“Different emotional and psychological abuse…I experienced that.”
After a shocker in Portugal a few weeks back, the two-time world champ Tyler Wright revealed she was “no longer leaving home without her psychologist or her wife again.”
Wright, who won her first big event at fourteen and two consecutive world titles at twenty-two and twenty-three, told the Sydney Morning Herald, “I’m the only queer person on tour, so my wife is the only other queer person I know most of the time. I love everyone around me but she makes such a difference in a way only she really can.”
Now, in her latest confessional Wright says she suffered “different emotional and psychological abuse” from the Wright’s patriarch Rob, the old boy now on the ropes, suffering from dementia and being cared for by her big brother Owen.
“I experienced that and I worked with a psychologist for years to understand my relationship with surfing and understand how that was born, how it was really unhealthy for me,” Wright told Dave Prodan on his usually milquetoast podcast The Lineup. “I’m rebuilding a relationship with surfing because of the drastic and extreme circumstances that I was raised in…Look, this is not uncommon. Which is baffling for someone like me. If this is not uncommon, why don’t we have better solutions, better parenting programs, better informed industry? I’m not the first child this has happened to. I’m not the first child star this has happened to.”
(It’s easy to be enchanted by Dave, his big eyes, delicate hands, never dirty, and silky hair that he smooths vigorously each morning in the hope of flattening a cow-lick which rears from the top of his skull. The living embodiment of the World Surf League’s pivot away from surfing’s roots and to its generously inclusive, diverse, LGBTQ+ friendly model.)
Anyway, the WSL’s followers were divided by Wright’s candour re: her Daddy.
Not so thrilled,
“Shame she publicly threw her Dad under the bus during this interview, disappointing and I wonder what Kirby (her sister) thinks of her comments.”
“Least coherent guest. Highly narcissistic.”
“This shit was toooo much. I feel for her Dad. He is the father of three professional surfers. Guy deserves some credit.”
Delighted,
“Deeply thought-provoking podcast. Loved the honesty on two very difficult subjects. Thanks Tyler Wright. It’s important.”
“It’s a joy to watch her find her grand and express her truth inside and outside the surfing arena. Her bravery and voice is a gift to the sport.”
After laying the boot into the old boy, Tyler later bemoans the “white, male” surf industry etc.
Listen here.
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Maybe she should talk to Pauline Menzer who won a title with little or no sponsorship with health battles with arthritis. Won more heats than everyone except Layne Beachley. Had a really tough childhood. Grew up surfing in a era where girls had to earn their waves and got very little respect In the surf. And did so without being a whiney little self entitled brat like Tyler. Earned nearly nothing from surfing and now drives a bus for a living. (Nothing wrong with that)
I think Pauline’s dad was murdered when she was young too. An iconic battler
Is she wearing the yellow jersey? Subaru Leaderboard? Jeep out?
Not the point I’m actually making. Rather, why such closeting on the tour in 2023? Seems an important story.
I don’t deny that elite sportspeople have “sports psychologists” travel with them. But if you need just a normal shrink to help you get through the day, you need to HTFU.
See here’s the thing that Tyler seems to be missing. Life is not easy. Lots of people are dickheads, including (sometimes) parents! The world does not owe you a living, and nor does the universe revolve around you. These are facts that the everyday person lives with and get through on their own two feet.
This girl is just a spoilt entitled brat dealing with the rage of being a man in a woman’s body and too much testosterone. She’s insufferable.
There is a huge difference between a psychologist and psychiatrist.
Like four years of medical school difference.
I bet a lot of her problems are coming from her clown therapists misdirection.
Somebody is teaching her that she is a victim and not teaching her to embrace her experiences as the things that made her a champion and she doesn’t have the education, intellect or life experiences to see that it’s a negative and unbalanced way of looking at her childhood. That’s what’s missing from her speech. She is failing to recognize that she had to go through that to get to where she is now.
Far out. Maybe Tyler can lend him her therapist.
Absolutely. We all know old man Wright developed Tyler’s talent to 2 world champs and millionaire wealth. But I’ve never read anything I’d categorize in the abuse department. If she was abused I’ll feel for her but at the moment it sounds like she feels getting dragged to contests and then winning them already counts.
Yup, her statements are just as enlightening as her mystery virus story was. All kids (and parents haha) go through “parenting”. Sometimes, when the kids are successful as sports people they thank their parents for all they sacrificed and have done for them to make that possible. Sometimes there is toxidity involved. Sure you can call your folks out on that but I find it hard to imagine it’d be worse than in non-child-superstar families. Sounds too much like a poor rich kid problem to me!
With a mug like hers switching sides has actually has done mankind a favor.
Keep whinging about it.
It makes you come off as stable as she is
Why would something indigenous to Hawaii not be valid as indigenous, makes no sense .
Pro surfing is an activity. Period
Toxic masculinity of course
Glass ceilings and the partiarchy!
I wonder if all this hate comes from her own experiences or if she is just a another woke feminist crying baby repeating the mantra she was told by communist teachers in school. I bet she will love when WSL starts throwing Trans Fuckers to beat the hell out of her….. coherence is something yet to see on woke trash millenials!
Definitely hit a few conservative talking points there. Well done!
What would George Santos say?
yeah unless they dive deep there it seems like dad living vicariously through kids – so abuse was to win more perhaps!!
To me now this is a piece about virtue signaling for WSL to keep in line with their one ocean/one world, womens equality, mental health, indigenous bullshit that they dont unpack anyway excpet oz, environmental protection awards etc
I think totally for them!!
Unless he was the surfing equivalent of damir dokic or something, what is she complaining about.
If she resents pro surfing she can just quit.
This woman has got about 2 more years to make her living and then shes back in the rat race like the rest of us.
interesting take – this interview got worse as to the point as she wants to “save” all the “kids”!! Fuck
But she will be given the keys to continue this shit for sure
as per your comments above spot on – too many to comment haha
So her lesbian wife is traveling with her to each event and abusing her straight white male psychologist, who’s banging her ill BIPOC dad? Crazy interview.
Needs more perspective, obviously uneducated and completely self-obsessed
agree 100% Bex.
she’s had a gift life, STFU and stop claiming shitty waves.
Cornlog?
I competed against George Hincapie in high school.
He was clearly special at 16 so what should his father have done?
Pushed him and done everything he could to make sure George could succeed?
Or sit back and let him drift?
Fortunately his father was very much involved and George has a great career.
But if he hadn’t would anyone even know his name?
Never heard of George.
But my brother was room mates with Todd Marinovich in college.
Never heard of Todd.
George was a cyclist who took drugs with Lance Armstrong.
I went to the same school as Trevor Scott.
Marijuanavich
George was a pro cyclist and was Lance Armstrong’s number one support guy when winning all seven of his Tours De France.
Which means that he has something in common with Todd Marinovich…drugs!
At another part of the podcast she states that she is the only openly gay person on tour!