"What Bethany does even today is incredible, riding waves with just one hand!"
It has been nearly three months since the World Surf League declared war on the inspirational one-armed surfer Bethany Hamilton. The shocking row began after the Santa Monica-based “home of professional surfing” adopted liberal new rules allowing transgender surfers with low testosterone, revealed through self-testing, to compete against women. While many cheered the progressive stance others were not so happy. Surf great Kelly Slater called for the creation of a trans division while Kauai’s Hamilton discussed issues of fairness.
Retribution was swift.
Surfers were not allowed to choose “Hamilton” for their jerseys celebrating International Women’s Day and commentators were not allowed to mention her name.
A brutal erasure.
Well, the World Surf League’s forecasting partner Surfline has decided to break ranks with WSL chiefs Erik Logan, Jessi Miley-Dyer etc. and spoke glowingly about the thirty-three-year-old mother of three during yesterday’s live broadcast of the XL Teahupo’o swell. Her unique ability to paddle, spin and pop up all with only one arm, her tenacity, highlighted.
There is no word, as of yet, how the World Surf League will respond to such provocation. Will Surfline be scrubbed entirely? Told to apologize and beg for forgiveness?
Sent to the gulag (Challenger Series)?
Currently more questions than answers.
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Where are the transurfers?? Who are they?? A bunch woke ass stuff here over no thing. Go Shelly Slater!!!
Nope I’m not putting myself in any Trans shoes. They lost any chance at empathy when they pushed their trans laws on everyone. They can push that somewhere else. How many trans people has anyone seen who didn’t end up a drug addict with major mental health and or disease issues? Yeah its a sanity issue plane and simple. Stop hiding our true feelings.
wow you sound like a right Christian. The reason for trans mental health issues is because of expectations placed on them to fit into gender binary classification.
Haha. That’s why surfline is for surfers and wsl is for LA!!! You can keep the surf ranch too.
WSL IS A SHIT SHOW. Time for a rival tour. I wish the broadcasters would step up and stop being cowards. I know non of them think its fair. Money talks cowards.
A shame when a Christian is more or less told to shut up. The 1st Amendment applies to everyone, not just the ones who think they are superior. Stop and think how many girls who have worked hard at a sport all their lives and hoping to possibly get a scholarship will lose our because some guy who couldn’t cut decides to become one of the girls.
What about the trans womans ( zaffa english for women) that identity as males , is it not unfair that they can enter the mens and beat them , thus demeaning the mans ( zaffa english for men). What about a mans with clits only division, its all so unfair.
Gee thats homophobic.
Im down
Unfortunately, this is an opinion driven chat that discounts science and biology. That said, there are men and women no other categories. You can not change your genetics, there is an x and a y chromosome, that’s it…. If any top 5 male surfer (or any ranked surfer and probably some unranked surfers) decides to say he now identifies as a woman, they would absolutely dominate woman’s surfing. Stop the madness…..
What about intersex people with atypical chromosomes? Yes, they have combinations of X and Y, but their combinations differ from the usual. Maybe look into that before throwing around be all and end all binaries, Mr, first and only post on beachgrit so probably don’t surf just here for the culture wars, Nigro.
Does anyone else think JMD seems like a battered spouse lately?
There is nothing fair about a competition that includes biological males. Awful to think it has infiltrated surfing. Give trans their own division.
They need a Chicks with Dicks division to end all this madness. I’m sure Big Woke will sponsor it.
Or they could get the coveted Pornhub sponsorship.
Bethany Hamilton is a right wing bible banging cunt. There i said it. WSL is right about something for once.
This trans madness ( it’s literally less than half of one percent of population. The rest are mentally deluded or brainwashed. I’m secretly a crow myself you know) needs to GO . Its more absurd than BLM running the world and BLM has AN ACTUAL PURPOSE. Black people DO SUFFER FROM RACISM . A dude with a D that thinks he’s a girl isnt repressed , they need help. I’m not dismissing them but stop pandering to obvious charlatans. Bethany is an inspiration to ME , a 57 year old who couldn’t surf worth a shit but I UNDERSTAND hardship and loss. Shes incredible. SHE IS BRAVE SHE IS FING STUNNING. THATS REAL . I’d be scared to go back out three and I’m a marine. Any weirdo can claim to be a 14 year old girl.
Accept that is incorrect.
Bethany was the one doing the publicity stunt.
Elo and JMD don’t like Bethany and the Church because the church don’t like Homos like ELO.
