Crew Available: Swedish girl looking for Transatlantic crew opportunities in Dec 2012

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

I'm sorry. Before reading through this thread I thought I was a man with fairly normal attitudes towards women, but clearly I'm actually some sort of closet feminist nutcase!

Actually, let's put sarcasm aside for a moment. A lady posts here looking for a crewing opportunity, detailing her (impressive) credentials and not including any pictures because, frankly, with a CV like that it's not needed. While a few people set out to help from the start, I am absolutely disgusted by some of the responses I've seen. I include a few below to name and shame. I'm not usually the type of person to take things so seriously, but this is just wrong. If a young man had posted here, then the ladies wouldn't have produced a stream of innuendo and bawdy comments, they wouldn't have demanded pictures, and it wouldn't have descended in to a debate about whether their chosen sport has sexual connotations or not. Why on earth should it with her. Shame on you - you're a load of bloody creeps. No wonder there aren't more women in sports like ours - if I was a woman I would run a mile having gauged the average mentality of a sailor from here.

+1

I am not a closest feminist (or closet anything LOL). Like Mei, I brush off most comments with a laugh - I take them in the spirit they were given and I usually give men the benefit of the doubt regarding this. Neither do I have any "puritanical perspectives" as someone on this thread suggested. But I did find many comments on this thread truly offensive.

I felt simply ashamed of some of the OTT responses made by fellow members on a thread started by someone simply looking to crew on a Transatlantic passage.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

This young lady corresponded extensively with us last year. She is now going to the North Pole...
What an amazing YL.

Much like Liz, right?

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by europaflyer

I'm sorry. Before reading through this thread I thought I was a man with fairly normal attitudes towards women, but clearly I'm actually some sort of closet feminist nutcase!

Actually, let's put sarcasm aside for a moment. A lady posts here looking for a crewing opportunity, detailing her (impressive) credentials and not including any pictures because, frankly, with a CV like that it's not needed. While a few people set out to help from the start, I am absolutely disgusted by some of the responses I've seen. I include a few below to name and shame. I'm not usually the type of person to take things so seriously, but this is just wrong. If a young man had posted here, then the ladies wouldn't have produced a stream of innuendo and bawdy comments, they wouldn't have demanded pictures, and it wouldn't have descended in to a debate about whether their chosen sport has sexual connotations or not. Why on earth should it with her. Shame on you - you're a load of bloody creeps. No wonder there aren't more women in sports like ours - if I was a woman I would run a mile having gauged the average mentality of a sailor from here.

Having said that, wait a minute... I still can't quite believe the perfect woman exists and likes sailing... This isn't an incredibly elaborate wind up is it?

So someone comes on with one post to date (no crime) and talks about being a petite Swedish figure skater and pole dancer who can't handle alcohol and is not picky about sleeping arrangements and wants to do her first transatlantic. Others have had fun with it all, but you come in much later and express your horror and try to serve as the moralist.

The joke is on you. It is a joke post; I won't say "troll" because it is all in jest, and that is likely obvious to most everyone participating in the thread.

There is a place for humor on this board.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

My suggestion would be if you post somewhere else, like sailnet for example, to just not mention the pole dancing. It's not really pertinent, is it?

For example, I love Doctor Who, but I'd probably leave it off my sailing resume. Just saying.

No way. My boat is the "SV Tardis". You would have been straight on board!

Mei, if you are real, noting I love traditional chinese food and adventure sports, ,sorry I can not help you at this moment. However, if you are ever on the East Coast of Australia and want to learn to surf or stand up paddle feel free to get in contact.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

So someone comes on with one post to date (no crime) and talks about being a petite Swedish figure skater and pole dancer who can't handle alcohol and is not picky about sleeping arrangements and wants to do her first transatlantic. Others have had fun with it all, but you come in much later and express your horror and try to serve as the moralist.

The joke is on you. It is a joke post; I won't say "troll" because it is all in jest, and that is likely obvious to most everyone participating in the thread.

