Gilmore (pictured) raging against the machine. Photo: WSL
Gilmore (pictured) raging against the machine. Photo: WSL

Iconic eight-time world champion Stephanie Gilmore savages sexist surf industry in new tell-all: “I felt pressure as an up-and-coming surfer to look good in a bikini and to have that hot beach-girl vibe!”

Rage against the machine.

Surf fans do not generally agree on much. The World Surf League Championship Tour is either too long or not long enough. There are either too many surfers or not enough. Kelly Slater either should have retired a decade ago or should surf until he’s seventy. The judging either rewards floaters too highly or not highly enough. The only area of universal agreement is that Surf Ranch is not an appropriate place to host an event. Or, rather, Surf Ranch is not an appropriate place to host an event and Stephanie Gilmore is absolutely without reproach.

The eight-time world champion is as graceful as she is stylish, and charming as brave. Her ability, tenacity, dignity all 10 out of 10. When she speaks we all listen and she just spoke to Stellar magazine, telling honest truths about the sometimes nasty surf industry.

Gilmore, who appears on the cover surfing in a yellow sundress, declared, “For my first eight years on tour, my pay was probably $12,000 to the men’s $40,000. But I didn’t question it because all I wanted to do was surf,” adding later that (the surf industry) can be a tough place for women to not feel intimidated” and “Yes, there were moments where I felt pressure as an up-and-coming surfer to look good in a bikini and to have that hot beach-girl vibe. But I’ve watched other female athletes like Serena Williams be fierce and feminine, and I feel like the older I get, I realise how fun it is to embrace both sides.”

The $12,000 to men’s $40,000 is truly egregious and it is a fine thing that it is now all fixed up. The early pressure she felt to have that “hot beach-girl vibe” is also unfortunate and should have been layered onto Mick Lowe instead.

Gilmore perfect just the way she is.

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Knoobtuuber

Would it suprise you to be told that everything you have said is totally fucking obvious? If you can get the salt out your eyes you’d realise it’s the same pretty much everywhere else you can look. And again nothing to do with my point. Great info Donnie keep it up, not defending anything or anyone, just calling out cheap shot sexist comments and pulling up on the poor writing and content of this site, I feel I may have been fairly near the mark looking at reactions received. Can’t trust mucv on the internet but people’s reactions are about as close as you will get! Shaka down Mon

J H

And they did…

No Feelings

Stephanie seems like a cool person. Her smile is radiant and sincere, but that doesn’t stop her from going into beast mode in competition.

So this isn’t just about her. It’s about most of what I have seen from pro surfers who don’t understand what they’re actually getting paid for.

Have you ever seen a picture in a mag, of a guy who doesn’t look hot in boardshorts? Does anyone think that a single teenage girl watching the US Open by HB Pier has a clue what the WSL standings are, who’s in a points battle? They know some surfers by name, though.

It’s not just women. It’s all pro surfers. For the most part, they’re paid to be models before competitors. They sell clothes before they sell boards.

Shawn Stüssy was an iconic and prolific shaper before he had a family to support. He did a lot better financially with clothes, so he focused on them. That’s what the “surf industry” is mostly about when you look at the balance sheet.

It is what it is.

Michael Flatlately

The number of them nowadays that cite inspiring the next gen of kids as the driving force. I guess it makes them feel like they’re contributing to something other than their own individual betterment. Any of those kids turn up in a rashie though, they’d mentally take them to pieces. Kelly’s now destroying the dreams of kids of kids he inspired. They’re competitors and entertainers as a bi product. Then, yeah, models. They should be telling kids to study accountancy and enjoy recreational surfing. And of course look good while you’re doing it.

No Feelings

We Gen Xers found out that the world is every bit as lame as we suspected.

Whaddareyagonnado? 🤣

Knoobtuuber

This website or whatever it’s labelled as, ‘beach grit’ and it’s commenters are literally what’s wrong with our whole society and most of our industries, absolutely disgusted with what I’m assuming is older white males commenting on things that aren’t their business but dishing out pretty poor advices and comments? Would be real nice to see the actual faces and names of the trash putting themselves ‘out there’ , I also do have to agree with the comments of poor journalism from beach grit, your writers arent trash but if you don’t have anything worth uploading or whatever just don’t. Save it for a day or so noones going anywhere

Marcello

And your whats wrong with surfing. Its your type that surf industries market towards. Its your image conscience ass that industry puts models ahead of athletes for. The wsl sucks because it only cares about selling you that image u want. We have issues. We aren’t and don’t wont to be perfect. But we are real. The names are funny. We spend are life in the water to escape your judgment. So fuck off.

Knoobtuuber

Lovely judgements made from nada, I was voicing the sexist and obviously older generational thoughts and opinions that have been shared on this comments list, you are showing your self to us all by sharing your bruised ego with the internet. Very well done Marcello, I’m sorry if my comment upset you and your love for beachgrit, wouldn’t usually comment on stuff like this because not really my bag, but had a bit of a day and seeing all this just topped it off! Silly reaction! Carry on spending your life in the water I’m sure it’ll make up for your bitterness towards whatever the hell it is that’s got you pent up mate (insert thumbs up here dood)

No Feelings

Things are tough all over.

