Last month, Todd Messick of the American Longboard Association announced that transgender surfer Sasha Jane Lowerson would not be allowed to compete against other women in the Huntington Beach Longboard Pro. But the competition is now being forced to allow her to compete alongside the other women.
This week, the California Coastal Commission said surf competitions could “not discriminate based on gender” and is requiring the competition to allow Lowerson to compete against other women. If the competition does not allow her to compete, it will be in violation of state law and the entire event could be shut down, according to the BBC.
“Surf contests in state waters must be carried out in a lawful manner that does not discriminate based on gender,” spokesman Joshua Smith told the BBC on behalf of the California Coastal Commission.
The California Coastal Commission sent a letter to the competition organizers that said a ban on transgender women from competing against other women “is not consistent with the public access, recreation and environmental justice policies of the Coastal Act.”
So while the competition may have tried its best to keep transgender women from competing against other women in the competition, the law is the law.
[BBC]
