Gidget, owning it.
From the late 1800’s when trips to the seashore first gained public popularity, until 1960’s when the precursor of today’s modern bikini hit the mainstream, modesty trumped practicality when it came to women’s bathing suits. As the era dictated, bathing suits carefully followed the accepted social norms of the day, which often meant that women could be seen, but not participate. Suits consisting of heavy skirts or bloomers weighed female swimmers down and did little more than relegate women to the sand. Today, bikinis are a booming business – representing a breakthrough not only on the fashion front but also, more importantly, in terms of gender equality.
Yesterday, two major national recognition days vied for attention on the social media sphere: National Dog Day and Women’s Equality Day (an unfortunate pairing, to say the least). While tweet for tweet #NationalDogDay substantially overshadowed #WomensEqualityDay, and Facebook to Instagram feeds were flooded with our favorite furry friends, August 26th nevertheless most notably commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. But, as noted in a recent TIMES article, 95 years later we women continue to face barriers to career advancement, equal pay, representation, and, overall, changes in social norms. These same issues continue to plague the surfing industry which, ironically, relies heavily on the sale of the iconic – and revolutionary – itsy, bitsy bikini.
That isn’t to say we aren’t making strides. Women are increasingly becoming a staple in lineups around the world and are gaining traction in the surf industry – from the professional athletes to top executives. We are beginning to dictate our bathing suits, our boards, and our styles. From the biggest waves to smallest peelers, we’ve made it known that we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Yet every single day as a woman means inhabiting a world that men will never understand. Our daily realities include everything from testosterone driven beach breaks to addressing the condescending, sexist attitudes and comments that prevail throughout our society.
This post, however, should not be construed as a complaint, but rather a call to action to all women who proudly tuck a board under their arm. It’s steering the general conversation of women’s surfing from “chicks in bikinis who rip” to “women who surf.” It’s focusing on the progression of the sport rather than the weight and body types of the Top 17. It’s encouraging our daughters to take off on that first wave and letting our sons know that it’s time to make room.
I truly believe that changing society’s perception of women begins with how we are perceived, and how we perceive ourselves, in situations that range from the dinner table to our favorite breaks.
So while Women’s Equality Day may have passed, I encourage each and every lady surfer to get out there and go for it. And while we should pride ourselves on the strides we’ve made as women, we must continue to work together to develop the next wave of confident, influential surfer girls who will one day take over our place in the lineup.