Quicker your gone ELO the better and most Pros today too lame to have their own opinion. Bring back Bobby Martinez. Because to call it a tennis tour is now flattering.
Joe Turpel:
“It’s amazing this day of days that our tow in crew is catching so many great waves out there and the paddle guys sitting on the peak show so much patience in their devotion to catching the swing wides it’s amazing that this beautiful place that Kaipo will teach us how to pronounce Teahupoo which is amazing that we touch all the bases for our fans and keep everyone included which is our focus today with such a great forecast to run at least two rounds we couldn’t be luckier than to be here now and that is such a great observation that the parking lot is already filled the crowd is so excited to be part of the history we are about to see I can’t believe how groomed the lineup is now and as if anything couldn’t be more perfect, Kaipo is climbing the ladder above us to give us his eyes on report, Kaipo?”
The lack of punctuation is … (chef’s kiss).
Bethany could be the 12x adaptive surfing world champ if she wanted to but she has too much pride in surfing her best against the best even when it is clearly not a level playing field with half the paddling power let alone how she is able to get up in barreling surf. For her to be the only woman to stand up for fairness in the WSL’s trans policy speaks volumes to how much control the WSL has over the surfers. And all she asked was did the WSL even ask the women what they thought and if it fair. Both good questions we should all be willing to discuss. But man what is worse the WSL or Surfline? The WSL is ruining pro surfing but Surfline is doing all it can to ruin every good line up in the world. I guess that answers that. Surfline is worse with its cams and over hyping of waist to head high forecast. Bethany = good. Surfline = bad even when talking nice about Bethany. WSL just sucks at their job and at being nice to Bethany.
She put out a statement saying that she is boycotting the WSL.
For them to use her name for promotion after she said that would be disrespectful to her and her believes.
Chas is making shit up
For those who follow surfing, know the kind hearted person that Bethany Hamilton is and what a terrific and inspirational woman she is for the sport we all love can’t we simply agree that athletes can have their own opinions? The position WSL has taken is absolutely a publicity stunt. While I applaud the folks at WSL for instituting equal pay for athletes male or female they should encourage a new division of transgender athletes if that is the hill they truly want to stick a flag on. Think about it, we have NSSA, Adaptive Divisions, the ISA and a path for the best competitors in the world to reach the WCT. A man taking hormone therapy (such as 17-beta estradiol) will definitely increase significant health risks however it’s impossible to imagine that people born one gender biologically who identify as the opposite gender are worried about increases in mood swings or greater risk of depression. Those facts from credible science around the world will never detour those who choose that path. Let’s celebrate one another for being great surfers…period. If you want to stick around to watch a man who now identifies as a woman take the cape at the Nissan Supergirl Pro…yup that is what you may have to explain to your six year old daughter. Personally I love my friends regardless of their sexual identity, religious beliefs or political views even if they differ from mine. I was taught to respect others and that is what Bethany was doing in her carefully crafted stance on this sensitive issue. Title 9 is under attack for college athletes and that should concern all of us.
I back the general sentiment (while disagreeing with basically all of the specifics).
I’ll post the blunt unflowery version you wouldn’t: mentally I’ll men are not only TAKING opportunities and MONEY from REAL WOMEN, but PHYSICALLY endangering them . I’m old , my body has injuries AND in skinny now . But all that aside I’m still a lot stronger than the average women, and out lift most ATHLETES at the gym ( and I’m not big , 160 ibs) . I was a fighter 25 years ago . I mean I LOVE AND ADMIRE AMANDA NUNES AND would respect her but I’m not worried about her ( fought at around 175) . By the same token o nearly got killed by a 155 IB semi pro boxer training . She doesnt hit ANYWHERE near as hard as him and she is ELITE . Get my point? Do you want a 30 year old 250 ib guy playing BB against girls? This is just misguided political correctness and its dumb. men don’t have periods, a womb or in most cases breasts. Just stop it and be adults .
Hey TOUGH GUY. Wait until YOU find out that PLENTY of cisgender women DON’T have PERIODS, WOMBS, or BREASTS. Methinks all that lifting caused a HERNIA in your BRAIN.
Where did their bits go?
Read your birth certificate.. problem solved
What the hell is a cisgender???
Surfline giving the Woz two middle fingers? That deserves a round of applause. Throw in a double Shaka too. Better to keep the Woz at arms length.
Bl really shuch a non relevant Kook , but just can let go ” look at me im yeterdays hero”