why are women generally drawn away from airsoft?

[Kendodude]

Potential bukkake

[TstclrCncr]

If you think you see very few women playing now, you should have been here a few years ago.

Back when I was the hottest piece of a$$ on the field

[Steve]

All kidding aside, I believe airsoft in general, and airsofters in specific are why this is a mostly male hobby.

I've had my significant other comment a number of times about the bruises that I've come home with. Generally, visible bruising on women is less socially acceptable than visible bruising on men.

Gear is a significant outlay. It's less of a deal to loan a guy friend gear than it is to lend it to a female friend. See, gear that should be "unisex" really isn't. Men and women are flat-out built differently. Leaving aside the obvious sex-linked characteristics (breasts, genetalia), women carry weight differently. Don't believe me? Try on a men's backpack versus a women's backpack at REI. Us guys tend to do fine with heavy weight up closer to our shoulders, while women tend to do better carrying the weight closer to the hips. What is only sort of uncomfortable to a guy can be downright painful for a female.

As a corrolary to this, guys can bond into a "tribe" mentality fairly easily. I imagine women do this as well, although large groups of women unsettle me, so I don't spend a lot of time researching this. But cross-gender dynamics generally run to sexual liking between male-female pairs rather than non-sexual liking. As the old joke goes, guys tend to have two types of female friends: those they have slept with, and those they have not slept with (yet). So, when a guy and a girl spend time together, there tends to be a modicum of sex-based liking there, regardless of whether either of them intend to act on it. As such, guys tend to try to impress women more than they try to impress men, or at least they try differently. Guys outside of that pair try to impress the woman. And it gets more than a bit ackward, as airsofters in general are not exactly known for being a group that is smoothe with the ladies.

All in all, having guys introduce women into a mostly male group of airsofters tends to be uncomfortable for everyone in attendance.

So, what's the likely solution? More female players. As in, just like it is less difficult for a guy to drag another guy into the hobby, I imagine it would be easier for a female to drag another female with her. Additionally, CQB fields. Most fields have rental gear available, which means that people can try out the hobby without the immediate pressure to buy a ton of gear, or the concern that you are going to frag your buddy's kit. It's a shorter-duration investment to try the hobby out.

I don't ever imagine airsoft drawing large female crowds, however. Gender role stereotypes put shooting other people with plastic pellets pretty squarely in the gender-role male camp.

[Darius137]

EDIT:
Also, Dan.

This.

I have needs.

[Reese]

You guys have obviously not run into my REAPERS yet , the meanest 13 year old girls around

Braddock just fell out of his chair.

[Matt]

Awe... Adam beat me to the Braddock joke.

[dom186]

For the same reasons why women are generally drawn away from the REAL military.

[Sho Nuff]

Because it's extremely nerdy. We are really just a bunch larpers who get to use 6mm BBs instead of saying "lightning bolt!"

Exactly what my GF says

[Matt]

Here's another reason why women aren't into Airsoft.

[Variable]

Want an activity that women are "into"? Try:
-Bodybuilding
-Football
-Motocross
-Drag Racing
-Road Racing
-Rock Climbing
-Volleyball (do bodybuilding first, then get into the local v-ball scene at the Y, chicks be dripping wet and in spandex)
-Ultimate frisbee (not frisbee golf)

Stay away from:
-Anything with a gun, replica of a gun
-Anything thats so expensive that only middle age guys and young guys with no responsibility do

[Sho Nuff]

Love the last 2!

[icyprincess2]

Want an activity that women are "into"? Try:
-Bodybuilding
-Football
-Motocross
-Drag Racing
-Road Racing
-Rock Climbing
-Volleyball (do bodybuilding first, then get into the local v-ball scene at the Y, chicks be dripping wet and in spandex)
-Ultimate frisbee (not frisbee golf)

Stay away from:
-Anything with a gun, replica of a gun
-Anything thats so expensive that only middle age guys and young guys with no responsibility do

I guess I am an odd woman. the only one from the top list I am into is Football. And I love guns, I loved the military and I miss it. Yeah I guess I am not a normal chick.
I forgot to add that I also love video games (though I am real bad at them)

[Variable]

I guess I am an odd woman....Yeah I guess I am not a normal chick.

Yep
and thats why we love you.

[Reese]

Want an activity that women are "into"? Try:
-Bodybuilding
-Football
-Motocross
-Drag Racing
-Road Racing
-Rock Climbing
-Volleyball (do bodybuilding first, then get into the local v-ball scene at the Y, chicks be dripping wet and in spandex)
-Ultimate frisbee (not frisbee golf)

Stay away from:
-Anything with a gun, replica of a gun
-Anything thats so expensive that only middle age guys and young guys with no responsibility do

I think your intel is off a bit Tim... I don't know many women who are into any of that stuff (with the exception of maybe rock climbing or volleyball).

What do girls do at the gym? Run on the treadmill, use the elliptical, or do crunches. And don't try to talk to them while they're working out either.

If you REALLY want an activity that women dig, try swing dancing or salsa or tango. If you go down to a Swing hall on the weekend you will find a target rich environment. The best part? You don't have to do a damn thing. They will come up to YOU, ask YOU to dance, and they don't even really care if you are new and completely suck at it.

[Variable]

Its different in every AO. But I am totally spot on about the correlation between available quality cute kitty and motorsports.

I did the ballroom dance thing for a couple years and its a good way for young men to meet experienced women. Around here though all the young ladies that were into it were aloof bitches or christian second base sluts.

"The Gym" isn't a good place to use as a primary pickup spot. But "health clubs" and The Y are because of activities instead of mindlessly working out while listening to an ipod.


Thread successfully derailed huh?