"This debate has gotten dull because mob mentality is dull. Thinking flattens."
Over the last week, the pitchforks have come out for the once-iconic-but-now-discount wetsuit brand Rip Curl after a post celebrating the pioneering transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson.
“You mean to tell me that Rip Curl dropped Bethany Hamilton for opposing men surfing in the women’s league then picked up male surfer who surfs in the women’s league as a women’s ambassador?” wrote Gaines, whose activism was ignited after the terrific success of Lia Thomas in the pool.
Rip Curl and Bethany parted ways, it’s believed, because of Bethany’s opposition to trans-women in gals’ sports.
Calls to boycott Rip Curl quickly grew from a murmur to a worldwide raw.
Skateboarder Taylor Silverman joined in the chorus, unsparing in her criticism of the New Zealand-owned company.
“According to Boycott Rip Curl this man is a ‘waterwoman’…reality is he’s just a mentally ill man making a complete mockery of actual women and “The “community” is so supportive that Rip Curl had to disable the comments!”
For context, Sasha Jane Lowerson is a talented strawberry blonde goofyfooter of middle age who created history last year when she added the Western Australian women’s longboard trophy to her mantlepiece where it sits alongside the trophy she won when she was still Ryan Egan.
Rip Curl had joined two other Australian swimsuit brands in a pivot to the queer market describing their trans ambassador as, “West Australian waterwoman who loves the freedom found in surfing, disconnecting from the mainstream, and the feeling of dancing on constantly changing waves… It’s a state of mind, always being ready to try something new, curious to seek out knowledge and learn the rules – and break them.”
Here, Chas Smith, who hates surfing, asks surfers to put aside the trans debate and Boycott Rip Curl hashtag for a moment and remember the truly oppressed, and sadly forgotten, victims of the once great wetsuit company.
Boycott Rip Curl etc.
Commented on Disqus? Log out, tap the Disqus button, and your old name and comments come back. The box is ours.
Your comments are still here. Every one of them.
Twelve years of BeachGrit comments came across from Disqus. Connect and we will show you how many are yours. We get your username, nothing else.
Connect Disqus to reveal.
More hot Ashton/Chas footage please.
So the nth korea story is what about 7 years old now chas, making the trans story link is surf journalism at its best
This is the hard hitting journalism that the MSM is missing! Great work Chas!
I preferred it when womens bikinis didnt have a bulge in the front of them ( but I hark from a different generation)
Jury is out on the MTV motive cardigan
The trans women who works at my local late night fast food drive thru is very nice. She always gives me extra fries.
There is a thing called a mons pubis. Look it up, has nothing to do with tranny’s.
Oh no, do you think Kid Rock is boycotting Rip Curl? https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Will he wear an O’Neill hat while doing so?
I can’t see what all the fuss is about , if a person identifies as female or male, then that’s what they are so bloody leave them alone you arseholes.
If I identify as the King of England, am I?
I yam what I yam what I
Yam and I yam what I
Yam and that’s all that I yam
’cause I yam what I yam
And I gots a lot of muskle
And I only gots one eye
And I never hurts nobodys and
I’ll never tell a lie
Tops to me bottoms and me bottoms to me top
And that’s the way it is ’till
The day that I drop what am I?
I yam what I yam!
I’m Popeye the sailor man!
Well, I’d left home just a week before
And I’d never, ever kissed a woman before
Sasha smiled and took me by the hand
She said, “Little boy, gonna make you a man”
Well I’m not the world’s most masculine man
But I know what I am and I’m glad I’m a man
And so is Sasha
Taking work from women who have been women their whole life. They bust their ass to get where they are just for some weirdo with a wig can say I’m one of you.
How’s calling who a weirdo , have a look in the mirror while reading back what you wrote.
hu flung dung
Long Duck Dong
I feel so sorry for the female athletes who have to compete against someone who is biologically stronger. I see the ricpcurl YouTube clip may have been partially funded by wa government and I wonder if Surfing WA, Surfing Australia etc were reluctant to say no to the situation because of fear out of losing government funding by not being “Inclusive”. I have friends who are gay and at times they hang their heads in shame at the way some of the Trans community carry on. It needs to be fair across the board (pardon the pun) and to work both ways. I used to work in mining and we had a girl (non trans) who put some of the male workers to shame the way she swung a 8lb sledge hammer. Seperate divisions are needed in competing and on another note stop making the counters so high at MacDonlads for us short people its discriminating
As a fellow gay antiques dealer vacationing in Southern France I could only imagine that cup is full of a lovely floral tea. Salut, Chas!
I had to return my Dad’s Christmas gift because it was too small for him – just ordered him a nice RipCurl hoody in xxxl for the cooler weather on its way.
What a son !
I need you to talk to young astro, Pete.
Hard going tho, he’s full retard right now.
It is hard to change people. My Dad probably thought I was a dickhead when I was in my 20s – he still might. He won’t know there is any controversy behind his rainbow logo’d rip curl jumper that is for sure.
Lmao
menehunes IMO
as we speak aluminum poles are being erected on billboard signs…buy gold!
Just Boycott Surfing Already!.. Everyone Please….and Thank you!
So Yadin calls his son King ! But he appears to be a Queen , Barton calls his son Lion and he appears to be a Lioness ! , think trans will be off the news shortly
In more exciting news I am contemplating taking myself under an umbrella down to the hawker-like group of shops to get a feed of noodles. If I get there in time I could even get nasi lemak. Did you know Singapore has a standing wave? I did not until the weekend past. Exciting times. No doubt because it has failed to make much of a dent on the international sporting stage Singapore, with its considerable financial clout and can-do-what-you-are-told attitude, is now coming for surfing.
They’ll be joining the end of a very long line, a long noodling line
Careful, that concrete is brutal.
Opened in November. Haven’t ridden it yet–hoping to soon. Website needs some work, and they want a safety lesson before letting you do anything.
Hehe “skateboarder “
More of a C3PO impression – heard she is proficient in more than 6 million forms of communication
Hope she speaks Bocchi
Yes should! Trans and anti-trans have all the allies they can handle. Who speaks for the North Korean slave?
one hung low~
Won Hung Long Dung
Mi Yu Pay Now
Looks like this story has gone international – https://youtu.be/4CSqt_b5AS…
how are trans folk treated in North Korea?
Wrong site
I take it you didn’t watch Chas clip. he discusses North Korea in the clip
I’ll listen to it later
the lisnin int the hard part it’s the watchin that gets ya.
I spend my time squinting to see what books are on his shelf.
I’d assume something along the lines of:
Women who have transitioned from being a male should be beyond the nob removal stage before getting placed into women’s prisons or any segregated slave camps.
How does a T-Rex cut wood?
With a dino-saw.
Talking about dumb and boring.
Cocaine and surfing, by john waters illegitimate bastard son.
Illegitimate? Nooo
rode trip quwstion: travel w/ ur mom or any contestants below?
A- ur Mom
B- ur sponsor
C- urMum