Much insight.
Australia’s Tyler Wright has re-exploded onto the scene after a lengthy absence where only rumor and mystery percolated. She is now the face of the World Surf League, eclipsing Kelly Slater as its most visible star. ESPN, the sporting news juggernaut, has just published a book-sized profile of Wright, her struggles and triumphs, providing much clarity and insight.
Some salient bits…
On goal in coming back to surfing after a lengthy illness: I realized if I’m coming back, I am going to show up with who I am as a human first. Surfing needs people who are going to get into boardrooms and have hard conversations. I’m asking for equality for women, equality for the LGBTQ+ community, equality for Black and brown and indigenous people. I honestly don’t care about winning more world titles. But I know what gets me in the room.
On being part of a legendary surfing family: When you’re that young, it’s not something you question. They competed, so I competed. One in, all in. It was all so insular. By the time I established my own thought processes, I was already on the world tour.
On getting on tour at sixteen: Everyone was like, “You’re living the dream at 16.” I was like, “Whose dream? I don’t f—ing dream of this s—. I want to read books. I want to go to school.”
On the early pressure to conform: We have to make the women’s tour about sexy models who surf to make it marketable. The model pro surfer was someone who was silent, white, hot, blond, skinny and hetero.
On winning her first world title: I don’t want to glorify any of it. I wasn’t competing in a healthy manner. People wanted the story to feel good. I wanted the story to feel good to make it worth it. But mentally, all of this scrambled me.
On realizing she was gay: I wouldn’t have said that I was homophobic, but you realize really quickly the internalized homophobia you have. If you’re not gay or part of the LGBTQ+ community, then you don’t have to look at it. But you’re being raised with all these drip-fed views. Meeting Alex, that’s when the un-learning process began for me.
On being public with her new relationship: The general culture of the surfing community has been homophobic, racist and extremely sexist and that’s been the standard across the board. I told (her girlfriend), “Oh no. You cannot show me affection here. You have to be a platonic friend.” I didn’t feel safe at all.
On rare illness that drove her out of sight for nearly two years: Overnight, I lost everything, what made me Tyler Wright. I lost my personality, my physicality. I’m used to excruciating amounts of pain, but the physical pain got so bad that it would mentally break me. And it broke me every day. I didn’t get a minute where I was unbroken.
On then being diagnosed with PTSD: It’s overwhelming, always being on the verge of panic. My life is literally trying to walk through a minefield and not jump at my own shadow.
On awakening to social issues: I understand that in this conversation, I am a white person and I have benefited from white supremacist structures. We have to start dismantling those structures.
On newfound freedom, and responsibility: I think it would feel very human to win another world title with this mindset. And the more I’m on the podium, the more I’m on your screens, the more important conversations I get to have.
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I have to say that this is the weirdest comment section that I’ve read in over 27 years of near constant internet use. Some of it I can’t make heads or tails of. This weird hate-crush some of you guys have on each other… I’m at a loss for words. I want to link it to some mental health professionals or Buddhist counselors or fuck I don’t know what. Thanks to Chas Smith for beating whatever hornet’s nest this is. Epic post-modern entertainment, I guess. I fucking forgot this was a surfing website for a minute here.
like your…..racism boring and I am a grifter comment on me……really intelligent counter argument…..
haha , I have no idea who you are so I googled your name and came up with …..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugen…
You have not indicated whether or not you are that person as I have posted it a few times in answer to your personally attacking me as you could only make up bullshit about me being a grifter as part of your argument about racism being boring , and then you come on and comment on Tyler and racism you hypocritical cunt….have I ever attacked you personally before ?
Can’t spell my name , yeah married an Irish woman for 46 years , still good friends….another piece of bullshit from you…just right wing white character assassination which is all ya got when your argument falls short!
So I am stooping to your level , but if you see no positives to talking about social issues such as racism…why the fuck bother coming here ??
the benefits, are with positive conversation from People like Tyler , opens up the conversation about racism and Australia’s failure to embrace it’s colonial History …with History now being rewritten and the truth coming out ……we as Australians have a chance to embrace our History, acknowledge the Frontier Wars , the harm that was done Indigenous Australians…..because they are ready to forgive , want healing and reconciliation….and if you can’t understand that’s part of my evolving journey…….just don’t comment if you can’t add anything but personal attacks!
Doesn’t seem to mind being paid by white juju men!
nah but you have decided to personally attack me….so I find out you are pedophile?
so you think she does it for the money , ya fucken grub!
says the Irish Pedophile!
there you are the creature that shows no boundaries….so you call me a grifter , and boring because racism to you , is well boring……..
So I do search on you and come up with Eugene Green…………you are a notorious pedophile or one of his fans ……so fuck off back under your rock…..as now I realize the opposite of what you say is probably closer to the truth….
You should check out …….https://http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08...
https://www.irishtimes.com/…
Seems the playing field is fairly level these days as far as race is concerned. The issue of generational wealth accumulated during unfair and biased times are I feel what many people are trying to rectify now but from what I can tell the only ones being punished for this are the ones that haven’t benefited from it the average working class people.
You’re really good at misconstruing my words. Nor do I think you know what the word racist means, its means to have a prejudice against or to be antagonistic against a certain group of people. Simply pointing out that white people of power have been the ones that made said laws, doesn’t make me a racist. I’m just pointing out a fact. You’re the only taking issue with those people being white.
It is pretty telling to me that you think acknowledging an issue makes the issue worse. https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
yawn.
PUSSY X DICK
*i click on at least two ads every time i visit the site
Talk is cheap unless you’re getting paid for it, I guess.
They’ve made it worse
I didn’t see her comment about the biggest killer around of black people aborted babies.
