We all started out as O/W students

[Jim Lapenta]

Not to belabor the issue Jim, but you aren't wearing a tie in your profile pic. My son would call that shirt a "wife beater". The stereotype would be to assume that you are a poor red neck without a lick of sense. We both know that would be a poor judgement. To be sure, I'm not going to wear a tie on a dive boat or in a dive shop as I think that's completely inappropriate. Also, I am not going to judge my buddy by what they choose to wear that day. If they come dressed in a burkha, I might be a bit concerned about how the billowing fabric will affect performance under the water, but other than that I am going to let her personal choice BE her personal choice.

Touche' Pete. I do need to change that pic. I think I have a few more around here now.

 

[Hank49]

Hey, where'd Jim go?

To the OP. When I was working in the Philippines there were some lady instructors in shops near ours. The good news.....in a competitive environment where there are walk in customers, you have an advantage. We had the same dive sites, same type boats, same distance to the sites etc etc. People would walk in our shop and talk to us, get the low down, tell us, "we'll be back later" and 10 minutes later, I'd walk next door to where my pretty Filipina wife and another Korean instructor worked and the customers were already signing up. More diving men than women. And on vacation, would they rather dive with a crusty, 50 year old man? or a beautiful young lady?

 

[JTH2711]

My wife has experienced similar sort prejudice, for lack of a better term, in her chosen profession. People think because she is not 40+ years of age and a woman she is incapable. I like to sit back and watch her run rings around those folks. It is very funny. Don't worry the right people see you doing your job and they take note. Sometimes you just have to put your head down and push through. These people are probably asses to everyone and an authority on all things not just diving.

 

[tyesai]

Hey, where'd Jim go?

To the OP. When I was working in the Philippines there were some lady instructors in shops near ours. The good news.....in a competitive environment where there are walk in customers, you have an advantage. We had the same dive sites, same type boats, same distance to the sites etc etc. People would walk in our shop and talk to us, get the low down, tell us, "we'll be back later" and 10 minutes later, I'd walk next door to where my pretty Filipina wife and another Korean instructor worked and the customers were already signing up. More diving men than women. And on vacation, would they rather dive with a crusty, 50 year old man? or a beautiful young lady?

Dive with the guy and leer uncomfortably at the girl on the boat, but once she gets the scuba gear on it doesn't matter cause no one is hot with a mask on and a regulator jammed in their mouth.

 

[Roko]

Dive with the guy and leer uncomfortably at the girl on the boat, but once she gets the scuba gear on it doesn't matter cause no one is hot with a mask on and a regulator jammed in their mouth.

Don't forget the snot oozing from their nose.

Or is that more of a cold water diving thing?

 

[Vorin]

no one is hot with a mask on and a regulator jammed in their mouth.

I beg to differ. It was one of the hottest things I have ever seen when my wife and I were under water.

 

[Hank49]

I beg to differ. It was one of the hottest things I have ever seen when my wife and I were under water.

Dude, that's sick.

There was always that hopeful moment on the boat, or at the shower area too...as the ladies peeled their wetsuits off....

 

[mselenaous]

I think some divers actually believe they came out of their mother's womb wearing scuba gear and 1000 dives under their belt.

At least that's what their internet personas want us to believe. The truth comes out in the water when you watch their skill level, bouyance, trim, etc.

The other (and not-mutually-exclusive) part is the people who want everyone to think they're hardcore divers, as if recreational diving were some sort of competition.

Yep, I have a friend like this. He wants everyone to think he's a hard core diver, yet lives in SoCal walking distance from great local shore dives & 6 blocks from his LDS and had never dove in SoCal until I took him. Mind you I lived & tought in SoCal for 2 years so I dove ALOT, invited him to join in every time - always an excuse or yet another new hobby...he made 3 dives on one trip in the two years. Also funny, his job and family are in FL so he comes here often, still doesn't dive ...yeah, he's a hard core diver (12 dives in 4 years ).

 

[Avonthediver]

when I was a "young" diver I also had, and if I shave a very baby face and some older folk's out their tend to look way down on the young or what they think is young!
I am now nearing 40 and I remember what it was like to be young...er and try in my goings to help young folk as I go down the road.
But my point is that you should use this to your advantage and when the time arrives that the older need help show them who and what you are made of!
Diving is not just for the old and wealthy...Happy Diving and good luck!

 

[Brian Sharpe]

Don't forget the snot oozing from their nose.

Or is that more of a cold water diving thing?

Lots of snot in Cozumel too! Let's not forget the after dive belch too - a great way to make an impression!

Being taken less than seriously in your youth is nothing new (and not exclusively a female thing) many, many, many years ago when I worked in banking I had an encounter with an elderly client who simply refused to believe anyone under the age of 40 knew anything about anything. I turned her over to an "older" employee to look after her needs, she was somewhat surprised when I got called back in to handle the transaction as no one else in the branch had experience dealing with foreign bond coupons (do bonds even have coupons any more??)

Don't let them get to you.