Aug 29, 2022

SWELLS OF SISTERHOOD

I recently received an unexpected package in the mail and opened it up to find the most gorgeous-looking book I had seen. It’s one of those books you must put on display because it adds something to the room. Three women grace the cover, all sharing a wave together, looking like they are having the time of their lives. The book is titled Women Making Waves by Lara Einzig. Immediately, I was intrigued. As I opened it up and began flipping through the pages, not only was I in awe of the women featured and their stories, but I also wanted to jump right into the book and surf with them. I felt an instant connection with the visuals and the words. It was especially inspiring to read all the different perspectives from many of the female surfers I have looked up to and many I wasn’t previously familiar with. Their revelations made surfing feel like a more unique and hospitable experience for me, and I think reading this book will do the same for you. ~Katelyn Sovay 2022

Lara Einzig is a surfer, stylist, and author who began surfing seven years ago and was quickly entranced by the addictive nature of the sport and lifestyle. She dove deep into its culture and obsessively began watching every surf film, reading every book, and studying every professional. But she noticed something was missing. “I wanted to know where all the female surfers were!” said Einzig. All the books and films were “filled with imagery of men ripping big waves - all of the stories were cast through the male lens.” She noted this was different from her actual surfing experience, where females in the lineup were a very normal occurrence. Taking from her own involvement, Einzig was inspired to celebrate women in the water and provide the world with an accurate depiction of the female surf community.

As a result, her book, Women Making Waves was born. This book is a “soulful celebration of the sisterhood of female surfing,” said Lara Einzig. It tells the stories of 29 women from around the world and how social impact drives them to live their lives with purpose. Their stories come from different stages of life, locations, religions, shapes, and views, finding a special place within every reader. What unites everyone involved in this book is the way the ocean has helped them to heal, transform, and fight for change. “I had never fully understood the power of nature and my connection to it,” said Einzig. After losing her youngest sister to mental health struggles, her connection to the ocean helped her feel closer to her sibling and encouraged her to find a way to heal. “Surfing is my church, my playground, my therapy and a place where no one can find me.”

The feminine connection to the ocean cannot be ignored. This book reveals that relationship and amplifies the “resounding voice and empathetic presence” that women and water have always cultivated. The women featured in this book resemble the ocean in their authenticity, independence, strength, and resilience.

Despite this deep bond with the water, Lara Einzig touches on hardships many women are faced with nearly every time they paddle out. “I’m fairly sure every female surfer has experienced not feeling welcome in the lineup, not feeling good enough, feeling like they shouldn’t be there,” said Einzig. However, this issue does not faze the 29 surfers in Women Making Waves, who refuse to give attention to it and put themselves above any such feelings.

“Hard won anything needs to be fought and won the very next day," said featured surfer Renee Labbe. "We must be vulnerable and tell our stories and in turn, break down barriers,” added Lara Einzig, proving that women do deserve their place in the water, even if that means fighting for it.

Ultimately, the power surfing holds over everyone lucky enough to enjoy it is overwhelming. It provides a place for women to feel elegant and graceful, strong and capable, and most importantly, welcomed. “And nothing beats that salty, sun-drenched goodness of a post-surf high,” said Lara Einzig. But if there’s anything to take away from Women Making Waves and the incredible women that fill the pages, it’s “don’t take shit from anyone.”

Katelyn grew up surfing in San Diego, California and eventually found her way to Santa Barbara where she started an education in communication at the University of California Santa Barbara. After graduating in June of 2022, Katelyn still enjoys surfing more than ever, as well as skating, snowboarding, camping, and hanging at the beach. She currently works as the Public Relations and Communication intern for Withitgirl.

Additional Information

Women Making Waves is a visual celebration of surfing as seen through the eyes of women from the United States, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia, and beyond. It features twenty-five women who are breaking new ground in the worlds of surfing, environmental protection, and their own professions, inviting you to come along with them at dawn patrol at their favorite wave breaks.

Order the book Here

Published by Ten Speed Press and Penguin Random House

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Great Article by By Cat Woods (2022) Author Lara Einzig Teaches Women How to Weather the Storm in 'Women Making Waves"

Featured Photographers in this article:

Ana Catarina

Anne Menke

Cait Miers

Featured Photographers in the Book:

Naoko Hara

Evie Johnstone

Ally B. Martin