Photo: Thiago Diz//World Surf League
“I’ve been attacked by men in the water, I’ve been hit in the head, I’ve been yelled at, screamed at,” two-time surf world champion Tyler Wright said as part of a pilot research program conducted by the University of Technology Sydney.
“These environments are not only passively dangerous, but they can be actively dangerous, intimidating and not welcoming if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Wright continued.
The research was conducted by Dr. Ece Kaya and Dr. Leila Khanjaninejad, including interviews with world champions (such as Wright), ex-professionals, and board rider club members. The researchers say their work has underscored the structural and cultural barriers that impede women in surfing. They say despite recent advances, such as equal prize money in WSL events and AUD $1 million of government funding to establish 50 new women’s board riding clubs in Australia, women face systemic obstacles like aggressive localism tactics in and out of the water.
“I feel like as a larger community there has been a lot of acceptance (that the aggressive behavior) is ok, that’s normal and I feel like it’s not,” said Wright. “I feel like surfing is, in a general sense, a very exclusive sport.”
“I was in that generation of sex sells, we weren’t really allowed to be craftspeople,” Wright added. “We had to be perceived as a certain way, and that often had to do (with) sex and being sexy. If you were not that and did not want to be that, it did cause issues from income to opportunity.”
Dr. Kaya said that women reported having to prove themselves to the men every time they paddle out and they often felt terrified by the aggression directed towards them in the lineup.
“Surfing is a patriarchal sport,” said Dr. Kaya. “The culture has been male-dominated for a long time in Australia. The ocean is for everyone. Women should feel safe and supported and not intimidated in the water.”
The study says that their research has already had impacts, namely showing that women-specific surf events have potential to create positive change in the surf industry. It highlights three areas where more research is needed: analysis of sponsorship dynamics, examination of policy implementation effectiveness, and assessment of cultural transformation initiatives. Finally, it calls on the sustained support from governing bodies, sponsors, local clubs, and the broader surfing community to catalyze and encourage change.
