Sun-bleached hair, an excessive use of ‘radical’ and a carefree persona make up some of the public’s perception of Australia’s surf culture.
But while the tradition has long conveyed feelings of free-love, it’s rare to hear of a gay surfer.
When we spoke to the WA branch of Surfing Australia, they said they couldn’t refer anyone on and wouldn’t speculate.
Fair enough.
When former pro surfer, openly gay Matt Branson was asked about homosexuality and the surf in 2007 he said: ‘Even now in the surfing industry it’s still a little bit taboo, but I think it’s more accepting.’
To the industry’s defence, Branson went on to tell Stab Magazine, ‘Surfers who travel, they see shit, man … And they learn to fucking accept…’
It’s a wonder why the gay and gender diverse following in the surfing community has remained fairly hidden till now.
But with bathers and boards in tow, a growing number from the community have been braving the salt-water breaks.
National long board champion Claire Finucane has been riding some of the gnarliest breaks along the West Australian coast since she was just a grommet.
As a lesbian, Finucane said most surfers were ‘pretty relaxed and accepting’ of people who share a love for the ocean.
However, she said things were very different back when she first started surfing, often being the only girl among 10 or more guys.
‘I was told to go in a few times, and punched once. [But] I just loved surfing so much I couldn’t not go surfing’ Finucane said.
These days, the atmosphere in the water is a lot more supportive of girls surfing and the “vibe†is less aggressive.’
‘There is an unspoken camaraderie … Surfers also value music and fashions as part of their culture, but for some reason, are always bad dancers’ she jested.
Bad dancing aside, Finucane found that the presence of gay and lesbian surfers in WA was fairly ambiguous.
There have been a few attempts from the LGBT community to inspire this solidarity like Melbourne’s Bent Boards; but a new confidence is washing over the community through new events and initiatives.
This October will see Australia’s first LGBT-centric surf festival CoastOut hit the beaches of Coffs Harbour.
Organiser Todd Buttery said surfing was an emerging sport in the gay community and was surprised at the numbers.
He said the response to the festival had been overwhelming and organising it so far had been an absolute rollercoaster.
‘CoastOut received a 74 per cent approval from Coffs Harbour residents when the local paper issued a poll’ Buttery said.
For the rest that opposed, he said the community response was ‘its 2010: get with the program’.
Buttery said he’d be wrapped if 1,000 people attended, but hoped for something closer to Lismore’s Tropical Fruits event that drew over 3,000 people.
Buttery said the surf festival would add a different element to the LGBT calendar hosting an Ironperson competition; a surf carnival and an ocean swim among other events.
For much of the LGBT community, the only time they take to surfing is while they’re on the web.
With this in mind, French-born Thomas created Gaysurfers.net: the first online LGBT community for surfing worldwide.
From San Francisco to Sydney, Thomas had trekked the well-worn pilgrimage to the surfing meccas that coincidentally were also home to some of the largest gay communities in the world.
Yet while Thomas attempted to find other gay surfers in these areas, he was met with little success.
‘Many gay surfers live closeted with the fear of being rejected by their surfing community’ he said.
Launched in February this year, the world first website offered a unique place for surfers who shared the same passions and faced similar issues.
‘I was hoping the site would help release the pressure [for surfers] from their local community and to provide more solidarity among gay and lesbian surfers worldwide’ he said.
‘For many years I was hoping that a site like this would be launched but it never happened. So I decided to do it myself!’
So far the site has been a hit and has racked up over 850 members, spanning from US shores right back to the beaches of WA.
‘Being an online community, it offers web tools so that users can share thoughts and help shape the editorial content of the site’ Thomas said.
Check out www.coastout.com.au for more information on the festival or join the community at www.gaysurfers.net.
Benn Dorrington
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