As everyone knows her, “the shark-bite girl”, Bethany Hamilton has continued to speak out for what she believes in and inspire so many of her fans. Recently however, the 34 year old professional surfer and mom, sparked a controversy in yet another debate about where transgender participation should fit into sports competitions. Rip Curl, the dominant surfing company and team, made a decision to include transgender surfers in their brand and competitions. It was a considerate attempt to be inclusive and welcoming to all types of surfers, yet it angered many women, specifically Bethany Hamilton.
Rip Curl women posted on their Instagram, a reel highlighting a transgender women surfer. In response, many of the brand’s ambassadors and other women athletes were instantly fuming. They threatened to boycott and disengage with the company. Prior to this post however, Hamilton had already shown her disapproval of transgender athletes competing in her division. When the World Surf League announced their transition to allow transgender surfers to compete in their events she posted, “Male-Bodied athletes should not be competing in female sports. Period.” This statement sparked even more controversy and many surfers and brands took different sides of the argument. While it is clear that biological men competing against women is unfair to an extent, it’s important to consider inclusivity nonetheless. Additionally, transgender participation is still up for debate in many sports other than surfing. Rip Curl women however, did follow up the situation with a post asking for forgiveness and peace seeming to cool down the situation for now.