Pro surfing legend Bethany Hamilton will boycott World Surf League over transgender policy

Inspirational surfing star Bethany Hamilton has threatened to boycott the World Surf League tour after it modified the principles permitting transgender athletes to compete in opposition to girls with out session with the present surfers.

Hamilton solely has one arm after a shark assault when she was simply 13 years outdated however has overcome that extreme damage to turn out to be a preferred and profitable competitor on the WSL Tour.

Hamilton along with her kids Tobias, Wesley and Micah. The mom of three and champion surfer has challenged the WSL over its transgender policy, saying athletes weren’t consulted

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The WSL has launched its International Surfing Association’s (ISA) transgender policy for all of its excursions that will permit for all transgender athletes to compete within the girls’s competitions.

It comes after a push from athlete’s like Western Australian transgender surfer Sarah Jane Lowerson who not too long ago took first place in each the open Women’s and open Women’s Logger competitions on the West Coast Suspensions Longboard and Logger State Championships in WA.

‘To be the primary transgender lady competing in surfing hasn’t been a straightforward trip emotionally,’ she informed Surfing Western Australia after the occasion.

‘But the quantity of help I’ve been proven has been phenomenal and I’m so grateful to be concerned, welcomed and embraced inside the longboard group in Australia.’ 

Sarah Jane Lowerson is Australia’s first transgender professional surfer and stated she labored with the WSL on its new policy for transgender athletes

Australian surfing champion Kelly Slater believes that transgender athletes ought to have their very own division within the WSL

Australian surfing legend Kelly Slater has additionally beforehand referred to as for a devoted transgender division. 

Hamilton launched a video on social media slamming the brand new transgender policy and accusing the WSL of releasing it with out consulting feminine athletes.

‘Today I wish to tackle the news that the World Surf League has formally made the rule that male-bodied people often known as transgender athletes can formally compete within the girls’s division,’ she stated.

‘The World Surf League says they’re following the Olympic pointers.

‘While I tackle this difficulty, I wish to be clear, I attempt to have love for all of mankind, no matter any variations.

‘But this issues me as an expert athlete that has been competing within the World Surf League occasions for the previous 15 plus years. And I really feel that I have to converse up and I have to get up for these in place that really feel that they can’t say one thing about this.

I’ assume lots of the women presently on tour should not in help with this new rule they usually concern being ostracised in the event that they converse up … so, right here I am going.’

Hamilton has confirmed to be an inspirational athlete for a lot of after overcoming a extreme shark assault damage to turn out to be an expert surfer with only one arm

Hamilton of Hawaii competes within the 2019 VANS US Open of Surfing at Huntington State Beach in California 

Hamilton then reeled off a number of questions she desires answered by the WSL, together with:  

‘How is that this rule taking part in out in different sports activities, like swimming, working and MMA?’ she requested.

‘Have any of the present surfers within the World Surf League been requested what their ideas and opinions are on this new rule earlier than it was handed?

‘Should there be a dialog with the 17 girls and the entire males on tour previous to a rule change such a this?

‘Is a hormone stage an sincere and correct depiction that somebody certainly is a male or feminine? Is it so simple as this?

‘Who is pushing for this enormous change?

‘Does this higher the game of surfing?

‘Is this higher for the ladies in surfing? If so, how?

‘How did whoever determined these hormone guidelines come to the conclusion that twelve months of testing testosterone make it a good and authorized swap?

‘Why is the WSL’s assertion about trans girls competing with girls and but there is no point out of transformed girls competing with males?’

Hamilton of Hawaii in motion on the Midori Pro in Newcastle throughout a World Surf League occasion in Australia

The WSL stated the policy may very well be modified over time topic to suggestions from stakeholders together with the athletes themselves.

‘The WSL is working laborious to steadiness fairness and equity and it is essential for a policy to be in place,’ WSL Chief of Sport Jessi Miley-Dyer stated.

‘We recognise that the policy could must evolve over time as we get suggestions and see new analysis within the subject.’