There is a place for humor on this board.

Regardless, if you include the mountaineering and military experience, it does sound like an excellent resume for a risky Antarctic expedition?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Given that I was not "named & shamed" - I clearly have to try harder .

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

So someone comes on with one post to date (no crime) and talks about being a petite Swedish figure skater and pole dancer who can't handle alcohol and is not picky about sleeping arrangements and wants to do her first transatlantic. Others have had fun with it all, but you come in much later and express your horror and try to serve as the moralist.

The joke is on you. It is a joke post; I won't say "troll" because it is all in jest, and that is likely obvious to most everyone participating in the thread.

There is a place for humor on this board.

+1

Unless OP was a complete idiot (and she didn't sound like it to me) I am sure she was only too well aware that her inclusion of the irrelevant would attract attention. And indeed I am sure that was the intention - to gain a few thread bumps to snaffle a place onboard.

Just because comments are innapropriate (and IMO on this thread very tame) does not automatically make them offensive or unwelcome - of course with OP we are unlikely to ever know if that is the case or not........but I suspect given her Pole Dancing activities she well able to handle herself and fellas - and likely simply doesn't care, unlike her sisters (of both sexes ) on the Puritan wing of the internet and life...........

[crack]

i am amazed none of you guys redirected her to cruising anarchy, they are a much more polite than you guys.

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

The joke is on you. It is a joke post; I won't say "troll" because it is all in jest, and that is likely obvious to most everyone participating in the thread.

There is a place for humor on this board.

So... is this all a wind up or not? It seemed to be too good but who would go to all the trouble of sourcing all the pictures and creating websites for her etc etc... (Mei Wen - Engineer/Explorer | about.me; https://www.facebook.com/wenmei; KLASSIKERBLOGGEN | Stolt medlem av Outsides bloggteam; Mei Wen | LinkedIn). If it it a (creepily elaborate) wind up then, well, ha ha. Totally agree there is a place for humour here! If not (and I am pretty sure it isn't), sorry, I stand by my comments!!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Creepy is Googling women up.........

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Creepy is Googling women up.........

Nope, all on her CF profile.

[crack]

dont now where but i heard a rumour they hade taken gullible out of the oxford dictionary ,cant be sure only a rumour.

[vtsailguy]

Actually, when I think about it...

If I was female and looking for a crew spot, putting in references like poles that can be easily misinterpreted is a genius idea. It instantly sorts out a whole bunch of captains you needn't bother with

[europaflyer]

Originally Posted by crack

dont now where but i heard a rumour they hade taken gullible out of the oxford dictionary ,cant be sure only a rumour.

OK, come on guys, throw me a bone here. I take it that this is a real person and someone decided to post as her on CF as a joke? What? I think I need to get the doctor to take a look at my sense of humour again...

[Seaworthy Lass]

What has made all of you so cynical LOL?

Here we have a gorgeous, fiesty, adventurous, intelligent (and polite) young lady (not to mention sexy, should she be hiding that?), with an obvious sense of humour, and all most of you can do is think she is a troll.

Wake up guys. There are women like that out here and Mei is obviously one of them. Can't blame her for long leaving CF though with the response she has had here.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

What has made all of you so cynical LOL?

Having been on the Internet for more than 5 mins?

Here we have a gorgeous, fiesty, adventurous, intelligent (and polite) young lady (not to mention sexy, should she be hiding that?), with an obvious sense of humour, and all most of you can do is think she is a troll.

No, she should not be hiding that. But then again no one should be called out for noticing.

Wake up guys. There are women like that out here and Mei is obviously one of them. Can't blame her for long leaving CF though with the response she has had here.

I suspect that the reason she has not been back is more to do with having got what she wanted. I feel used .

In regard to more sexy pole dancing Swedish Chinese women being "out there", I will remain unconvinced until Gord posts up some links (my own brief search did not throw up anything that CF would leave unmoderated - even if they would fit my own personal "play nice" rule ).