The first online Gay Surfers community

The first online Gay Surfers community

LGBT dudes and dudettes who love to hang ten can now surf the web and find support. Surfing is often seen as a macho sport where many fear rejection for being gay. In the past, some professionals who came out lost their sponsorships. So, to provide more solidarity among LGBT surfers worldwide, gaysurfers.net came to be. Membership is anonymous, free, and secure. Among the site's offerings are gay surfing articles, lists of LGBT friendly surf spots, and a list of films inspired by "gay" and "surf" themes. Sign up is simple. Just create a profile then feel free to post on forums, make friends, and chat with the site's over 250 other users. Finally, there is a haven where gay and lesbian surf lovers can just hang loose. Please visit www.gaysurfers.net 

Homophobia in sports is still a widespread problem.

But - this should change now. At least when it comes to Thomas, a gay surfer. He has created an Internet community for gay and lesbian surfer surfers - and shortly after its launch, over 280 participants.

"I've been surfing for many years," he reports. "I've lived abroad, in France, Sydney and Los Angeles ... I have often tried to get to know other gay surfers, unsuccessfully." Thomas wanted to put an end to this - and founded www.gaysurfers.net, a community for gay surfers and lesbian surfers. A site that (anonymously) allows you to make new friends and keep contacts to put photos online, share tips.

Whether the surf scene is very homophobic? No says Thomas. Closed it is in any case. About Sexuality little is said, not even among the hetero-surfers. And that homosexuality was not exactly welcomed, already show the story of two internationally known surfer (Cheyne Horan Thompson and Robbins, see 'further information' below), lost their sponsors after the announcement of her homosexuality.