Padi/diving & sexism

[O-ring]

cobaltbabe once bubbled...


But that is from a sales point of view. I am assuming you mean the scantly clad beauties who have never put on a wet suit except for the photo shoot. This is marketing directed solely at men.

ok, I guess we need an operational definition of sexism then. I was looking at it like a gender stereotyping thing and since the magazine is called "Divers" and not "Playdiver" or "Maxim - Dive Edition", it seems kinda skewed toward a male porn audience. If this is marketing, what is sexism exactly?

 

[o2scuba]

Something else to ponder.........

As a dive pro having explored employment opportunities, I've noticed many ads looking for female instructors. It's common knowledge in the industry that women find job placement much faster/easier than men.

Do you suppose this is because employers find women to more commonly posses certain skills than men (ierganization, commitment, reliability....whatever the case). Thus this practice could be considered discrimination toward men.

or

Do employers hire females with the interest of attracting more male clientel in their classes / charters.
Thus discrimination toward women, hiring them for their appearance rather than credentials.

 

[cobaltbabe]

Sometimes the line between sexism and sexual marketing is very blurry. They are using sex to sell their produce but although it may not be what we are actually talking about in the thread it does bring part of the point home. Having a man or woman for that point, offer to carry your tanks for example just because your the weaker sex is a form of sexism. Putting on a tiny bikini and a BC that is too small so your breasts are flowing out everywhere to sell dive equipment is sexual marketing with a dose of sexism. Lets face it sex sells. Look how many people jump onto a thread when sex is involved.

 

[Raven C]

Yeah, Cobalt you tell 'em. BTW I am here because it is a thread about sex...ism. HAHAHAHAHA

Just kidding. Go ahead throw tomatoes, cabbage, rotten food in general. I can take it. LOL

Heck, I was thinkin' 'bout that scuba calendar we talked about last winter. You mentioned the bikini thing. Hahaha Ya know, it is getting to be that time of the year when some are idle and threads that get some of us in trouble start to pop up. LOL Has it started already? I did see where O-ring tried to take the bull by the horns.

Ya know, some people's version of sexy or sex "appeal" is different from others'. And what may be sexy to one could be sexist to another. It's like that everywhere. R

 

[hambleto]

cobaltbabe once bubbled...
Having a man or woman for that point, offer to carry your tanks for example just because your the weaker sex is a form of sexism.

I have never looked at this way. However I can understand how a person could see this as a form of sexism. I have helped people carry gear regardless of gender, if I see someone struggling or confused, I offer to help. Just like I always open the door for the person behind me and hold it open for them regardless of gender.
Until someone yells at me for trying to be nice, I will continue to do so.

cobaltbabe once bubbled...

Putting on a tiny bikini and a BC that is too small so your breasts are flowing out everywhere to sell dive equipment is sexual marketing with a dose of sexism. Lets face it sex sells. Look how many people jump onto a thread when sex is involved.

I agree completely with you, however the scale does tip both ways with men being used to sell merchandise to women. Personally, if the product can no stand on it's own, now matter how much sex appeal you put into it, will not make it any better.

I apologize for getting off the topic that nessum posted, I personally have never seen any sexism in diving (although I will keep an eye and an ear out). Perhaps when you complete your assignment you could share it with us? I am quite interested in reading it and seeing how the topic works out.
Take care,
Ben

 

[brizzolatti]

I can't stay out of this any longer!

As a woman who has in the last month completed her Rescue course, I did not pick up any sexist vibes from the video or the book.

As a woman who does not have a regular dive partner, I have always gone on boats on my own and been buddied with men. I have not perceived any sexism.

If I was struggling with my tank and my buddy or someone else helped out, I would not think it was sexist. I would be grateful for the assistance.

I have nothing to offer your English paper except maybe to wonder that they couldn't think of a deeper topic to set you!! Sorry

 

[cobaltbabe]

hambleto once bubbled...


I agree completely with you, however the scale does tip both ways with men being used to sell merchandise to women. Personally, if the product can no stand on it's own, now matter how much sex appeal you put into it, will not make it any better.

If I were to put a overwieght model in a bathing suit and pose for a brand of equipment and on the next page put a "model" in the same suit and different equipment I am sure that the brand of equipment on the model would sell more if put infront of a panel of men and women. Even women respond to an attractive model. I'm not saying everyone is affected by this kind of sexual marketing but it is affective.

Now back to your regular schedualed program. LOL

 

[nessum]

brizzolatti once bubbled...
I can't stay out of this any longer!

As a woman who has in the last month completed her Rescue course, I did not pick up any sexist vibes from the video or the book.

As a woman who does not have a regular dive partner, I have always gone on boats on my own and been buddied with men. I have not perceived any sexism.

If I was struggling with my tank and my buddy or someone else helped out, I would not think it was sexist. I would be grateful for the assistance.

I have nothing to offer your English paper except maybe to wonder that they couldn't think of a deeper topic to set you!! Sorry

Well, then, to you & the rest of the critics, why bother posting here? Honestly, what good does it do? Make me search my soul to see if my skin isn't think enough? No that's alright.
Like I've said before I haven't really been overly BOTHERED personally by what I've encountered. Especially since I have worked in jobs which I've had to deal with REAL, BLATANT sexism. Actually, my current place of employment is sexist against men, reluctant to hire them because women multi-task better & are more reliable. This is crap, especially since many of the girls hired don't work out because they don't like the job so they quit after 2 weeks without notice.
And the Rescue Diver manual that I have which is Copyright 1995,1999,2001 does not use general neutrality in the text. If it does not refer to "the diver" as such it states that "he" needs assistance, not alternating between he & she, either. Perhaps the pictures & scenerios show women, but that's a pretty shallow revamping if that is the case... Once again, AGAIN, I didn't notice any sexism in the video, I'd like to review it though after some men in my class mentioned they noticed it.

I do think this is a topic that deserves being addressed. It's interesting, I bet that if the topic were racism, instead of sexism, there'd be much less ad hominem defensiveness on the thread. It seems that in any instance were sexism/feminism is brought up in society there's an ever-present backlash. It's still us overly-sensitive women-folk getting uppity about petty things that we shouldn't worry our pretty little heads about to begin with, right o-ring?

 

[kelpmermaid]

Odd to find myself defending my mother tongue on this, but English is what it is. The texts are in the position of being "damned if they do, damned if they do not."

Traditionally, the he and/or she thing is resolved in favor of "he." Clearly, majority doesn't rule here, right or wrong. The more neutral "their" in the case of a posessive may be politically correct in the singular, but it is a plural posessive. English may need updating to reflect current realities, but to my knowledge, there is no "Academie Anglaise" to make these judgements. We also don't classify the nouns themselves to split the difference by gender, so that won't work, either.

To assume that use of appropriate gender pronouns equals social egalitarianism, though, is not correct. Traditionally, the Japanese language has not used such pronouns at all, although I understand that it happens more frequently in current usage. Finnish doesn't use them, either. Go figure. Must be that Altaic thing.

 

[brizzolatti]

nessum once bubbled...


Well, then, to you & the rest of the critics, why bother posting here? Honestly, what good does it do? Make me search my soul to see if my skin isn't think enough?

Provides an opportunity to hear different opinions and views. Helps you think deeper about your own arguments; can help you confirm your views. Given you're undertaking an academic pursuit, I would have thought you would welcome counter arguments to provide an evidential basis for your central thesis.
Oops - should that he ts/hesis? :mean: