(CBN NEWS) — Rip Curl, an iconic surf brand, is under fire after featuring a transgender female-identifying competitive surfer on a now-deleted Instagram post promoting women’s surfing last week.
Surfing champion Bethany Hamilton has just announced she will NOT compete in the World Surf League anymore if they allow biological men to surf in the women’s events. She’s already an absolute legend but this stand makes her even more of a legend. Thank you @bethanyhamilton! pic.twitter.com/gF2qa7cD84
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 5, 2023
The Australia-based surf brand made a quick move last Thursday to remove its post featuring 44-year-old trans surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson from its “Meet The Local Heroes of Western Australia” campaign.
Male-bodied athletes should not be competing in female sports. Period.
— Bethany Hamilton (@bethanyhamilton) January 29, 2024
The image of the Western Australian professional longboarder, who identifies as female, did not sit well with Rip Curl’s customers, especially after news that it severed ties with Christian pro-surfer and shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton–allegedly over her opposition to transgender females competing in women’s sport.
