Female Sailor's Request for ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY

[blueayes]

Good grief.
Everyone is equal here although perhaps self perceptions can cause blurred vision.

[ShipShape]

Willow,

As a female of the opposite sex I vehemently disagree with you. The people on this site have NEVER made me feel the tiniest bit alienated because I am female, and as a group I find no difference between CF posters and the people in my marina or at the grocery store ... they are the same people.

The people on CF are GREAT - I make a post requesting help and I get a LOT of answers! Someone else asks questions I post when I think I have something to say, and sometimes I get a "Thank You" and sometimes get a HUGE THANK YOU - how cool is that? A few jokes to round it out, and life is good.

For the record I think DOJ's "What does a woman cost to run" thread was brilliant the way he started it, and some of the posts just about made me wet my pants I laughed so hard. But I have a life and am owned by a boat so I wasn't motivated to read past the second page. The Construction Maintenance and Refit section is most interesting and a beneficial use of my time.

[Bash]

Is "immunity" really the word you want here? I think of it as either an organism's ability to resist disease or a special exemption from legal consequences. I'm not sure how either usage applies to participation in this forum.

The best way to maximize the benefit you receive from this forum would be to become selective about the threads to which you subscribe. I have never bothered to read the thread that has upset you because it would be a complete waste of my time to do so.

You've chosen a user name that connotes passivity, and followed that up by a plea for immunity. Hmmm. Your complaint, meanwhile, seems to be twofold: you want access to sailing expertise, and the readers of a thread that had nothing to do with sailing expertise didn't appreciate your irony. Hmmmm.

Live with your choices. There's no "immunity" from choosing to get involved in a lowbrow thread. You can either elevate the level of the discourse on this forum, or help the lowbrows drag it down. Your choice; no immunity.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by willow

There are some extremely knowledgeable sailors on this site that I, for one, would like to be able to tap into them as a resource. However, the protracted debate, if not, total alienation of women on this site; prevents me from accessing their knowledge, expertise & life experience.

The diversity of my life experience never made me feel disadvantaged as women until I became a BOAT OWNER, two years ago. I could go on & on about my experience to date on this, but I won’t, because it would just give you an infinite amount of ‘ new material ’, for you ‘ parodies’.

Frankly, I too am known to have a sense of humor & the irony is that when I, a female, posted on the ‘how much does it cost to run a women’, in the same vane & tongue & cheek dialogue, only ONE MAN, ‘ got it ‘. That does speak volumes in my humble opinion.

I have a bit of time on my hands rehabbing it from ACL surgery & boating season is just around the corner. I would like to tap into some of the resources on this site, so, I am requesting ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY.

If, not, & no doubt, that will be apparent quickly, ‘ fair winds ’ & I will go back into my ‘ closet ’ with my Boat Owners Mechanical & Electrical Manual, Seaworthiness, ‘The forgotten Factor’, This Old Boat, Boat Navigation For the Rest of us & then, ‘Hell’ , I might even go sailing………….

I don't think gender bias is a huge issue. True...there is some joking around on the part of the guys. But your post here does seem a little cerebral.
In my dealing with the Human condition, I find I can make more progress speaking from the heart rather than the head. I call it the 12” inch drop…if you get that.
Going out on the liberated limb here I will say that in the last 40+ years or so the fairness of male and female rights in the area of relationships have left the male species bitter some times. I believe this might be what you’re picking up on.
One of your options could have been and used by other female members is to simply have a generic CF Handle…like “Hinkley 40” or “Hinckley Swashbuckler”.
Please also note that in the short time you have posted...a lot of males came to your rescue...I'm just sayin!
PS...feel free to unleash that sense of humor.

[delmarrey]

There were almost 150 people that replied to that loooong thread and the top poster was a woman.

I don't think it was the sailing woman that was the main direct but the ones who try to control the sailing men w/o being a sailor themselves that was the problem.

Sailing women are in high demand and that's what men complain about, the lack of. If you are a boat owner then I don't see why gender would need to be attached.

And as for the other thread, I don't remember seeing any comments directed at our women members. But as far as power boaters, that's similar to, but not as humorous as the mono vs multi threads. Some of us are both or even all three.

