Bethany Hamilton has become one of the most iconic and notable professional surfers in the world after she lost her arm in a shark attack at the age of 13 but continued on to become a successful professional surfer despite the injury. She’s earned a massive platform after her autobiography was turned into a feature film back in 2011 and was named the keynote speaker at the Oshkosh Women’s Fund’s Annual Power of the Purse event – but not everyone is happy about that.
Last year, Bethany Hamilton made it clear that she does not support transgender women competing in women’s sports, declaring that she would not be competing in the World Surf League as long as the league allows transgender women to also compete alongside her. As a result, the LGTBQ community is protesting the decision to allow Hamilton to speak.
In a five page letter to the Women’s Fund, over 70 different allies and members of the LGBTQ community expressed their displeasure with the choice of keynote speaker.
“The Oshkosh Area Women’s Fund’s decision to host Bethany Hamilton as a keynote speaker not only contradicts their mission statement, it undermines their community partnership initiatives toward ending isolation and loneliness, promoting youth mental and physical health, and supporting parents. It also creates and enhances a direct platform for amplifying anti-transgender bigotry in our own backyard,” the letter reads, according to Surfer.com
It’s not clear whether or not the event will reconsider their choice of keynote speaker.
