OUT in the Line-Up

Until recently, professional gay surfers have remained in the closet. With help from French producer Thomas Castets and Australian surfer David Wakefield, director Ian W. Thomson sets out to find where things stand today. Sportswriter Fred Pawle describes the unspoken rule whereby a surfer can be gay, but can't talk about it. Editor Stuart Nettle notes that homophobia pervades the jargon to such a large extent that surfers unthinkingly use “gay” or "faggot" to describe anything they find undesirable. The culture discourages disclosure, although some surfers haven't let that stop them. Feeling isolated, Castets started up a website (gaysurfers.net), which has allowed gay surfers across the world to connect with each other. Wakefield, who spent his competitive life in the closet, was drawn to the site, and eventually came out by marching with Castets in Sydney's Mardi Gras Parade, at which point he knew there would be no turning back. Franco Vargas, who lives in Ecuador, had never met any openly gay surfers, but the site reassured him that he wasn't alone. Cori Schumacher, a three-time world champion, walked away from surfing, because she wanted to explore her sexuality free from judgment. She also knew that endorsements were off the table once she came out, which is unfortunate since there's more money in sponsorships than in championship wins. Interestingly, Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank also appears here; his husband, Jim Ready, started out as a surf photographer. Likely to appeal to surfing enthusiasts and LGBT rights advocates alike, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)