ABSTRACT
In this chapter, Neil lazarow's data is critically developed in collaboration with Rebecca Olive, whose research adopted a feminist cultural studies approach to cultural gender power relations in surfing culture in the surf and on social media. The categories for motivation were developed by reviewing a range of national park user surveys. Both Rebecca and Neil suggest that Australian surfing's anti-establishment culture that emerged and developed through the mid-late twentieth century still provides a strong backdrop against which surfers distinguish themselves in society. The surfing system includes industry and traditional, online and social media, which impact surfers' collective understandings of what surfing is and the role that surfing can play in life beyond the surf break and the beach. Despite growing levels of female participation in surfing, the traditional embodiment of 'core' and 'local' are badges traditionally bestowed upon and worn by men – giving them the right to speak for place.
