London Girls Take on the Waves in an Empowering Event
On Tuesday just before sunset, seven girls in wetsuits came to Grand Bend Beach for a peer surfing event.
They are all members of Siren Section - an all-girls Surf and Skate Club that organized this session. Founded in June 2024, Siren Section hopes to create inclusive opportunities for women and LGBTQ2S+ individuals living in London.
This event aimed to promote female participation in surfing to encourage female new to the sport. In addition to gathering girls who love to surf, this event also offers a small teaching session and a shared surfboard for beginners.
Photo provided by Bowaine Ma
After the warmup, four more experienced surfers went ahead into the waves to get a better taste of sunset surfing. The two remaining beginners practiced their moves on the beach before entering the lake.
During the practice, Bowaine Ma, one of the two founders of Siren Section, was teaching the two girls some basic techniques like how to get up on the board. When they were ready to go down to the lake, Ma took turns taking them to the edge of the lake and gripping the board with her hands so they could familiarize themselves with the feeling of being on the surfboard.
“She is so patient, and she stood next to me the whole time,” said Ruby Guo, one of the beginners. “I’ve never experienced this when I first started in the skatepark with all the boys.” The skatepark she was referring to is where she and Ma first met, and she joined Siren Section as a result of this chance.
The water level in the surf area was shallow, which is why the organizers chose it. People who attend are generally all beginners, according to Ma. If the water is too deep or the wind is too big, it’s hard for them to safely keep track of people.
Ma also explained why the maximum number of people at each surfing event will not be more than ten. “If people are just learning and they need help, it’s hard for us to watch over tens of people,” she said.
After surfing for about 40 minutes, some girls returned to the beach to rest. They watched their partners’ every move in the lake, waving their arms and cheering as each person managed to catch a wave. This atmosphere continued until the sun completely went down and everyone was ready to go home one hour later.
“It’s not all about this sport, it’s about community too,” Ma said after the event. She found out that when participating in a male-dominated space, there is some hesitancy for girls to fail, or to just be themselves. That’s one of the reasons why she organizes group activities like today to give girls a sense of belonging and safety.
Ma explained that having these feelings may not be because of the guys being unfriendly. “Sometimes they just don’t know how to approach you, but they do want you to share the space.” So, one of the reasons she started the club was to help members better break the ice and make it easier for them to ease into the field.
Siren Section has already been to events such as Stompfest and Punk Rock Flea Market in London last month to rally more female surfers and skateboarders, as well as raise funds by selling their merch to support more events in the future.