Tougher when you’re loathsome and you totally lack self awareness.

Michael Flatlately

You know when I was younger, it seemed all the older generation wanted to do was censor us and what we were into. Now I’m older and finding the younger generations want to censor me and what I’m into. Yours, confused aging white male.

Occ Topus

Welcome to the human race, snowflake.
Now, back to your safe space, where you can jerk off to your woke fantasies, to your heart’s content.

Capt Sensible

But it’s OK for you to diss out agisim and racism , white Anglo is a race you dumb fuck.

FL Skunk Ape

Melanie Bartels ripped and surfed well beyond the other women at that time. Gee I wonder why she didn’t stick around.

J H

And women in Hollywood protected Harvery for years.

Know why?

Money.

Low wide stinkbug stance

And in other news, the world isnt fair and the universe doesn’t owe you a living.

Fuck, every teenage girl worries about looking good in a bikini.

Knoobtuuber

And why do you think that is????

Low wide stinkbug stance

Why do you think models are good looking?

The Bitchy Crab

They are showing what they got, hoping that an alpha male chooses them.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…

justiceminister

Serena Williams fierce ✓ Serena Williams feminine ×

J H

What’s ironic is that Serena is so desperate to considered sexy which she most certainly is not.

Also ironic because women’s tennis is one the VERY few professional sports where the women are just as (if not more) popular as the men.

Pauly Matt War-Shore

Serena is sexy as fuck. I can imagine, given your posting history, why you wouldn’t think so.

J H

She’s not attractive.

Black, white, purple…doesn’t matter.

If she weren’t one of the greatest tennis players ever (male or female) them you literally wouldn’t even give her a second look.

Don’t be a simp.

Pauly Matt War-Shore

I’m saying, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you are a racist beholder. And “sim”? lol

J H

Yes, simp.

Meaning…she ain’t gonna sleep with you, bro.

But you are correct…beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Having said that I can absolutely, 100%, guarantee you that if she wasn’t among the greatest athletes of all time no one would give her a second look.

No Vogue covers, no SI swimsuit edition…nada.

AI (for ever) .

I admire how she fought the man and won.

By making sure she was looking good in a bikini and developing a hot girl surfer vibe?

She really put those corporate pricks in there place, by doing EXACTLY as TOLD, didn’t she?

J H

Where did she put those corporate dicks, exactly?

mike m

“For my first eight years on tour, my pay was probably $12,000 to the men’s $40,000.”

Then surf against the men and get paid $40k.

KRIS

Surfing Maroubra in a yellow sundress when the water temperature was nudging 16 degrees; that’s nasty.

tim_nelsen

poll:
A) big booty
B) little booty

J H

I love you man but you’re better than this.

BIG BOOTY all day and twice on Sunday!!!

tim_nelsen

C) various

J H

MUCH better…

SenseNoSense

– did she mention the unfairness of ‘finals day’ & the asterisk for this year’s title (also, chopes) ?

Pauly Matt War-Shore

You being confused is a regular occurrence. At least you admit it this time.

Chief Hot stuff

Down boy.

J H

If it’s only an inch how would you know?

Chief Hot stuff

I cant control j meoffs fantasy

Beef & Beer

Here she is using Gabby as a shield, while keeping her legs crossed.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Wisely so, considering the company…

tim_nelsen

as you’re atty/esq., et, al.

AI (for ever) .

Whineo only had eyes for gabs that night, he made him a …star….

Michael Flatlately

Wasn’t the pressure on the men to cover their ankles with their boardshorts worse?

J H

Capri pants for men.

Nuremberg level crimes.

Huli Opu

C’mon Chuzza, I just watched one of the best surf contests in a long while at prime Haleiwa and you and Drek got nothing? More worse, you serve up some rehashed Steph while no mention of the young Oz rippah Sophie McCulloch winning? Not a mention that the wahine finally getting a good huck at big Haleiwa? Sheez, where’s JP?

Occ Topus

BG has become the National Enquirer of the surfing world. We must go elsewhere for authentic surf journalism.

Hopefully you got out in the ocean yesterday. It was pumping here.

Kama'aina

Forgot to point out BG has more ads then National Enquirer

J H

Chas and Derek makin’ it rain!!!

Kama'aina

If they would do the surf journalism instead of tabloidism and offer a paywall I will make the rain for crying out loud.

tim_nelsen

he posted it…WSL hasn’t figured it out. missed ya!

AI (for ever) .

Who won?

Chief Hot stuff

If i was her manager she woulda felt my pressure too

Eesha Williams

“Gilmore perfect just the way she is.” Except that Carissa Moore surfs better.

Sean Connery

I prefer Carissa’s backside

Low wide stinkbug stance

Alessa for the win!

J H

The lovely Coco Ho gets my vote.


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