Well I figured this was just to close to quickly becoming the ugly monster that I have worked hard to prevent so before it goes any further let me clear up some issues.
Some of you will understand and agree with me and we have even had a few that didn't at first but have seen the error in their ways and have since repented, lol. There may be a few that don't agree with me but that's ok too, as you can't be perfect all the time and sooner or later you'll see the light as well.
I took a lot of heat during the first opening of this section of the forums and every now and again I catch some more for the "allowing men to post and participate" in the "Women's Section". But give me just a minute and I will share with you all a piece of how my gears spin upstairs as I often seem to confuse people with my position. There is actually an important reason I will be mentioning the following so here it goes ...
I'll first start off by saying I am not, in any way shape or form, supportive or sensitive of the "Women's Libbers" movements out there. They have done more to make me try to hate women than they'll ever know. My wife and I are not equal, as she is not equal to me, she is different (whew, and thank God for that eh? hehe). Additionally I think it does a great disservice to all women when those loud mouth bull dogs open their trap and start huffing and puffing. And lastly, my mother was no less of a woman because she
wanted and
chose to "stay home and raise her children" instead of shipping them off to the "sitters" for no other reason other than just so that she could assert her
right to be a "Career Business Woman". As a matter of fact, I think she was all the more a "Real Woman" for having the control she did and for her ability to maintain the order she had. As us children grew older she went even further and opened and ran her own business from home and at times brought in more money than my step father did as a successful owner of an electrical contracting company. No matter how inferior those "Libbers" ever say I am saying they are just because I open the door for them, I will never stop opening the door for them!!! One last mention before I get off the top step of the soap box ... My outward display of such mannerisms is not reserved for just women. First and foremost I would say its towards my elders, and extends right on down to just "the other guy". All people have the right to do as best fits them, no one is better than anyone else, period.
Now, why did I feel that I needed to mention all that? Well, this is an industry that has participants from both genders yet has little to offer as far as variations or attention to details that would cater to the differences between those genders. I feel that such a forum, as this one where women can discuss those concerns, should remain open to all participants of diving to further promote advancements and attention to those details as needed. There is a lack of attention to the details within this industry and that doesn't just impair those female divers but also their male diving partners. It also slows the growth and profitability of those working within the diving industry. It still blows me away that they cannot see this. Instead there are those out there that want to do things like lowering the age limit to scary and questionable levels, what's next -
DIAPER DIVERS?!?!
The last thing this industry needs is MORE elitism. Maybe, just maybe, if people would shut their chatter traps long enough to take a full breath thus ceasing all their whining and complaining and instead offer solutions as opposed to only complaints, you would be amazed at the changes that would result. In other words, be a part of the solution, not the problem.
In response to anyone that says this section belongs to the women and all the others belong to the men only, I have some rather eye opening and startling news for them... They all belong to me and I alone have the final decision on who can participate and who can't! The law I have laid down dictates that
all sections are open to
all members that have an honest interest and would like to be involved in the learning and sharing of information. The motivations fueling such goals is to further promote the safety and knowledge of all divers and to allow diving to continue to advance in a truly unbiased manner.
There will always be those that resemble a scene from Beavis and Butthead where when certain trigger words are mentioned they are going to wet their pants and uncontrollably continue to "huh huh huh they said 'boobies' huh huh huh" and if the responses were closer to "Yeah, and your point is?" as opposed to "OH MY LORDIE AHHHHHH MY VIRGIN EYES ARE BURNING", then I think you would find a lot less of it happening.
Want an example? Ok ...
........"big breast problems" .......isn't that an oxymoron...
And the reply ...
gritting teeth, mustn't overreact....
Well, too late for that wasn't it ... And then the post goes on to go even more overboard, the title maybe should have read, "Overreaction Eminent - Brace for Impact". There is no reason for ever making things a personal attack, if anyone feels that there is a reason, take it into private. We have always allowed people ridding "the line", and the reason we all watch those closely is because there is always someone that takes that as a chance to see if they can dart over it quickly without getting caught, and to the best of our ability we edit those and ALWAYS send that member a msg stating the what and why. But in this case even worse damage was done by someone running with it to the opposite extreme.
MARINABROKER .... Seems it's ok for the guys to have fun and games with the female anatomy but it is somehow not appropriate for the male anatomy to be discussed in like terms because a child might read it. Give me a break! Let's just keep perpetuating the double standard. This is disgusting and outrageous
Ok, I hate that this might sound too much like I might be giving a lesson in English but if you want to mention "outrageous" and "disgusting" lets point the finger in the right direction shall we? Where do you get off accusing every one of the moderators, and thus LD and myself, of allowing such double standard perversion? To say, sarcastically or not, to "keep perpetuating the double standard" means to "Continue what already is". Please, show me ONE, just ONE place where it has happened even ONCE. You can't can you? No you can't! So don't come into my house talking about the crappy job the maid does dusting when your tracking filth everywhere with your muddy shoes.
As for the quote above ...
some of the exchanges in this thread and in "traveling question" have gotten very personal, and imo, inappropriate for a public board.
That quote would almost be taken on its own merit if the author wasn't the one that has gotten more personal than any other member on these forums. Im not going to get in a pissing match with anyone here. And I am not saying that for some honorable reason like, "I am above that"... Nope, I will be honest about it, it's because I DONT HAVE TO. And I shouldn't have to, there is too much of the pot calling the kettle black here and too many wanna be optomitrist trying to remove splints from their fellow members eyes while sportin beams in their own.
Riding the line and innuendos have never been a problem, and if anyone over-moderates, it would have to be my own moderation against myself! Spending any ammount of time with the groups I was with and doing the sorta things I have done within the military I have to watch myself and ask myself if my own words are really suitable.
One last thing I am going to say, between LD and myself, we have recieved no less than a dozen and a 1/2 msg's or emails,
FROM WOMEN stating something to the effect that they absolutely
LOVED the fact we had a womens section that all could see. The other point they all made I think was said best by one of the women that I feel couldn't be said any better than how she said it so I will quote her...
"I'm sure you can't do this but I wish there was a forum called, 'All women have boobs and some are bigger than others', and just maybe if enough men got involved in those subjects then they would start making wetsuits that fit our boobs better! Maybe if our boobs were the topic of subject more, they would make sure to accomodate these things they love so much." Well, I don't think I am gonna argue with that...
To anyone that wants to jump up on the soap box ... Think before you speak, look before you leap and always look both ways before crossing the street!
=-)