O’Neills current homepage.
I didn’t grow up surfing, but in the past ten years or so since I’ve been actively surfing, following the sport, and working in the surf industry, I’ve seen some big changes happen. I’ve watched Keala Kennelly spearhead efforts towards equality in the sport and in the past few years, her efforts have paid off in a big way.
In 2019, the WSL began awarding equal prize money to men and women. In 2022, the Billabong Pro Pipeline became the first time a women’s CT event was held at Banzai Pipeline. In January of 2023, six women made history by competing in the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational. Each of these events alone was huge but cumulatively, they were big steps towards equality in women’s surfing.
So, does inequality still exist in surfing?
Absolutely.
And surf media is one of the worst culprits.
Let me just preface this by saying that I am not an extreme feminist, out to throw a fit anytime something is slightly off balance between men and women. I am well aware that there are and will continue to be differences between men’s and women’s surfing and the pendulum can’t always land dead center. But the fact remains: inequality exists in surf media.
I am part of a women’s surf group on Facebook and on multiple occasions, women in the group have pointed out advertising or website depictions from some of the top surf brands showing a man shredding and a woman lounging on the beach. Honestly, it’s something I hadn’t really noticed until the group pointed it out, but once it was brought to my attention, I can’t help but see it.
Take O’Neill, for example. Right now, when you log onto their homepage, you have the option to choose to shop men’s or women’s. The image depicted for men is a man in a massive barrel, wearing a pair of O’Neill boardshorts. The image for women is a girl standing on the beach in an O’Neill bikini.
I have nothing against O’Neill. In fact, I really like the brand. I work closely with the marketing executives at most of the top surf brands and have a lot of respect for the work they do and the products they deliver. But this is something I’ve consistently seen over the years. It’s gotten better and happens less, but it still happens. Often. And O’Neill isn’t the only brand that’s doing it.
But why?
Women can surf. Women get barreled. So why do brands want to show us men surfing and women lounging? Are they trying to sexualize women? Is it what they think we want to see? Do they think most of the women purchasing their products don’t actually surf and want someone they can relate to?
Personally, I would love to see equality in surf media. I want to see women surfing, getting barreled, landing airs, and pushing the limits. I wouldn’t say I’m more or less likely to shop based on the imagery the brand displays (unless it’s really bad), but I do have a lot of respect for brands that celebrate women who are absolutely crushing it. Because, although I’m a mediocre surfer, I want someone to look up to and something to work towards. And I’d much rather see that when I log onto a surf brands website, rather than a woman sitting on the beach.
I’ve thought about writing this article for a while but have refrained because I didn’t know the perfect way to go about it. I knew that, regardless of what I said, there would be someone eager to counter my arguments and be quick to point out places where I was wrong or things I should have or could have said differently. But I think it’s better to say things imperfectly than to say nothing at all.
So, in my humble opinion, inequality in surf media needs to stop. Because women rip, and it’s time the world knows it.
