An announcement from pro surfing’s governing body to allow transgender surfers who have low testosterone levels to compete in women’s divisions has stirred a firestorm of debate.
The World Surf League’s new policy was announced Monday, Feb. 6, promoting response from surfers around the globe, some in support of the guidelines and others against the inclusion of transgender athletes in competition.
The Santa Monica-based World Surf League is the governing body for professional surfers, holding World Tour events for the globe’s top competitive surfers, as well as Qualifying Series events that help surfers reach high-level competitions with the goal of winning a WSL world championship.
The World Surf League said it is aligning itself with the policy of the International Surfing Association – the governing body for surfing in the Olympics – on transgender participation, setting the qualification for a male-born athlete who identifies as a woman to compete with women at a testosterone level testing less than 5 nanomoles per litre continuously for the previous 12 months. The International Surfing Association’s Medical Commission issued its order on Oct. 20.
“The WSL is working to balance equity and fairness, and we will continue to evaluate the policy in the months and years ahead as more research, information and feedback are available,” the WSL announcement says.
Bethany Hamilton, who is not on the World Tour but occasionally competes at surf contests and always draws big crowds, garnered lots of attention this week after speaking out against the WSL’s trans policy. Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark bite in 2003, is one of the world’s most recognizable surfers and said she would boycott future events if the rule remains.
“I strive to have love for all of mankind, regardless of any differences,” she said in a video. “But this concerns me as a professional athlete that has been competing in World Surf League contests for the past…
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