#femalesurfer

[catclarkmodeling]

[unlevelplayingfield]

Female surfers: the impact of Gender Discrimination

Sport; a place to restrict gender involvement, construct and enhance difference? Or a place for gender inequality to be challenged and changed?

Professional surfing is a masculine domain for the construction of manliness and dominant masculinity. It WAS a ‘boys club’ exclusive for men and then women wanted in. Unfortunately for women the boys didn’t want to play and involve different identities other than men, meaning female surfers having to compete with gender inequality not only in the ocean but on land alike. Isn’t it about time that female surfers have the recognition they deserve?

World surfing competitions consist of two different tours; the men’s tour is the Quicksilver pro tour and the women’s tour is the Roxy pro tour. Agreed, men and women should be competing in separate competitions. However, women have 10 events and men have 11. What’s that all about? Is the inference that men are better? That men train harder? Six time, World Champion surfer Stephanie Gilmore doesn’t agree. She feels women should be paid as equals. In an interview produced by 7.30 she states that women surfers travel to the same places, put in just as much effort as men, and train just as hard and instead of being equal they simply have to tell themselves they are equal.

Western societies claim that it’s unnatural for women to compete in sport. Layne Bleachley’s victories between 1993 and 2003 has allowed women to start making a comeback and fight for what they believe. It’s starting to prove these societies wrong. Bleachley has multiple world titles and is the only surfer (whether male or female) to have won 6 consecutive world titles. So why do woman have to fight so hard to have the acknowledgement they deserve?

Women have multiple and conflicting gendered experiences in surfing; they surf even though they could be ridiculed for participating in a sport once considered as masculine. They consider themselves skilled and strong but they still have to negotiate normal understanding of femininity around appearance and body image.

The aesthetic rationale (unattractive theory) has developed and become the total opposite for female surfers and they now have to deal with Sexualisation It’s both degrading and a huge problem that female surfers have to face, being published in magazines and on television for brands such as Roxy and having suggestive advertisements, often wearing minimal clothing, bare skinned and implied nudity. Is this really getting the interest that is wanted?

Women walking across the beach wearing skimpy bikini’s and having the persona of ‘who looks best in the bikini’ whereas men are advertised for having ‘rad’ skills. Along with this you often see women lounging on the beach or talking to the pro male surfers and this shows a sense of masculinity. Of course, this does not take away from men and their success and pro ability. However, women surfers being sexualised instead of their true entitlement is simply wrong.

Finally! As of 2019 the World Surf league is going to take away the gender pay gap and have all competitors, whether female or male, having the same equal pay! Although this is a massive step in the right direction it doesn’t take away from all the other negative inequality factors women face (as mentioned above). However, it does make a start to repairing their status in the sport. Women having to face being sexualised simply to do the sport they love is a big problem. Rebecca Woods (former top 10 surfer) speaks of wanting to compete but not wanting to feel forced to show off her body because of her sponsorship.

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References

Sports ethics. (2018). Sexualisation of Female Athletes in the Media. [online] Available at: https://ethicsofsports.wordpress.com/2015/11/21/sexualisation-of-female-athletes-in-the-media/ [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018].

Houlihan, B. and Malcolm, D. (2016). Sport and society. 3rd ed. London: Sage, pp.134 - 150.

Surfagram.com. (2018). 2018 Men's & Women's World Surf League Championship Tour Rankings - Surfagram. [online] Available at: https://www.surfagram.com/rankings [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018].

Atkin, M. (2018). Female pro surfers pushing for end to 'sexualised' culture. [online] ABC News. Available at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-15/female-surfers-call-for-end-to-sexist-culture-in-sport/7329932 [Accessed 6 Nov. 2018].

Acknowledgements

Whittaker, D. (2018). Man holding surfboard on the shore. [image] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/action-adult-beach-birds-305268/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].

Starkov, I. (2018). Woman in black 2-piece swimsuit holding White and Red surfboard. [image] Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-black-2-piece-swimsuit-holding-white-and-red-surfboard-971267/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2018].