Based on the January 2020 estimate that there have been 61.6 million abortions in the United States since 1973,20 we can deduce that almost 20 million of them were performed on black babies. As of July 2019, the black population in the U.S. stood somewhere around 44 million,21 which means that abortion has reduced the size of the black community by more than 30%—and that doesn’t include the children and grandchildren that would have been born to those aborted more than a generation ago.
To be fair the gender ratio in the black community is skewed 3 men for every 5 women primarily due to incarceration another related topic that helps explain such high abortion rates. The cause of allthis is multi faceted from unequal lending practices, infusion of hard drugs into communities and things like social engineering all well documented.
Incarceration due to excessive crime committing. Unequal lending practices? Ever heard of the CRE? The government forces banks to lend to ‘people of color’ who otherwise would not get such credit. All well documented.
CRE was established for all poor people not specifically minorities or people of color that have a history of being discriminated against by lenders. If you don’t believe that blacks had a harder time getting bank loans than whites in the same low income bracket then maybe you’re open to taking a look at that particular issue again.
As far as crime goes why do you think the rates are higher?
Thanks Gadoot. My point is simple there are sure is a hell of a lot of African American babies being aborted each year. We can agree on this correct? Why is this not being addressed? Do you think Tyler Wright has ever spent time in an area like Gardena or Compton? I have never read about her spending time in Aboriginal communities in Australia and really helping. But she is all in on the virtue signaling that’s for sure…
Have you read Freakonomics? It puts the decline in shooting deaths in NYC down to the availability of the pill in Black communities. I don’t think that conclusion was welcomed by conservatives though.
What planet are you from? My whole point is there is a gigantic number of African American babies being aborted every year and nobody is actually talking about this. All we are getting is grandstanding gestures from everyone.
It’s ok to be socially conservative if you want to mate but pretty much everyone has moved on from abortion being an issue. And if it is an issue for you then the skin colour of these aborted babies shouldn’t matter.
The debate has been done to death though mate. No one even cares about it as an issue anymore.
We have all moved from abortion? That’s awesome …Your over use of Mate was really great..Drop off…You did not even get close to my point
It’s not an issue anymore. No one cares, except you.
Well the abortion rate is higher likely because women don’t want to raise a child without a father. Secondly men are gonna have a harder time settling down when women are competing for them due to screwed gender ratios. Ever been to a bar or nightclub where the ratio is two women for every man?
In Brasil
It’s very nice
Good article BG. Going by the commentary there aint many who seem to empathise or stand by her. More the opposite. Tall poppy syndrome perhaps or going by below short white male syndrome :p
Nearly all minority issues do come from the white man, but it certainly isn’t your everyday white guy that’s doing the oppression.
Your world really is just English speaking countries, not cool bro
Weird, cause my wives second language is English.
Mine too!!
Small world.
I ain’t sure she is “belittling all white men”.
Only blame I’m seeing anywhere right now is old people blaming her for speaking her mind.
Think about who is saying it though, does Tyler Wright come off as someone who “fits the mold?” Not only that, younger generations are much more open with mental health.
It seems that all of the younger people, now, have mental health issues, though. Why is that? When I was younger, the kids just did what they needed to do and got on with life. Kids weren’t complaining about their feelings being hurt! FFS
Im sure a trip to Rottnest Island a place of extreme environmental fragility and deep cultural significance to the many diverse north west and eastern goldfields indigenous tribes such as the Wongi and Yamatji people that have ancestors buried on the Island , all sponsored by RipCurl and the WSL will do the poor girl a world of good.
it’s not on yet…Nyungar Country , still don’t have permission !
You mean Nyoongars , but for serious consideration the Rottnest and greater Perth area fall under the tradional Whadjuk peoples as custodians , i am aware Rip Curl has not actually reached out to either the Whadjuk or Nyoongar peoples.
Nyungar is what they use…Yes RC have reached out , the WSL were the ones who did not contact the Nyungar elders…..being sorted now , but the disrespect has been taken into Account even the WA govt didn’t ask…..
And the traditional Whadjuk what of them ? Farrk all from anyone.
ah no mate, there is some serious shit going on behind the scenes…….so far not in the Media , but the Nyungar / Whadjuk are going to be involved and will be paid , and RC will help facilitate ….could be an awesome event dedicated to a 40,000 yr + culture becomes the birthing place for a National Indigenous Surf Mob…..will know how all of this goes in the next couple of days…..
40,021!!
Good follow up old fella
You can’t be serious mate correcting his spelling. When I lived in WA in the 90s/2000s it was commonly written as Noongar.
Here where I live the native people have been spelt as Wathaurung, Wathaurong, Waddawarrung, it’s all the same people mate.
Actually no they are not and i should know my people have been here for a touch longer than the 90 and 20s tiger.
please read above , I am only using the Nyungar spelling as that is what’s being used by the Elders that I am currently helping with WSL discuss at theions….
There will be an incredible possibility of this being a huge opportunity to put Indigenous Culture at the forefront…..Warts and all!
http://www.facebook.com/Noo… amazing all these indigenous boys who don’t even know how to spell the name of their own mob.
spelling of a name is often a disputed one…..I have Nyungar Elder mates who are negotiating with WSL and they use Nyungar spelling…
yeah and the Wuthaurang/Wathaurong Waddawarrung disputes continue , very hard to follow , but it’s Blackfella business…..
Yes can differ over a very short distance , at least you are aware more so than that twit low wide
Aussies!!
https://www.noongarculture….
Looks like you’ve got some emails to write to your mob mate, spelling their name wrong.
Might come as a supprise to you , but there are many truths and facts that are not only not on google but also not written , may i suggest you consider taking your first cultural steps out side of the internet.
I’d have been more sympathetic if you hadn’t waded in like a hero correcting spelling mistakes that Maurice himself said are the spellings used by the elders he is in touch with.