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Doug Robinson
Trad climber
Santa Cruz
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So, one day in the mid-nineties I stood up to give a climbing class at Foothill College. Class was full, even a waiting list.
Bright-eyed n00bs every one, eager to get into it. Gotta love 'em.
Suddenly it hit me: half of them were women. Well, some girls but you get what I'm saying. Times had changed, for good.
Then it further hit me that the aspirants were also a full racial spectrum of the town, Mountain View.
I was temporarily speechless. We had come so far. Someone gently reminded me to get on with it.
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Binks
Social climber
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I don't really care who posts here. Men, women, dogs, cats, space aliens whatever. Are women really too sensitive for this forum and have been driven off? I don't think so. I think it just does not interest them here as much as it does the men. Forums dominated by women tend to focus primarily on relationships.
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adam d
climber
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DR, I had a similar experience directing an outdoor education program at a NY university. Out of the student staff members who were psyched to get out climbing and learn more, as well as the students who enrolled in open ice and rock climbing courses, women were over 50% and sometimes up to 80% of the participants.
As for the makeup of the climbing community, the only thing you can count on is that it will change.
Another thought on climber male/female interactions around both the virtual and real world campfire...
I recall a raucous campfire in Hidden Valley with a bunch of guys and a few ladies recounting the climbs of the day and the past. When the numbers and egos got too much one woman stood up and said (I wish I remembered the exact quote) something to the effect of "if you all are just going to sit around measuring your dicks I'm out of here"
I don't think a line like that would have quite the same effect on ST as it did under the stars.
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hooblie
climber
from where the anecdotes roam
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dubious methodology to drag out that list of women presuming they tolerate this bs as if it supports the claim that it's tolerable.
like the inverse of the joke, in of all places "boy's life" magazine that went:
this is a can of elephant repellent.
"but this isn't elephant country."
so it works, huh
not to make light of the situation. we should be hoping to attract, in addition, the folks of either gender who hold fairplay as a qualifier.
it literally turns my stomach what's going on here, and reminds me that time has only partially cleansed my memory
of the repugnant elements that were part of C4 too ... pillory pending i suppose.
same as it ever was ... a few impeding progress, the price paid by all
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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As for the makeup of the climbing community, the only thing you can count on is that it will change. For those who use makeup, that is. Apart from sunscreen, and an occasional Canadian flag decal, not me.
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nita
Social climber
chica from chico, I don't claim to be a daisy
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I think Stzzo hit the nail on the head with these lines..
"ST hasn't become a "sausage fest". Climbing has always been predominately male.
What ST has become is rude, insensitive, etc. Understandable that you're inclined to avoid."
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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I like the fact that the women who post here are willing to call sh^t on someone and any number of fine gentlemen will step up and back them up and it goes away. Not like when the boys decide to let go and let go and let go ....
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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"take a walk on the wild side..."
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S.Leeper
Sport climber
Austin, Texas
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yES. bRING ON the womens.
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Why care if some random anonymous poster calls you some random name, or doesn't understand sarcasm?
They are just showing they are idiots.
Don't rise to the troll.
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philo
Trad climber
Somewhere halfway over the rainbow
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Wow after reading the long lists of names of all the amazing women (oops, I meant Wopeople) who participate here it is apparent that it is less a sausagefest as it is an Oyster bar.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Flouride - At the risk of insulting you - I'm taking offense to your words in the post up a few.
Going back to your first post, you refer to a group of "about five," and name yourself and one other as apparently amongst them. Then you write "I'm talking women who CLIMB!! Who climb and share....here"
Talk about a dick stick! I will only speak for myself(but can't help feel other women might feel the same). But I guess mine doesn't measure up the the yardstick you're holding(hey - go big!).
It's true - I'll never be a climber like Kate. Or any of the other women who really go get it or have gone down in history. Just like the majority of guys who post here on ST will never be at Bachar's level(to name just one of many, and sort of in ode to his recent passing).
Many of the women mentioned throughout this thread are also at various levels, but won't be Lynn Hills.
We still climb!
F*#k!
That bears repeating. F*#K!
"....knew it would not end well."
How has that been the case? For one, it's not "ended," and for two - what's "not well" within the posts that have come up? What would a "good ending" be?
I think you're seeing what you want in the responses here.
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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Jaybro....
HAhahahahhahahaahaahhaaha
Prod.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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So Pate - I agree that there simply "are" more men than women who climb(at any level). Though, here at the Gunks, we have a fair number of women - probably a pretty high ratio of women to men, and also women who lead to men who lead. If I had to guess without even really trying, I would say maybe 40% of the people I see on the sharp end on a nice in-season weekend might be women.
When you tale the number of "all" climbing men, in comparison to "the climbing men who get it done"(FA's, and I suppose routes that require an above average commitment level) - what ratio would you go at for that? What percent of "all male climbers" are the ones who "get it done?"
And one other question - though not directed at you, Pate, but just something that's occurred to me. Why is it that men who climb seem to be considered "climbers" regardless of how sharp their end of the rope is, yet unless a woman has a tick list of FA's or can outperform 90% of the guys from her local crag, is she considered to be a "wingman?"
I AM a climber. I am also a woman. I even have one puny FA on lead, one decent FA as a second, and one "in an FA party." I would love to get out and do more. I enjoy the unknown, more than a lot of guys do.
And I actually LIKE sausage. The thing is - if it's left out too long it gets rancid. Nothing worse than rotten pig meat.
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okie
Trad climber
San Leandro, Ca
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The ratio hasn't changed? Remember when there was about one female for every one-hundred dudes? I do. I think most of us prefer it the way it is now...
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nita
Social climber
chica from chico, I don't claim to be a daisy
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Bada-bing-bada-bong....
Hey Stzzo, I still have your bowl, hope to see you at this years facelift to claim it;-)
Missed camping with you last year.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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I'm sure I'll get flamed for this thread. But just know, getting called bitches for expressing our thoughts is not cool.
So, does mean we now welcome Lois here?? I mean, she is a chic who expresses her opinion. Even gets flamed for it.
I'm all for more chix with opinions....
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jstan
climber
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The list of women posting here actually got pretty long. Complaints were made about something that puzzles me also. This myth that one can say and do anything on the internet as long as you remain anonymous.
Someone who stands up and is whatever they need to be, that I can relate to. The other? Seems kind of limp.
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Fluoride
Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 7, 2010 - 11:55am PT
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Tami...you are one of the BEST people on this site...so many laughs from so many perspectives. I adore you and all of your posts.
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