Transgender Surfer Allowed to Compete in Women's Division After Backlash

The American Longboard Association has reversed its decision to bar transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson from competing in the women's division of a California competition, following backlash from the surfing community and the California Coastal Commission. Lowerson will now be eligible to participate in the Huntington Beach Longboard Pro against other women surfers.

The American Longboard Association (ALA) has reversed its initial decision to exclude transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson from competing in the women's division of a California surfing competition. The decision came after facing significant backlash from the surfing community and the California Coastal Commission.

Lowerson, an Australian who has previously won competitions against men, had been deemed ineligible to participate in the Huntington Beach Longboard Pro under the ALA's original guidelines. The guidelines stated that only biological females could compete in the women's division. However, the ALA has now reversed its decision, allowing Lowerson to compete against other women surfers.

The reversal comes after the California Coastal Commission, the agency responsible for regulating surfing contests in state waters, stated that such competitions could "not discriminate based on gender." The commission's ruling essentially left the ALA with no choice but to allow Lowerson to compete.

ALA founder Todd Messick expressed surprise at the backlash he received following his initial decision to bar Lowerson from competition. Messick claimed he was "trying to do the right thing" by enforcing fairness in women's sports. However, he also acknowledged that he had received support from some individuals who agreed with his decision.

Lowerson, who is also an ambassador for Rip Curl, expressed disappointment and surprise at her initial exclusion from the event. "You can't cherry-pick the rulebook. If you're going to use the rulebook, you use all of it," Lowerson said.

The issue of transgender inclusion in women's sports has been a contentious one in recent years. Surfing legend Bethany Hamilton has been a vocal opponent of allowing transgender athletes to compete against biological females. Hamilton argues that "male-bodied athletes should not be competing in female sports. Period."

However, the ALA's decision to allow Lowerson to compete has been met with support from some female surfers. Messick claims that "90%" of the female surfers he has spoken with support Hamilton's stance, but many have chosen not to comment publicly due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The World Surf League (WSL) has also adopted rules governing transgender women competing in its events. Transgender female athletes must maintain a testosterone level of 5 nmol/L for at least a year in order to participate in the women's division. Hamilton has expressed her preference for WSL to create a new division for transgender athletes.

The ongoing debate surrounding transgender inclusion in women's sports is likely to continue in the future. As more transgender athletes come out and seek to compete in competitions, sports governing bodies will face the challenge of balancing fairness and inclusion.