Rip Curl makes huge damage control move after outraged Aussies tried to cancel the iconic brand for using a trans woman to promote women’s surfing

Australians are calling for a national boycott of iconic surf brand Rip Curl over the use of a transgender woman in their social media accounts, as the brand tries to erase any trace of the promotion.

Rip Curl came under fire for using Western Australian professional longboarder and transgender woman Sasha Lowerson in a women’s surfing promotion last week.

Lowerson, 44, was featured on the Rip Curl Women Instagram page on Thursday as part of the company’s Meet The Local Heroes of Western Australia campaign.

It comes just months after Rip Curl cut ties with pro surfer and shark attack survivor Bethany Hamilton – one of the most famous surfers in the world – reportedly over her opposition to transgender people competing in women’s sports.

The post featuring Lowerson has since been removed from the Rip Curl Women Instagram page, but hundreds of Australians have continued to attack the company on other posts on its social media platforms.

The promotion featuring Lowerson has since been removed by Rip Curl, but Australians are still calling for a boycott of the company’s products

The outrage comes after Rip Curl cut ties with former brand ambassador and champion surfer Bethany Hamilton, allegedly over her views on transgender women in surfing

The posts included the hashtags #GoWokeGoBroke #savewomenssports #StopReplacingWomen and #boycotttripcurl, as commenters called on Australians to cut ties with the surfing brand.

“Taking my money elsewhere. Why do you hate women?’ one follower asked.

“Rip Curl was always one of my favorite brands in this industry, too bad I’ll never spend another cent on them again,” another posted.

‘RIP for me, rip curl!!! I don’t support anymore!’ added another.

There have also been several messages of support for Hamilton.

‘Bethany is an icon. She is better without this company,” one follower wrote.

“There will be no one better than Bethany to represent women in women’s surfing – RIP Rip Curl,” another added.

One commenter even accused Rip Curl of removing comments because it limits damage.

‘Why are you deleting comments? Delete as much as you want, people already know where you stand when it comes to biological women,” they posted.

Rip Curl has not yet made a public statement regarding the removal of the Lowerson promotion.

Ny Breaking Australia has contacted Rip Curl for comment.

Surfing, which will feature as a new sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics, adopted the International Surfing Association’s policy for transgender participation in early 2023.

The policy is recognized by the Olympic Committee and states: ‘The eligibility criteria applicable to transgender (trans) people and/or people with gender variations must be evidence-based, rights-respecting and developed on a sport-by-sport basis.’

It states that surfers born as biological males must meet a fixed testosterone level continuously for 12 months to be eligible to compete in a women’s event.

Hamilton and fellow Australian surfing legend Kelly Slater have previously called for a separate transgender division in the sport.

Hamilton also previously threatened to boycott the sport because of his transgender policy.

Although many followers support her position, she has also been labeled as ‘homophobic’ and ‘transphobic’ on her Instagram account.

Australian surfing champion Kelly Slater has also spoken out about transgender athletes in the sport and wants a separate category to be created for them to compete.

Last year, Lowerson told Ny Breaking Australia that she has received support from top surfers that has helped me “regain my faith in humanity.”

‘The current world number six, who I hadn’t seen since my transition, paddled over and she saw me and said, “Look at you, you look great.” The 2016 World Champion Rachael Tilly came up and said hello, she said “It’s so good to see you here”.

“I initially had a lot of fear for my safety, but there were little things, little acts of kindness.”