According to a report published in 2020, women account for approximately 39% of all new scuba diving certifications globally. This suggests that the percentage of women divers is increasing over time.
Throughout its history, scuba diving, similar to many other sports, has been predominantly dominated by men. In the early days of scuba diving, it was primarily a recreational activity pursued by military personnel and men interested in exploring the underwater world. Women were often excluded from diving due to cultural and social norms that limited their participation in sports and outdoor activities. However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of women participating in scuba diving. This has been driven by various factors, including increased awareness of the sport among women, and the development of female-specific scuba diving equipment and clothing. While there is still a gender gap in scuba diving, the percentage of women divers has been steadily increasing in recent years, and many women are now active in all aspects of the diving industry, including diving instruction, conservation efforts, and technical diving. This is an introduction to the historical progression of female scuba divers and their emergence as role models.
So who are the female scuba divers’ most influential female role models?
Dottie Frazier was a pioneering scuba diver who made significant contributions to the sport in the mid-20th century. She was born in 1924 in Florida, USA, and began diving in the 1940s when scuba equipment was still in its early stages of development.
Dottie quickly became an accomplished diver and made history in 1953 when she became the first woman in the world to dive to a depth of over 200 feet. She went on to set several other diving records, including a depth record of 222 feet in 1956.
In addition to her achievements as a diver, Dottie Frazier also played a key role in promoting scuba diving to women and encouraging greater gender equality in the sport. She co-founded the Underwater Society of America in 1959, which was one of the first scuba diving organizations in the United States. She also established a diving school in Florida that was open to both men and women, at a time when many diving schools only admitted men.
Dottie Frazier’s legacy continues to inspire and influence female divers and athletes today. She is widely regarded as a trailblazer and role model for women in the sport of scuba diving.
“A lot of the original divers have made it to a great age, – Being underwater does things to your spirit.”
Dottie Frazier in “Neutral Buoyancy” interview by Tim Ecott | May 2002
Lotte Baierl Hass was an Austrian scuba diver and underwater photographer who was born in Vienna in 1928. She began diving in 1949 and quickly developed a passion for underwater photography. In 1950, she married Hans Hass, a prominent marine biologist, and underwater filmmaker, and the couple went on to produce a number of groundbreaking films and documentaries about marine life.
Lotte was a key contributor to many of these films, and she became known for her stunning underwater photography, which captured the beauty and diversity of the underwater world. She was particularly skilled at photographing marine creatures in their natural habitats, and her images were widely celebrated for their clarity and vivid colors.
Over the course of her career, Lotte Baierl Hass received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to underwater photography and marine conservation. She also served as a role model and inspiration for many female divers and photographers who followed in her footsteps.
By Gio von Gryneck – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11330086
Dr. Sylvia Earle is an American marine biologist, explorer, and scuba diver who has made significant contributions to the field of oceanography and marine conservation. She was born in 1935 in New Jersey, USA, and began diving as a teenager.
Dr. Earle has spent over 7,000 hours underwater and has been a leader in ocean exploration and research for over five decades. She has led more than 100 expeditions, including the first team of women aquanauts in 1970. In 1979, she set a record for solo diving to a depth of 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii.
Dr. Earle has received numerous awards and honors for her work, including the National Geographic Society’s Hubbard Medal, the highest honor in exploration, and the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research.
“Everyone, everywhere is inextricably connected to and utterly dependent upon the existence of the sea.”
Dr. Sylvia Earle | The World is Blue | September 2009
Dr. Sylvia Earle By USFWS – Pacific Region https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=101056110
Zale Parry was an American scuba diver and actress who made significant contributions to the field of underwater exploration and marine conservation in the mid-20th century. She was born in 1933 in California, USA, and began diving in the 1950s.
Zale Parry quickly became an accomplished diver and was one of the first women to work as a professional diver and stuntwoman in Hollywood films. She appeared in several movies, including “Sea Hunt” and “The Deep Six”, where she performed underwater stunts and action scenes.
In addition to her career in film, Zale Parry was also a passionate advocate for marine conservation and worked to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the world’s oceans. She served as the president of the Underwater Society of America in the 1960s and was a vocal supporter of efforts to protect marine life and habitats.
Rosalia (Zale) Parry By ABC Television, Public Domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37158282
Eugenie Clark was an American marine biologist and scuba diver who made significant contributions to the field of ichthyology (the study of fishes). She was also known as the “Shark Lady” for her extensive research on sharks.
Clark began scuba diving in the 1940s and quickly became an avid diver, logging over 1000 dives during her lifetime. She used her diving skills to conduct research on marine life, including studying the behavior and biology of sharks in their natural habitats.
“I can’t think of anything I regret. Everything I’ve done, I’ve enjoyed doing. I’ve had five husbands, four children. I’ve done it all, but mainly I’ve enjoyed studying fish and being underwater with them, being in their natural habitat, looking at the fish and the fish looking at me”
Eugenie Clark | People magazine interview | 1996
Eugenie Clark By U.S. Department of LaborPublic Domain https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38621308
Simone Melchior Cousteau was a French scuba diver and ocean conservationist. She was also the wife of famed underwater explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.
Simone Cousteau was one of the first women to become a scuba diver, and she played an important role in the early development of scuba diving as a sport and a tool for underwater exploration. She was part of the team that developed the Aqua-Lung, an early version of the scuba diving equipment that we use today.
Overall, Simone Melchior Cousteau was a pioneering figure in the world of scuba diving and ocean conservation, and her work continues to inspire new generations of divers and conservationists