Push for Gender Equality Picking Up Steam in Male-Dominated Realm of Surf Judging | The Inertia

Push for Gender Equality Picking Up Steam in Male-Dominated Realm of Surf Judging

Caity Simmers, at Bells here, has helped alter the consumer-facing aspect of surfing. There are people working to change what’s going on behind the scenes as well. Photo: Ed Sloane//World Surf League

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Introduction

Between the World Surf League announcing equal prize money for men and women, the International Surfing Association creating national teams with equal gender representation, and the addition of Pipeline and Tahiti to the women’s Championship Tour, surf historians of the future might look back at this era’s milestones for gender equality as a major turning point. Also, surfing entered the Olympics, which from the get-go provided equal opportunity for men and women. And most recently, Caity Simmers succinctly and precisely summed up the leaps that women’s surfing has taken when she declared that Pipeline is “for the f**king girls” on a live broadcast.

The Gender Gap in Surf Judging

However, behind the scenes of professional surfing, particularly up in the judging tower, the progress in gender equality has yet to catch up to the front-facing product. Surf judging has traditionally been – and largely still is – a man’s job.

From what I gather, the present-day WSL CT judging panels typically feature, at best, one woman out of seven judges. The Tokyo 2020 judging panel featured one woman – Tory Gilkerson, also the WSL Longboard Head Judge. And the ISA has told me that the Paris 2024 judging panel will also feature one woman out of seven judges (presumably Gilkerson).

That said, it’s a problem that has been identified, particularly by the ISA. And Olympic inclusion is applying pressure for change to happen sooner, not later.

The ISA’s Efforts for Gender Equality

“We’ve known for some years now that we needed more women judges in the tower,” said ISA Technical Director Erik Krammer. “The combination of Fernando’s (Aguerre) vision for making the ISA more gender balanced and surfing’s inclusion in the Olympics were key factors in helping us prioritize a proper plan of action. We knew women were capable of judging well at the highest level of the sport, and Tory Gilkerson’s inclusion on the Olympic panel in Tokyo was a good example. Still, we knew that in order to include more women, we needed to create a specific training program to accelerate their development and provide them with real-time opportunities.”

The ISA’s plan Krammer referred to started in 2020 and included free online judging courses open for any woman. Then, more targeted judge training programs were created and subsidized by the ISA. Promising women judges were selected to shadow-judge at the World Surfing Games to gain experience. The program directly led to increased representation of women on ISA judging panels: Four of the 14 judges at the 2022 ISA Junior Championship in Brazil were women, two of whom came directly from the program. And Krammer says they’ve recently identified more women who are prepared and qualified to judge on panels.

Indonesian surfer Flora Christin, who was one of eight surfers selected to participate in 2024, said the program proves that surfing organizations finally realize that more women are needed in judging.

“I do see a realistic future in judging,” said Christin. “I have been a competitive surfer for a while and, unfortunately, I’ve lost the fire in me to compete as I see life differently now. Getting in this judging program was one awakening moment for me, knowing that it could be a career for me. And I’m going to keep pursuing this career. This would be my other way to inspire women in Asia. Judging could be a career they can think of doing once they don’t want to be competitive surfers anymore.”

The Role of Established Male Judges

Given that surf judging is a very niche career, there is a relatively small pool of judges to choose from who are trusted to perform at a high level. As the ISA makes more room for up-and-coming women judges, logically it leads one to believe that established male judges are going to have to step aside. But according to Kramer, he doesn’t exactly think this will be the case.

“Eventually all judges are replaced as the shelf life of a judge only lasts so long at a certain level,” said Kramer. “But as long as the new women and men judges that enter the system have the knowledge and skill set to do the job properly, then I do not see anyone having an issue with it.”

The WSL didn’t respond to requests for comment regarding their initiatives, if any, to add more women to their judging panels. However, Kramer acknowledged that the WSL has been appreciative of the investment the ISA has been putting into this area. The WSL CT head judge, Luli Pereira, was one of the head judges at the Olympic qualifier World Surfing Games in February this

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The article discusses the lack of gender equality in surf judging, highlighting the underrepresentation of women in judging panels. This issue directly relates to SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Additionally, the article touches on the need for reduced inequalities in surf judging, as women are currently underrepresented in this male-dominated field.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life.
• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.

The article emphasizes the need for women’s full and effective participation in surf judging, calling for equal opportunities for women to be included in decision-making processes. This aligns with Target 5.5 of SDG 5. Additionally, the article highlights the importance of promoting social and economic inclusion in surf judging, regardless of gender. This relates to Target 10.2 of SDG 10.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Representation of women in surf judging panels
• Number of women participating in judge training programs
• Consistency of judges’ scores compared to actual scores

The article mentions the increase in representation of women on surf judging panels, indicating progress towards gender equality in this field. This can be used as an indicator to measure the achievement of Target 5.5. The article also discusses the participation of women in judge training programs, which can be tracked to assess the effectiveness of efforts to empower and promote the inclusion of women in surf judging. Lastly, the consistency of judges’ scores compared to actual scores can be used as an indicator to evaluate the quality and fairness of judging, contributing to the achievement of Target 10.2.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: theinertia.com

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