Une femme plongeuse vue de face
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A few months ago, one of my articles on diving and women angered some Internet users and they banned me from groups on social networks. Proof that equality issues are still sensitive in 2017 and that it should be taken care of even in the world of sport.

Surprising when you know that the article in question was not insulting, hurtful, outrageous. It really was not to understand anything..

I was so eager to think about the following question:

Is diving really a sport for women?

It is estimated that about 35% are female scuba divers and 65% men.

How to explain such a difference ?

In reality, until recently, the world of diving was almost exclusively reserved for men. Today, even if it is still sometimes somewhat macho ( yes it still is sometimes 😉 ). It tends to move towards more openness, more pleasure to evolve all together in this wonderful activity.

If during my diving trips around the globe. I notice that I am regularly the only woman on the boat, when jumping into the water … Especially during more technical dives, this gradually decreases and women are more and more to practice scuba diving with pleasure.

Despite everything, there are still prejudices that have a hard tooth.

Also, I suggest you to twist the neck to the ideas received that could prevent women from starting the practice of diving and forget them once and for all :

Idea n° 1 : diving is a man’s sport

I have not found any arguments to support this contention and I have decided to drop it. Outrageous machismo seems to me from another era and completely outdated.

I told you … we are in 2017 and most (the majority ?) Of the divers are no longer in this perspective.

No girls, diving is not just for men !

Idea n° 2 : You need to be strong to go diving

So yes, the diving tanks are heavy, yes the material is bulky and yes you sometimes have to kick a bit. (although the attitude towards safety is always to go with the current and not against).

But it would be wrong to think that this is an obstacle to scuba diving for women. Since it would be wrong to think that all the men who practice diving are sturdy. (and in perfect physical shape).

I was lucky to meet Catherine recently. Heavily wounded on her back, she is forbidden from any loads to lift. Yet she dives around the world in the most unlikely spots in view of her health problems. She does not hesitate to ask the diving directors of the centers to adapt her dive. And always equips herself in water to avoid the load on her back.

Far from this isolated example, it should be borne in mind that diving is a sport that is usually practiced with at least one buddy. So it is always possible to ask for help to put his tank on his back for example.

And for those who do not want to carry heavy loads, in most diving centers in “warm seas” destinations. Often heavy equipment is put on your back just before you jump.

Idea n° 3 : Diving equipment is not suitable for women

FALSE, here also we are talking about a time that the youngsters can not know and the manufacturers have also well understood that women were more and more interested in this leisure. Today, they surf on the wave … (they do not dive in the bath we talk about diving) … by proposing specific material adapted to the female morphology or taking up the “feminine” colors .

And yes, pink (and close colors such as purple) still dominates in the feminine accessories to the delight of one of my favorite buddy.

On the other hand, I would love a flashy green dive suit … is green not beautiful ?

Idea n° 4 : Women risk more diving accidents

Women have more fat than men (10% more on average). However, fatty tissues have a particular affinity with nitrogen (five times higher than that of blood with nitrogen). This may be a higher risk factor for decompression sickness in women than in men. However, studies on this subject do not settle the subject clearly, some showing more risk of decompression sickness in women and others showing no prevalence of that kind of accidents among women. An explanation raised would be the behavior of women. The majority of them would obviously adopt generally more sane behaviors. The statistics of diving accidents tend to follow the same ratio as the presence of women in this aquatic activity.

Be careful though: most of the studies done on the effects of diving have been done with young and healthy men.

It would be interesting to ask organizations such as DAN to carry out a large-scale study on lady divers and to observe the link between the effects of diving and menstruation.

Idea n° 5 : women do not like extreme sports

FALSE

Today, women are present in all extreme sports and their characteristics and skills are a plus for the evolution of many sports practices that require more than strength, agility, flexibility, intelligence, … as well as their male counterparts.

Idea n° 6 : Women prefer to take care of children. Or rather: but who will look after the children when I dive ?

Diving is a leisure that takes time … a lot of time.

I know that around me several women diver who stopped the practice of diving at the birth of children. Since they did not have a level of supervisors they found it logical that their husbands continue to teach, supervise, … or simply dive while they were mothering while waiting to resume … later, maybe….

Of course, most of these lady divers have never resume and have a bitter taste and a certain nostalgia of the pleasure to practice diving.

Why not take advantage of this common passion to practice together and become pros of the organization by soliciting grandpa, grandma, babysitter and other people of good will to make this moment a real moment of sharing in couple ?

On this subject, this article will interest you 🙂

Idea n° 7 : women have no affinity with the world of diving

To be persuaded of the affinity of women with the world of diving, just look at the diving blogs that are partly (maybe mostly)… animated by women. These include :

In 2012, Florine launches her blog www.worldadventuredivers.com. Passionate about travel and diving, Florine writes very complete articles on her various trips, mainly in English (but also in French) and / or tests of diving equipment for Aqualung with whom she has a partnership. Divemaster trained at PADI, Florine is very active also on social networks.

In 2017, I had the pleasure to start blogging with www.differentdive.com. My experience as a CMAS instructor trainer and a Master in education science made me want to share my reflections on the world of diving with all of us. Apart from travel stories and experiences in diving, my area of specialization (conditioned by my profession ?) Is the reflection on the practice of diving and its teaching. I like tickle gently to make people think.
If it started slowly in February, today there are several thousand Internet users who read it every month … Thousands times THANK YOU 🙂

Is diving also really a sport for women ?

The answer is obviously YES and they have every interest to get there because diving is excellent for:

  • The head : emptied the mind by being in the calm of the underwater world. Diving allows you to completely empty your mind by concentrating only on your visual and kinesthetic sensations.
  • The body : diving makes the body work without even realizing it, great for those who like less sport but still want to move 😉
  • Social ties : the practice of diving is necessarily connected to other people. It is a social sport par excellence. Divers love to talk about diving … and it’s a pleasure to meet after the dives to discuss our favorite sport.
  • Singles : being in a world still predominantly masculine has an advantage: you may well be the only girl in the group and your chances of finding the sweethaert of your dreams that shares your passion will be higher: -D
  • Couples : Share a fun activity with your partner to many benefits you can discover in this article
  • Families : diving with your children ? Embark with you (or be embarked with them) in this beautiful adventure of discovering the underwater world ? … What happiness !

Diving, a sport for women … and men

Convinced that women are well invested and have, like men, their place in the world of diving ?

Convinced that women are well invested and have, like men, their place in the world of diving? So, let’s all of you jump in the water in 2018!

Good bubbles … and do not forget to be happy  🙂

Helene