Black Girls Surf: Meet the African women defying stereotypes to ride waves

Renowned photographer Denisse Ariana Pérez speaks with Black Girls Surf founder and coach Rhonda Harper, and captures three females as they balance swimwear with traditional dress and social status

In Senegal, West Africa, the majority of women still follow traditional gender norms – such as missing out on education so they can complete household tasks for their husbands – and they most definitely aren’t encouraged to participate or compete in sport.

Caribbean-born, Copenhagen-based photographer Denisse Ariana Perez captures images that connect her subjects with the environment and redefine ideas of black masculinity and beauty. She travelled to Senegal to meet with Rhonda Harper, founder of the organisation Black Girls Surf, and photograph three participants of the organisation: Khadija, 24, Ndeye, 12 and Aminata, 13.

Harper is taking matters into her own hands when it comes to diversifying the line-up, and is determined to change the overwhelming white landscape of professional surfing. Black Girls Surf trains, supports and represents girls and young women of Africa for professional surfing competitions. ‘Africa has been chosen as the next surfing destination worldwide, and indigenous Africans need to be prepared to compete,’ the long-time surfer tells Perez.

‘Education is also a priority, and in order to be part of the Black Girls Surf programme all girls must be in school. The organisation has set up a fundraiser that has raised enough for all the participants to attend,’ she adds.

Growing up by the shores of Ngor, Khadija ‘Khadjou’, 24, would watch from the window as her uncle and other men took to the sea to surf. Apart from the men, the only women Khadjou would see surfing were white women. In that moment, she made it her goal to one day become a surfer, and not only stop at that, to represent her country in the international arena.

But like all trailblazers – and especially young women – ambitious goals do not come without hurdles. Khadjou was forced to stop surfing for nearly three years, due to heavy criticism and disapproval from her community and government, who described surfing a something ‘only meant for boys’.

Today, she has returned to surfing with the full support of her family, and has inspired other young girls – like her younger cousin Ndeye – to ride waves. Her coach Harper desperately hopes Khadjou gets to compete for Senegal in the next Paris 2024 Olympics.

Here, Perez takes us through a selection of her snaps of the Senegalese surfers…

The post Black Girls Surf: Meet the African women defying stereotypes to ride waves appeared first on Marie Claire.