The World Surf League (WSL) have named Abu Dhabi as a stop on their 2025 Championship Tour and Longboard Tour, a location where homosexuality is illegal - punishable by up to 14 years in prison or even the death sentence. 

Wave Wahines CIC, Queer Surf Club, Surf Equity, and the undersigned inclusive surfing organisations and individuals vehemently oppose this decision. We call on you to join us in supporting the removal of Abu Dhabi as a venue from the WSL’s events calendar until they can guarantee a safe environment for every surfer.

So far the amazing surfing community have spoken up and are ready to take action - it’s time we unite and amplify our collective voice. Please share the petition widely - through surf chats, email lists and across your social media.

With support from:

🇬🇧

• Wave Wahines, UK
• Surf Yonder, UK
• LNDN Surfgirl Community, UK
• Channel Women Surf, UK
• Bristol Girls Surf Club CIC, UK
• Groundswell Scotland, UK
• London Surf Film Fest 
• Reclaim The Sea CIC
  Mango Surfing, Cornwall, UK
• My Genderation CIC
• Frazer Riley, Founder of Queer Surf Club, UK
• Yvette Cave, Founder of Wave Wahines
• Fox Fisher, Artist & Founder of My Genderation CIC
• Luke Gartside, Former Editor of Wavelength Surf Magazine 

🇺🇸 Groups

• Benny’s Club, queer surf collective, New York City, USA
• Black Surf Santa Cruz, California, USA
• City Surf Project, San Francisco, USA
• Dream Team Surf, California, USA
• Hawaii Women’s Sports Agency, O‘ahu, Hawaii, USA
• Kisea Surf, California, USA
• Lavender Lineup, New England, USA
• Nexus Surf Collective, Nahaganset (Rhode Island), USA
• North Shore Ko’olau Diversity Collective, O‘ahu, Hawaii, USA
• North Shore Surf Girls, O‘ahu, Hawaii, USA
• Queer Surf, USA
• Sport Equity, USA
• Surf Circle, Bay Area, California, USA
• Surfrider San Francisco, USA
• Surfrider Washington DC, USA
• Trans Equity, USA
• Yeasty Boys, USA

🇺🇸 Individuals

• Holly Beck, Former Pro Surfer & Founder of Surf with Amigas
• Sabrina Brennan, Founder of Surf Equity & Co-founder of Committee for Equity in Women's Surfing, Northern California, USA
• Nic Brisebois, Co-director of Queer Surf, USA
• Dani Burt, World Adaptive Surfing Champion, California, USA
• Betty Depolito, Former Pro Surfer, Competition Organizer, Founder of Hawaii Women’s Sports Agency, O‘ahu, Hawaii, USA
• Audrey Faison, Founder & Exec Director at Concrete Queenz, California, USA
• Kyla Langen, Former Pro Surfer & Founder of Queer Surf, USA
• Michael Soule, Founder of Soule Surfboards, USA
• Lex Weinstein, Surfer, Founder of Sea + Soil Collective, Kumeyaay land (California), USA
• Alex White, Skateboarding Commentator & Former Pro Skateboarder, USA
• Tyler Wilde, Coach, Bodysurfer & Trans: featured in Gender Outlaw, a film about overcoming adversity & redefining inclusivity, Southern California, USA

🇦🇺 

• Queer Surf Club - Shelly Beach, Darkinjung Country, NSW, Australia
• Surf Proud, Australia
• 🇦🇺/ 🇫🇷 Lucy Small, Professional Longboarder & Advocate, Equal Pay in Surf, Australia/France

♾️

• 🇿🇦 Queer Surf Cape Town, South Africa
• 🇧🇷 Gay Surf Brazil 
• 🇲🇽 Surf Queer Mexico
• 🇮🇪 Ollie O Flaherty, Big Wave Surfer, Ireland
• 🇩🇪 Gzeiten Wetsuits, Germany
• 🇩🇪/ 🇩🇰 Cold Water Sirens, Germany/Denmark, Europe
• 🇨🇦 Kayak Ontario, Canada
• 🇫🇷 Queen Classic Surf Festival, Biarritz, France
• 🇫🇷 Margaux Arramon-tucoo, Vans Surf Team Rider, Co-Founder Queens Classic Surf Festival, Biarritz, France
• 🇨🇦 Coastal Queer Alliance, Tofino, Canada

🌏 

• Queer Surf Club 
• Surf Equity
• Lee-Ann Curren, Vans Surf Team Rider + Surfer
• The Section Surf 
• Swell Season Radio
• Trans Cyclist Collective 
• Surfer.gay
• Gay Surf Week
• Black Surfers
• Rainbow Surf Retreats
• Joe Santini, Founder of Gay Surf Week 
• Mando Surf Co.
• Board Women
• Jane Surf Supply
• Soule Surfboards
• Karen Song, Podcast Co-Host, Swell Season Radio
• Equal Pay for Equal Play, campaign
  
  

The WSL have chosen to support a government that criminalises LGBTQIA+ people and discriminates against women, and in doing so are choosing to place their athletes, support teams, and spectators at risk. 

The United Nations Human Rights Council identifies denying equal access to sports based on sexual orientation or gender identity as a human rights violation. Yet, with the inclusion of Abu Dhabi on its tours, the World Surf League is supporting a location that disregards these rights, discriminating against LGBTQIA+ athletes.

Human Rights Watch reports that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) penalizes same-sex relations with imprisonment, fines, deportation, and even death. These harsh realities make the urgency of this request clear.

We aim to challenge human rights violations that endanger the global LGBTQIA+ community, without casting blame on any religion, race, or ethnicity. Our stance is one of solidarity with LGBTQIA+ individuals facing persecution at the hands of their governments, wherever that may be.

By removing Abu Dhabi from its event calendar, the World Surf League would make a powerful statement: human rights and the safety of its athletes and employees are paramount. Ignoring this issue would tacitly endorse discriminatory practices and betray the inclusive values at the heart of Olympic sports. Only through decisive action can we ensure that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, has an equal opportunity to compete in professional surfing.

For the sake of all LGBTQIA+ surfers out there who relish the thrill of riding waves, their partners, support team and fans, let's urge the World Surf League to reconsider its position. 

You can stand up for human rights, inclusion, and fairness in sports. 

Please sign this petition and encourage the World Surf League to remove Abu Dhabi from its event calendar until they establish a safe environment for every surfer.

As a mother of three, the safety of my children is my utmost priority. My eldest child, who has bravely embraced their true self, is transgender. They also have a passion for surfing, but existing regulations in certain regions rob them of this joy and access to the waves. Abu Dhabi, named as a stop in World Surf League's event calendar, presents a stark reality. My child, due to their identity, would be breaking laws by merely existing in such an environment. This scenario is hardly limited to my family. Countless surfers worldwide, identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, face this unnecessary struggle. Stand with us; sign and share the petition. 

Thank you - Yvette Curtis, Wave Wahines CIC, Queer Surf Club and Surf Equity.

Find us on Instagram:

• @wave_wahines
• @queersurfclub
• @surfequity