[svpattyd]

Yes sometimes the replies are a little testosterone-ie. But u have to remember that God, in her wisdom, only gave men enough blood to allow one head at a time to function.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by willow

I, a female, posted on the ‘how much does it cost to run a women’, in the same vane & tongue & cheek dialogue, only ONE MAN, ‘ got it ‘. That does speak volumes in my humble opinion.

Just read your addition to that thread .

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post896311 - Post 542

But I really don't understand your above only ONE MAN comment .....since your post (yesterday) there have only been 4 more posts!

- One of those was from you!
- Another was by someone clearly (by the use of quotes) talking to someone else.
- One posted a complimentary response (the ONE MAN? - although I don't know that person's gender).
- and the other talked about your operation.

For an old thread, not so bad. Not sure what else you were expecting .....but certainly don't see anything to complain about, save for the fact that it would have been nice for a post that you clearly had put some time and effort into to have generated a bit more of a response. But that's da internets for ya.....sometimes it is hit and miss, and always what you make of it.

If CF was not so keen on the "play nice" rule - I would suggest (rather robustly ) that this thread was somewhat troll-like (IMO nothing wrong with that - if done well ).........but on the off chance, that your complaint is genuine, I will just add.............

[rubyjean]

Changing your username will not help, mine is Ruby Jean[name of my boat]. Just ignore the insults and use what makes sense. Some people love to bash anyone they may disaggree with. Most are willing to help anyway they can. I belive in Tradition & helping the newer generations learn all they can. Maybe the older sailors can help, or maybe they don't know how themselves. Good Luck, and just ask any question, dumb or otherwise.... Michael..

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by svpattyd

Yes sometimes the replies are a little testosterone-ie. But u have to remember that God, in her wisdom, only gave men enough blood to allow one head at a time to function.

...Now that's really funny!!!!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

...Now that's really funny!!!!

But not as funny as where she put the male G-spot .

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

Willow:

Why do you have to hold your gender out like a red flag. Re-register with a gender neutral user name (Willow is a bit feminine) and don't look back. No one will know or care.

David

I'd care. As a single-hander I wouldn't know to flirt. But seriously, sailing and cruising is the most gender neutral activity. Also, my senior year at the academy we had a female Commander of the Corp, and I'll never have the sixth sense to sailing that Laura Dekker has, so if anything maybe I should ask for immunity when trying to gleam some knowledge for the ladies here.

[Danosimp3]

Here goes...One of the land based stereotypes is women do the sewing. How many male sailors on CF sew? How many male sailors cook? how many male sailors clean? How many male sailor pee sitting down?

Flip that, how many female sailor do thier own maintenance? How many female sailors can read a chart or operate the GPS. How many female sailors mow the lawn... err nevermind that one.

Point is, gender based stereo types melt away in the face of a sailor's abilty.

[Rocketman]

Has anyone noticed that Willow started this thread, but is yet to respond to any comments made. Maybe Willow is the type of person (notice I did not say Female) that likes to rock the boat but do nothing to settle it down.

[Danosimp3]

Originally Posted by Rocketman

Has anyone noticed that Willow started this thread, but is yet to respond to any comments made. Maybe Willow is the type of person (notice I did not say Female) that likes to rock the boat but do nothing to settle it down.

It's only been 2 hours. in rocking boat time that is just one or two oscilations...

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by willow

There are some extremely knowledgeable sailors on this site that I, for one, would like to be able to tap into them as a resource. However, the protracted debate, if not, total alienation of women on this site; prevents me from accessing their knowledge, expertise & life experience.

The diversity of my life experience never made me feel disadvantaged as women until I became a BOAT OWNER, two years ago. I could go on & on about my experience to date on this, but I won’t, because it would just give you an infinite amount of ‘ new material ’, for you ‘ parodies’.

Women here have expressed that the maritime industry, much like the automotive one, doesn't see women as equals, generally speaking. We have also heard complaints from regulars here when they get tired of the lame gender humour that, predictably, sometimes occurs. However, anyone who is a regular here will also be aware of many of the women who post and whose opinions and accomplishments aren't to be taken lightly.

Women are out numbered here, much like they are on the docks, and some attitudes may come out of that. I think I can say that of the nutcases and belligerent egos that populate the internet and that occasionally become a problem for the moderators here to deal with, it doesn't seem to be women. We have an older population carrying a lifetime of lame sexist humour with them as well.

Short of remaking the human race there isn't much to be done but ignore it I think.