[ondenostre]

Thursday 18th October London Surf Film Festival epic finale @allpressespresso Dalston - an evening of surf, movies, music and Martinis with films from @ondenostre @novisgabriel and movies featuring the likes of @leahloves @cravegreens !! Bringing together salty sliders, smooth sailing, single fins and sizzling sausages and beers. Music from @oktobamusic If you are in town check it out, the perfect way to round off this our 8th Edition #LSFF2018xREEF #surfmovies #goodtimes #londonsurfers #femalesurfers #ondenostre (presso Allpress Espresso Roastery & Cafe) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo_TA9DH56n/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sghc156sf3gk

[stevebeck]

Surfers gotta surf 🤙 . #bournemouth #boacombe #surfers #surf #femalesurfers #sun #sea #sand #pier #waves #beachlife (at Boscombe Pier) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHQCv85pys9/?igshid=l037uzzo19vw

[sisstrevolution]

Taghiti Gericke 

Sisstrevolution Spring 2020 

Shop the Millie Bandeau | Watch Me Go Pant

Photo by: Megan Costello

[fredgalle]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fred Galle (@fredgalle)

Wake surfing photo shoot & filming on Lake Norman in my backyard on the main channel. #Boat #PhotoShoot #BoatPhotoShoot #FemaleWakeBoarder #BoatShoot #Bikini #Lake #LakeLife #FemaleSurfer #LakeLifeStyle #HelicopterBoatPhotoShoot https://www.instagram.com/p/BwFAAKxnBHd/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1xfbs6hte6guo

[artbychantalhandley-blog]

New open-edition ‘Surfs Up’ prints available! Check my @etsy page for more info! Link in bio! 💙🙏🏻 (at Gold Coast, Queensland)

[clubsweetness-blog]

🏄🏽‍♀️🤙🏽 #hangten #surfergirl #sallyfitzgibbons #femalesurfer #womeninsport #wavy #surfing

[necklacenext]

Just Pinned to Necklaces: #femalesurfers http://bit.ly/2Tl9oia

[rodrabbit]

#igersgoldcoast #wow-australia #australia #world_shotz #picoftheday #world_shots #snapperrocks #superbank #surfline #surfing #surferphotos #world_shotz #ellis_see25#bikinisurfing#femalesurfing#ellis_slee25@ellis_slee25

[chriscrazyhouse]

Surfer girl from the NATURALLY CUTE coloring book. Get yours today on Amazon #naturallycute #naturalhair #bighair #chriscrazyhouse #coloringbook #dreadlocks #dreadstyles #surf #femalesurfers #blondelocks #dolphins #surfing #wave #summer2017

[avagabondatheart]

Endless summer in Nicaragua 🇳🇮. Having spent five glorious days surfing along the beautiful coast in Nic's Popoyo beach, it's only a matter of time before this semi hidden gem of place becomes the next Costa Rica. Offshore all the time! 🏄🏻‍♀️🏄🏻🌴 : : : : : : : : #nicaragua #surfing #surfers #popoyo #lassalinas #travel #wanderlust #centralamerica #surfingcentralamerica #sungleephotography #wahini #femalesurfers #moonguides #lonelyplanet #surfingaroundtheworld #waves #olas #ondas #puravida #wednesday #bestoftoday #lifeisgood #coastline #whatilove #tola #longboarding (at Popoyo)

[personaltrainerbarnstaple]

Working with pro surfer @lucycsurfer #personaltraining #femalesurfer #prosurfer (at Absolute Training and nutrition)

[cboards]

Two Years After Drowning, Gabeira Returns to Nazaré

One brave women #surfing  massive waves with excellent supprt and is why she is alive and doing it again.   #MayaGabeira  one fit #femalesurfer  

http://fw.to/SFgXOfa

[sisstrevolution]

Hello Spring 2020!

Tiki Willis in the Pescadora Cheeky LongSleeve Suit

by: Megan Costello

[throwingbucketsmag]

#Repost @surfsaltylips
・・・
@courtneyconlogue throwing down a huge turn @ the Beachley Classic! Check out out interview with this crazy talented Californian on www.salty-lips.com Photo: Grant Sproule @throwingbucketsmagazine #surf #surfer #surfing #surflife #surfphoto #surfgirl #surfgirls #surfergirls #california #surfergirl #femalesurfer #ocean #waves #live #love #dream #paradise #travel #ladyslider #gurfer #dreaming #saltylips #surfsaltylips