Breaking the Stereotype to Inspire Others

#BREAKTHESPEAROTYPE

For those of you who are wondering what this hashtag means and stands for -  

A few days ago I created a new Instagram account that will be, along with this blog, dedicated to breaking the stereotypes set on freedivers, fisherman & more specifically Spearos.

As mentioned in a previous blog post, my biggest influence in my love for the ocean/fishing has come from my father who's knowledge and passion was passed down from his father, so on and so on. & I guess with me the chain was bound to be broken as tis way of life has practically been engraved into my genes. 😂 

I remember being excluded from fishing trips because I was a girl, and though I was passionate about fishing and marine life, because I was a female I was never really taken seriously by the boys. Therefore I was excluded most of the times. 😭😭 

& I mean, I can't really blame them.. what girl actually wants to wet their hair over & over, break their nails while jumping into the boat/while trying to grasp a fish, get countless of cuts/scrapes from coral reef, fish, hooks & knives, spend hours on a rocky boat to then have to jump into a dark obyss and then hold your breath to dive up and down countless of times into 20-60ft of water to hunt in sometimes freezing ocean, to later return to land exhausted, to then have to clean the fish that have very smelly fish guts and get covered in guck all whilst getting bitten alive by sand flies/mosquitoes...

             

        *takes breath* 

LOL... I DID & DO!! & That's just the thing. Despite the not so fabulous moments, I love every single second of it. And I KNOW there has to be girls out there who would be down for the cause as well, because there are so much more magical moments involved that makes it all worth it. 

Many of you may ask why I am trying to 'break the stereotype' within these salt life communities. 

But before I touch on that subject I just want to make a few things clear:

Without a doubt, Spearfishing is a very dangerous sport that requires a lot of strength, endurance, knowledge and skill. Tough qualities that are usually bestowed upon men. 

I'm not going to sit here and say that this world is easy, even after a few years of spearing I am still considered a newbie/apprentice, and have tuns & tuns of things to improve and learn in the grand scheme of things.  lol 

I am also not trying to say that there is something wrong with males dominating an activity, but more so that the world deserves to see and acknowledge that there are females out there who can and do partake in these 'manly' sports. 

That there is no stigma or anything wrong behind pursuing such an activity as a way of life, sport or career. 

Now back to the question. 

As a female of Afro Caribbean descent I certainly do not fall into the Stereotyped category within the general 'saltlife world'. lol 

& it's as simple as this-  when you think of someone who fishes, who do you usually picture in your head? 

A male correct? :D

ok, now let's talk more specifically about Spearos. 

The Spearfishing/freediving sport for decades has been dominated and perfected by Europeans & Americans.

When focusing more so on the Caribbean, Spearfishing within our communities has mostly been used as a technique of fishing in order to sustain a source of food and income. 

Though I spear for the same reasons, I and many others also pursue this activity as a sport.  

Within this 'Sport' category there are only a handful of people from the Caribbean, that pursue spearfishing under such a category.

Focusing here in the Bahamas in the handful of people, from what i've seen, I can only estimate that about 40% of people within this group are of afro Caribbean descent, and to my knowledge about 5% of those are females  (I've only met two others) lol

So I can only speculate that I am beyond the 'norm' and might as well be categorized as an outcast/outlier.

This is why i've taken it upon myself to lead this journey to find others who are like me or aspire to be like me. By using these social media platforms to also prove to, inspire and encourage others that regardless of our Nationality, backgrounds, & gender we can still be Spearo Queens & Kings! 

Join me in the #BREAKTHESPEAROTYPE Movement. 

Every week I will be featuring a Caribbean female who considers or aspires to be a Spearo Girl! Email me at sophiemelissatay@gmail.com or DM my Instagram Page @spearogirl242 if you would like to or know someone who wants to be featured!

Much love,

Stay tuned for this weeks featured Spearo Girl!