Looking to host a surfing competition on the beaches of California? Well, you'll have to allow men to surf in the women's category. Or else the state will punish you.

Think I'm joking?

Yeah, the Huntington Beach Longboard Pro surf competition was set to go for Saturday until the California Coastal Commission showed up and informed the organizers that the competition could not exclude trans-identifying males from the female category, as had been the plan. So now, under threat of punishment, the competition will include biological males in the girls competition.

The California Coastal Commission is requiring that Huntington Beach Longboard Pro surf competition must allow trans-identified males to compete in the women's division after the organization previously banned men from women's competition.

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[American Longboard Association founder Tom] Messick announced on April 25 that the Saturday event would not allow trans-identified males to compete in the women's division, saying he wanted to 'offer an equal playing field for all athletes.'

The Coastal Commision claims to have spoken to Messick, who was made to agree to the terms, allowing transgender surfers to surf against women.

The Coastal Commision sent this super serious letter to the organization this week:

From the letter:

I am writing to you regarding concerns brought to the California Coastal Commission ("Commission") staff from members of the public regarding the ban of transgender women from competing in the women's division in the upcoming Huntington Beach Longboard Pro surf competition on May 11, 2024. This ban is not consistent with the public access, recreation, and environmental justice policies of the Coastal Act, nor is it consistent with the transgender policies adopted by the World Surf League (WSL) and International Surfing Association (ISA). 1 Commission staff are particularly concerned that the Huntington Beach Longboard Pro may limit access to an area of state waters for an event that does not provide equitable access to all competitors. Compliance with the policies of the WSL and ISA would serve to preserve public recreational opportunities for all people, which is a requirement of the California Coastal Act.

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Specifically, Coastal Act Section 30210 requires that public access and recreational opportunities for all people shall be provided. Prohibiting or unfairly limiting transgender athletes from competing in this or any surf competition that takes place in the coastal waters of California does not meet the requirements of the public access policies of the Coastal Act and impedes access by discriminating against transgender surfers.

The Coastal Act includes policies that explicitly identify the need to ensure equality and environmental justice and allows the Commission to use this lens in its regulatory decision making related to activities occurring in the Coastal Zone.

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If, however, you do not follow through with this commitment, Commission staff would not consider the event to be exempt from permitting requirements, and the American Longboard Association (ALA) could be subject to a Coastal Act enforcement action, which could include administrative penalties and other remedies to address a violation of public access provisions of the Coastal Act.

So now, under threat from the California Coastal Commission, the competition will be forced to allow men to surf against women. If they don't allow this, they'll receive penalties for their "violation."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just another reason to get your butt outta California.

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