys are more ego-driven. I'm also logical, pragmatic, and not overly guided by emotion, so… yeah.

If you can't beat em' join em' hey?