Gay surfing

I wanted to be the best but I thought that people would just end up hating me if they ever found out —- especially here in Ireland where everyone is so tight. All of which is to say there is a lot of respect for one another in these waters. "Out In The Line-Up" is a documentary about homosexuality and surfing that examines why people think there aren't any gay surfers.

I know these things would have made a huge difference to me as a kid, and I believe it can make a difference to the thousands out there today facing the same inner struggles. From Cori Schumacher to Matt Branson to Keala Kennelly to Tyler Wright, the history of LGBTQ surfing runs deeper than most surfers realize.

*** Makoa Ho. Photo: Amber Mozo. Everyone knows everyone and the surf scene is very much woolly jumpers, knitted hats and cups of tea. Sure, there was the odd gay sportsman here and there, but never a surfer -— never anything or anyone that I could relate to.

That alone made people associate with me more. Creating inclusive surfing to save our oceans We’re a community of LGBTQ+ surfers (and allies) from across the globe - connected by our identities and a love of the oceans. I was doing something that I could never imagine: I was finally out.

I panicked. That alone might have softened the blow. Growing up, I never accepted myself as being gay. Then that same guy that drops in on you will more than likely paddle back and apologise. Words by Craig Butler , 7x Irish national champion. Pride Month made us think about all that — so we asked four prominent LGBTQ+ surfers about their experiences coming out in the lineup, and below are their stories.

more. One of their most buzzed-about packages is called, simply, Gay Surf Brazil; it’s a weeklong retreat that connects LGBTQ+ people interested in surfing while also helping to fight homophobia. No matter how many contests I won or how many days of good waves that I got, nothing changed this feeling.

• Connect queers to their bodies, the ocean, and an inclusive surf community. I battled thoughts of suicide, telling myself I would have to kill myself if anybody ever found out I was gay. From Cori Schumacher to Matt Branson to Keala Kennelly to Tyler Wright, the history of LGBTQ surfing runs deeper than most surfers realize.

To my absolute shock, nobody cared about my sexuality in the negative way I had feared, that is. • Expand surf culture by advocating for distributed surf resources and a culture of belonging in the waves. The surf film tells the story of all gay surfers who seek acceptance, happiness, and some really good waves without any type of discrimination.

But I do know my teenage years would have been a lot easier if I could read about a pro surfer who also battled the same demons I struggled with. That only added to my feelings of loneliness and the belief that I was the only person going through this. I came out to my friends that I was traveling with, and they too could not have been happier for me.

They supported me and showed me love. Feeling like the only person on earth sucked. The final step was just to bite the bullet and come out publicly to everyone that I knew, so I posted it on my Facebook. I was traveling through New Zealand with a bunch of childhood friends when the film was shown at a festival back home in Ireland.

Things instantly felt better when I finished school. Visiting surfers are usually welcomed with open arms and instantly accepted into the family. But after thinking it over for a couple of months I realized if I was going to come out, there was probably no better way to do it.

All of these things are really cool to see. So I want to tell you something. • Support queer mental & physical health through relationship with the ocean.