women and Leica?

[harvey999999]

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I haven't been on this Forum for a huge amount of time, but one thing stands out very clearly: there are very few women. Why are Leica-owners in general, and in this Forum in particular, overwhelmingly male? It's not the case with other camera forums.

[fotofool]

I haven't been on this Forum for a huge amount of time, but one thing stands out very clearly: there are very few women. Why are Leica-owners in general, and in this Forum in particular, overwhelmingly male? It's not the case with other camera forums.

 

I am also a member of a Canon equipment forum and find it to be similarly male dominated. But in the field I meet as many women holding Canons as men. So I'm not sure your premise is true. I suspect that equipment oriented discussions tend to draw a more male dominated audience regardless of brand. At the one Leica Akademie I have attended, thinking back, I believe there were five women and four men.

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[erl]

The direction and style of discussion here is more attractive to males than females. You might call it a biological fact.

 

Not unlike cars. Blokes like to poke around under the bonnet and generally crawl all over the car. Most women are very content to just drive them. My wife doesn't even put petrol in her car. She literally just drives it. (I do the rest).

 

She likes looking at photos (anyone's) and can criticize very incisively, but never guilty of using a camera.

[Jennifer]

The direction and style of discussion here is more attractive to males than females. You might call it a biological fact.

 

Not unlike cars. Blokes like to poke around under the bonnet and generally crawl all over the car. Most women are very content to just drive them. My wife doesn't even put petrol in her car. She literally just drives it. (I do the rest).

 

She likes looking at photos (anyone's) and can criticize very incisively, but never guilty of using a camera.

 

I'm a woman and a participant here. A Leica enthusiast, who likes to take photos and quite enjoys discussing/buying gear too (In the long run, it's whole lot cheaper than buying handbags I can assure you ). Probably all inherited from my father who was a huge Leica fan/fanatic and a very keen photographer in his time, especially throughout my childhood, my teens and into my early 20's when he ended up giving me his old M4.

 

OTOH, I bought a new Mercedes over six months ago and have never lifted the bonnet. Indeed, I don't know where the bonnet release catch is, nor do I have any particular interest in finding out. If, perchance, something goes wrong with the engine thingy, I'll leave it to some man to get grubby fixing. After all why would I want to rob men of one of the few ways they can justify their 'raison d'être'?

Edited September 24, 2014 by Jennifer

[erl]

As a followup, both my daughters are good photographers, in different disciplines, but neither can get their head around Leicas with RF's. Their choice.

[pico]

My wife once asked, "Does this little camera make me look fat?", then "I'll carry the Super Technika."

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[platypus]

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Assuming that there actually is is a dearth of females on this forum maybe it's just down to priorities. Having been a woman my whole life I know that the last person to spend big money on you is yourself,

and let's face it Leica gear really is a pricey and luxurious way into photography, particularly if you (the wife and mother) are a casual or hobby photographer. I know I wouldn't have felt justified in buying my

very first R4 cameras and lenses if they had not primarily been for use in our business (long ago).

Of course erl is has a point too, Ms are such specialised little cameras, not so easy to use in certain situations, maybe a bit fiddly and cantankerous, really a niche camera that requires a certain commitment from

their operator. I certainly can't imagine my daughter choosing to use one and she grew up with Leicas, both Ms and Rs.

[Michael Geschlecht]

Hello Everybody,

 

This is a topic which has been raised before in a number of Threads.

 

It certainly APPEARS that women, as well as some other groups of people, are under represented on this Forum. The actual numbers are an unknown.

 

Don't forget some people may not be who they appear to be if a person simply relies on another's avatar or signature to determine who they are.

 

People sometimes assume a screen identity that allows them to participate without having to accumulate unwanted baggage.

 

There have always been a number of women who write here who are tekkies as much as anyone else. Just as there are any number of men who write here who are non-technical & emotional.

 

1 way to have more people write more openly is to welcome women & people coming from a diversity of perspectives the same way people coming from a variety of places & cultures have been welcomed to this Forum.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael