The sport that started with the intention to explore the ocean and have fun connecting with nature still has its prejudice when it comes to being considered a women’s sport. Meanwhile, the men’s category still on the spotlights in media and conquers the world. That’s why it’s important for us to understand there are still places that we have to reach.
A huge step to claim our spaces was the first women’s surfing championship, the California Golden Girls, that had its first edition at the 70’s and kept kicking it to the 80’s, which made people aware that the sport was also represented by amazing and talented girls.
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Nowadays, the sport still carries the idea of ”beautiful” girls representing brands, more than the talent and hard work that they actually have. Even with big names at the World Surf League (WSL) Championship, the girls breaking it and setting records at big waves, just like the American Bethany Hamilton, who actually survived a shark attack and returned to the sport victoriously, the Australian and six-time world champion Louise Gilmore, or the Brazilian champion of the Billabong Global Big Wave Awards and elitte surfer Maya Gabeira, it still persists.
Thankfully, our athletes keep going out of their limits and trying their best to take their places and gaining the same prize as the male category (yes, surfer girls still aren’t paid as well as men!). Fortunately, in the beginning of 2019, the World Surfing League announced that they will offer the same prize to make and female surfers at every WSL event, making it the first and only U.S. based sports league to pay its athletes the same regardless of gender! With a bigger media support, equal treatment and hard work, our surfer girls will defeat the sexism in the sport and gain their very well deserved place!