Men Posting in the Women's Views Forum--good or bad??

[spectrum]

As an occasional intruder I'd like to offer a few observations .....

Not every diving spouse is an active ScubaBoard Member. I have come to the womans forum looking for advice in helping my wife dealing with dive issues. Likewise, in watching the forum for info that may be useful to my wife I have seen posts that we can respond to based on my wife's experience. Do any of those objectives fall outside of the objectives of the forum?

People post serious questions in the general forums and frequently a bit of levity will sprout that side tracks the thread for a period. Usually it will meander back to the original posters need.

If a post is so intimate that you feel uncomfortable having men see it then I assure you there is no forum that will be secure regardless of access restrictions.

I see the womans forum as a focal point. If I have a female specific question to ask on behalf of my wife I know that women interested in helping women frequent that forum and it will get visibility, especially since it's a slower moving thread list.

Speaking outside of my personal situation I think it would be a disservice to women to make it an opt-in forum. Many would never notice it, fewer would bother and less good would result.

That's how I see it.

Pete

 

[DiverBeth]

I do not think we should close off the women's forum from men. It gets to me too when they hijack a thread. :furious: But depending on the exact topic (as strange as it may seem ) you occasionally get a good comment or question from one of the men. Items that are posted under Women's Forum should say so on the right side of the new post pages so more people would might notice that it's a women's topic. I would also ask the men try to be more respectful. If there was a men's forum I would have no problem with that.

 

[Mauifish]

I think my whole point is kind of like in the DIR forum or Solo forum. If I ask a question about DIR-- I don't want to read 10 pages of DIR people are jerks. Please just tell me why you use a long hose. If I ask question in the Solo forum, I don't want 10 pages of people telling me I have no business going solo. If I ask a question in the women's view forum for women’s view-- I would expect people who find the thread to know that they are in the women's view forum.

As for opting in, that is easy enough and it is required for participation in other forums here on SB: single, solo, dir, surface interval forums--no one approves you, you just click and join and then you are in. I have never understood why I had to click to join the surface interval, but I wanted to participate and so I clicked and joined.

So why is it necessary when a women wants to ask a question specifically in the women’s view section to open the section to men? If she wants to ask the question in the general population she can. But is she chooses what she thinks is a women’s views forum--- should she not expect the answers to come from mostly women rather than mostly men? If the answers are coming from mostly men—why not call it the women asking men forum?

Just where is this going? Are we now going to have a womens only forum? Then comes a mens only forum? A then a ---- forum? Come on dear woman, I like SB the way it is, and I believe the majority of all SB participants {both genders} do also.
I also joined a single divers forum to find out that it is not a dating or realy even a singles forum but more of a buisness promo for the person that started it.
I prefer to leave a good thing the way it is. Good for all.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

I see the womans forum as a focal point. If I have a female specific question to ask on behalf of my wife I know that women interested in helping women frequent that forum and it will get visibility, especially since it's a slower moving thread list.

Speaking outside of my personal situation I think it would be a disservice to women to make it an opt-in forum. Many would never notice it, fewer would bother and less good would result.

I hope you aren't saying that people are can find how to opt into DIR, Solo, Surface Interval, and Singles, but women would not be able to find how to opt in to the women's forum? Why do opt ins for work those?

And if you as a man wanted to opt in and ask questions for your wife, I think that would be fine. But why do men have to answer questions that women clearly want other women to answer? If the men jump on board and aswer for the women, one might argue it limits womens participation becuase the men already answered and there it no need to repeat it.

 

[annasea]

I just discovered this thread and read it rather quickly, but I think I got the gist of it...

Leah, I agree that you asked a legitimate question... what the value of a Women's Views forum is if men are posting in it.

Like Bill, I rarely look to see what forum a thread is in; I hit New Posts and base my readings on thread titles only. If I'm really interested in following a thread, I make a mental note of what forum it's in so I can easily find it the next time without sifting through 6 pages of new posts.

Since I think a lot of people read the board this way, I don't see much benefit in editing the forum title on the right side. I think the best option would be to make the Women's Views forum opt in... same as the Singles forum. Were SB to try this, I think you'd cut down on a lot of the wisecracks that currently go on in the Women's forum.

Also, if the Women's forum was opt in, I think there may be more participation from women. I'm not shy about asking or discussing menstruation, but there may be plenty of women out there who are. If the Women's forum was less accessible to the general populace, they may feel more comfortable participating.

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

Just where is this going? Are we now going to have a womens only forum? Then comes a mens only forum? A then a ---- forum? Come on dear woman, I like SB the way it is, and I believe the majority of all SB participants {both genders} do also.

We already have a women's view forum. You just posted in it!!! We already have a DIR forum. We already have a solo diver forum and many other specific forums. I was just saying if they put up a men's views forum I would not be offended. And I would stay clear of the pee valve and condom cath chats that they men already have out in the open. You have some gal ask a question about diving at that time of the month or diving after having a child and 10 men tell her their view.

 

[D_B]

just have to comment ..

I hope you aren't saying that people are can find how to opt into DIR, Solo, Surface Interval, and Singles, but women would not be able to find how to opt in to the women's forum? Why do opt ins for work those?

Speaking outside of my personal situation I think it would be a disservice to women to make it an opt-in forum. Many would never notice it, fewer would bother and less good would result.

I think that this is a simple and true statment, no need to read between the lines

 

[Boat Chick]

I'm not a frequent poster, and frankly, I had no idea there was a Women's Forum. I happened on this thread because I view by most recent posts/threads. The breadcrumb at the top does show it is the Women's Forum, however, a tag on the right, or red font at the top (like "the last post to this thread was X months ago") indicating you were in the Women's Forum sounds like a good idea. There are instances when I would like to get other women divers views on a topic, issue, gear, etc., and I would like a place to ask these questions without irrelevent comments about women's bodies and body parts. I am by no means a prude, but there is a time and a place if you want to "go there."

I just read the Salvo thread, and I assume that most of the men posting had no idea they were in the Women's Forum....but if it were me that had posted the original post, I would have been pretty frustrated by some of the comments made. So a more apperant visual to let folks know you are in the Women's Forum isn't a bad idea.

 

[D_B]

Since I think a lot of people read the board this way, I don't see much benefit in editing the forum title on the right side. I think the best option would be to make the Women's Views forum opt in... same as the Singles forum. Were SB to try this, I think you'd cut down on a lot of the wisecracks that currently go on in the Women's forum.

Also, if the Women's forum was opt in, I think there may be more participation from women. I'm not shy about asking or discussing menstruation, but there may be plenty of women out there who are. If the Women's forum was less accessible to the general populace, they may feel more comfortable participating.

Good points
.. I think I'll just leave now .. I can see this is in much more capable hands than mine

 

[Mauifish]

Good points
.. I think I'll just leave now .. I can see this is in much more capable hands than mine

Ditto for me friend