World surfing champ Layne Beachley and producer Michaela Perske discuss bold new documentary, Girl’s Can’t Surf, with pro surfer and writer Lauren Hill
For International Women’s Day this year, Live Nation Women’s Australia and NZ chapter hosted a Q&A with Girls Can’t Surf star Layne Beachley, producer Michaela Perske, and professional surfer and author of ‘She Surf’ Lauren Hill for Live Nation employees.
The documentary follows the journey of a band of renegade surfers in the ’80s, who took on the male-dominated professional surfing world to achieve equality and change the sport forever.
Featuring surfing greats Jodie Cooper, Frieda Zamba, Pauline Menczer, Lisa Andersen, Pam Burridge, Wendy Botha, Layne Beachley, and more, Girls Can’t Surf is a wild ride of clashing personalities, sexism, adventure, and heartbreak, with each woman fighting against the odds to make their dreams of competing a reality.
The Q&A, held virtually on Zoom on Wednesday 10 March, focused on how the documentary inspires and empowers women to fight for equity and equality within their career and daily life. Hosted by pro surfer, writer, and producer Lauren Hill – from The Waterpeople Podcast and author of She Surf: The Rise of Female Surfing, the discussion was lively, inspiring, humourous, and full of invaluable life advice.
Beachley spoke about how grateful she was to help tell the stories of the surfing predecessors who helped to inspire the shift toward equality and provided honest and open answers throughout the Q&A, inspiring the Live Nation staff with her story.
She indicated that the film’s message about equality transcends surfing and can be adapted to all industries, inspiring the fight against inequality within the workplace. Beachley said that it takes strong, resilient women to stand up to systematic issues such as pay equity. She added that the female surfers in the ’80s challenged the status quo within an industry that devalued women and discussed “the relentless pursuit of improvement” that she has lived her life by.
Layne added that her most memorable award was her seventh world title because it helped her detach from fear and the struggles that held her back, while teaching her to let go of old beliefs.
Both Michaela Perske, the producer of Girls Can’t Surf, and Layne Beachley agreed that the film highlights women who stood up against systematic abuse, with Perske, who took up surfing at the age of 47, adding that while it took a while, the surfing industry got there with equality and pay equity in 2019.
International Women’s Day took place on Monday, 8 March this year, with the theme #ChooseToChallenge focusing on challenging inequality and celebrating women’s accomplishments. The day aims to celebrate equality and diversity among women.
Live Nation believes in equality for women, Trans and GNC people within the workplace, as well as celebrating their achievements. Check out some of the fantastic staff that work across Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and Moshtix who were profiled this International Women’s Day.
Don’t miss Girls Can’t Surf – now open in cinemas, nationally.
