'Surf Life' and stories of women's surfing

Although it happens less and less, there are still days when people will explain the continued absence of women in surf media as a reflection of a lack of interest in women’s surfing, or due to a lack of content created by women surfers themselves. These explanations are as frustrating as they are disappointing (and fury-inducing) because neither of these things are true. The high profile of women surfers like Stephanie Gilmore, Carissa Moore and Layne Beachley are simple evidence, but even more is the success of various media about women’s surfing. Films like Blue Crush (2002) and Girls Can’t Surf (2022) played to packed cinemas, Magazines like Sea.Together have endured and connected international surfing communities, reporting in Tracks by Kate Allman, Lucy Small and Selina Steele on sexism in women’s competitive sport was nominated for a Walkely award for Women’s Leadership in Media, and the 2020 all-women issue of Australian surf magazine, White Horses, went into reprint. So clearly, women’s surfing is popular and women are creating all kinds of content across both mainstream and surf media. If you don't see this work then it's time to consider that the issue isn't women, the issue is you!

And now there is another book to add to my ever-growing list of evidence of the interest in women’s surfing. Surf Life, by writer, Gill Hutchinson, and photographer, Willem-Dirk du Toit, profiles a range of women surfers and explores how surfing shapes their lives out of the water. This book was launched to a huge crowd of people at the Patagonia store in Torquay (Australia), where there was a range of folk all stoked to cheer this book and the women in it. The huge turnout by her local community is also a real reflection of the kinds of person Gill is – inclusive, supportive and enthusiastic about everyone’s work and endeavours, she’s the kind of person who lifts folk up with no expectations they bring her with them. Her book is another example of this spirit.

While high-profile, sponsored surfers, Belinda Baggs and Lauren Hill, are both amongst the pages, most of the profiles are about women for who surfing is a central, but simpler part of their life. Collectively, their stories of surfing challenge the idea that only those who are best at it – most skilled, most dedicated, most well-known – get to define how surfing is done and what it can mean. These stories show how surfing can weave in and out of our lives, how it can take a back seat when children, jobs or health need our time and attention, and how to continue surfing across a lifespan.

The focus of Gill’s words and Willem’s images is not on those who do it best or have done it longest. There is no judgement on levels skill or commitment. Instead, there is radical inclusion of women who are new to surfing, who live away from the coast, or who admit they just don’t surf that well.

It’s always a joy to celebrate the launch of awesome projects about women’s surfing. But in this case it’s even more of a joy, because the author is my friend. Gill and I met over 10 years ago through our respective blogs – another case of how writing and sharing work on Making Friends With the Neighbours has brought so joy much to my life, and why I’ll always owe blogging a huge debt.

Mega, major congratulations to Gill and Willem on this beautiful, thoughtful, uplifting book.