The wave of positivity

She’s young. She’s blonde. She’s beautiful. And she has a tanned body. When you think “surfer girl,” the first thing that comes to mind is a beauty in a bikini with sun-kissed hair. Surfing as portrayed in magazines and by swimwear companies tended to focus solely on slim or athletic bodies. All of that is changing now, thanks to a group of women who are bringing body positivity to the water.

Surfers all over the world are working to make the sport more inclusive and accepting of different body types. Women learning to surf and women zooming down the line with such confidence that you couldn't help but admire them.

CurvySurferGirl, aka Elizabeth Sneed, is a social media surfing celebrity who uses her platform to promote body positivity and encourage other women to join her!

“Many international surf brands are biased or sexist,” says Rammohan Paranjape, a surf photographer and vice-president of India’s Surfing Federation (SFI).

“They used models, an ideal surfer girl, thin and blonde. For many years, this was how it was portrayed. However, things have changed dramatically in recent years. And kudos to the many big international female surfers who took a stand on these issues,” says Rammohan.

Making waves
Elizabeth Sneed started the Instagram account @curvysurfergirl and quickly amassed a devoted following in the tens of thousands. Brands and modelling agencies took notice, and Sneed received so much support and encouragement that she quickly launched a website, a retreat, and even consulting services to help build a community and advocate for plus-size woman surfers.

Amrutha Jayachandran, a surfer and the founder and chief architect of Varaa architects

Women all over the world are breaking down stereotypes and attempting to redefine women’s surfing as more than just the “sexy surfer girl” stereotype that has gained traction in the mainstream. “If you know of a fishing community in Tamil Nadu, all of the girls out there are surfers. All you need is some core strength to pop and stand on the body, no matter how fat or thin, or old you are,” says Amrutha Jayachandran, a surfer and the founder and chief architect of Varaa architects.

Skill & Practice
Women are blazing a new trail, and through their actions, surfing is coming around to the idea that anyone can surf. Bhushan Bagadia, a surfer, underwater and sports photographer and cinematographer, believes there is a surge of body positivity movements. “There is a definite shift in the conditioning that an athlete needs to look a certain way. As a sports photographer, I’ve seen and photographed women who defy stereotypes. Understanding the sport will provide context for understanding ability. It is less about strength, size, or even age and more about skill and practise. Gender is irrelevant. Glamour and sport are also inextricably linked. However, people’s perceptions of glamour are changing. That is a plus. I’ve met many older women who are far more self-assured and defy stereotypes. This shift is visible today in all fields,” says Bhushan.

Brands are becoming more inclusive
Shrishti Selvam, a two-time National Surf Champion

Surf apparel brands are taking notice, and they are beginning to include a diverse array of models in their ad campaigns for bathing suits, beach apparel, and women’s wetsuits. “After watching Soul Surfer, I realised that anyone can surf, regardless of how they look, where they come from, or what they have. The portrayal of women as sexy surfers began when brands began to sponsor women. However, the women were forced to model and shoot in their surf bikinis, and the image of sexy female surfers began to populate surf magazines, posters, and movies,” says Shrishti Selvam, a two-time National Surf Champion.

With so many influential surfers speaking out these days, brands are becoming more inclusive by including people of all sizes in their campaigns.  “Believing comes from seeing. When you see someone, who resembles you doing the things you want to do, you begin to believe that you can as well. Major brands have yet to include South Asian surfers from India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, among others. The portrayal of women with dark skin is also important. However, I believe it will happen soon because we are beginning to gain attention,” Shrishti says.

Male or female, oceans always give waves
Anudeep Andy

Anudeep Andy, the founder of Lonely Surfers Surf School in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh, believes that anyone who invests significant time in training and strengthening will undoubtedly improve and outperform the competition. “Women, like everyone else, must come out and demonstrate their dedication and enthusiasm for the sport. I’ve surfed with girls who are stronger than me. In India, there is no physical strength barrier. We must allow girls to have as much fun in the ocean in the same way that boys do. We need some females to break down all the stereotypes about girls in India and show that anyone can surf,” says Anudeep.

Being body positive
The hope is that as more women see their body types represented in surf culture, they will be less hesitant to try the sport. “Being in the ocean comes first, followed by being perceived. And many urban women began to participate. I've seen traditional-dressed coastal women swimming in the ocean, which is a heartwarming and beautiful sight. And, unlike in the Western world, where swimwear is everything, India has a growing number of women who dress however they want, some in bikinis, some in regular swimwear, some in proper swimwear, and some in traditional clothing. And that is fantastic. And that influences more women to be more comfortable with themselves and come out into the water to play with the ocean,” says Dr Ishani Chaudhary, orthopedic surgeon and board member of Surfing Federation of India.