The Section is a space to explore identity in Australian surf culture through an intersectional lens. Through interviews and conversations, The Section will unpack the long-standing and frankly extremely tired “Aussie surfer = Anglo man dude bro” trope. 

Intersectionality is a theoretical frame for studying cultures and acknowledges multiple oppressions and their impacts on people. For example, where class and gender inequalities overlap, people will likely face deeper and more complex forms of inequality.

Black sociologists Kimberlé Crenshaw (1991) and Patricia Hill Collins (2000) developed the theory of intersectionality, showing the importance of studying different forms of inequality simultaneously. The theory of intersectionality has been taken up in a range of ways by academics and activists alike, for example through intersectional feminism and intersectional environmentalism.