By: Angela Li

What would you usually think of when someone says summer sports? Maybe beach volleyball and surfing. These two sports are usually the first two to come to mind. For a relaxing day at the beach, you would usually see at least 1 surfer surfing the wave, but what would you think of right now in the comfort of your own home? Well, most people would think of a male traveling at high speeds on a surfboard in the rough waves, but the second picture? A woman with blonde hair, flawless skin, a beautiful hat, with sunglasses running to the water with a surfboard tucked in her arm.

But this is exactly the image many people have been trying to remove from people’s minds and have them focus on the real surfboarding world, where women and men are equal, no matter how good their surfboarding skills are. But sadly, in many places, this is not true. Women are treated like objects that only have to look pretty, with even some places not looking for the skill of the surfer, but more of the beauty. According to Pacific Surfer Kelly Murphy, fashion is oftentimes prioritized in the portrayal of female surfers over their skill. “The way you looked in a bikini, that was often more important than your ability.”

Even with all these stereotypes and sexism, many girls and women have taken on surfing and skateboarding, sports that are usually male-dominated. Sports should be an escape for women, but instead, many male players do not respect women as their equals. Instead, they meet aggression and sexism. This is the problem with surfing and even other sports such as tennis and volleyball. But organizations in the Pacific like Solwata Sista and the Aotearoa Women’s Surfing Association are starting to teach young girls about topics like surfing, self-defense, sexual health, and literacy.

Whether or not there will be more stereotypes in the future for surfing, communities are sure to make an impact in the women surfing world.

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