My four cents to the conversation. In life , diving, and in general: I treat those who are kind with kindness and those who are un-kind with kindness. I see no difference in difference in women or men when diving. IMHO, It’s all a matter of being safe, having fun, and maintaining your control during the dive. At the surface it’s all about sharing a common passion for why we do this thing called diving. Let’s face it when it comes down to someone assisting you during a dive: I see a mask and a fellow diver.
And yes there are the occasional divers who are rude and obnoxious at the surface and in the water. But they are not worth defending in this conversation.