Surfing's first openly gay world champion gave a powerful speech everyone needs to hear

Big way surfer Keala Kennelly has been fighting for women’s equality in the sport of surfing for a long time. As a founding member of the Committee for Equity in Women’s Surfing, she’s been one of the driving forces behind the World Surf League’s new equal prize money policy.

Late last week, Kennelly officially claimed the Women’s Big Wave World Title for her incredible performance at the 2018 Jaws Challenge in Maui. Even though she only scored a 3 on the wave that won her the title, it was an incredible feat that she survived at all.

“I cartwheeled on my first wave and thought I broke my neck,” she told The Inertia after competing. “The wave pounded me and just ripped my leg so hard I thought it was gonna get pulled out of my hip joint.

In her acceptance speech, Kennelly spoke movingly about her long road to a world title as an openly gay athlete.

“I needed to dream bigger because when I was 25, I was hiding in the closet, soaked in shame, living in fear, and I hated myself because I did not think you could be World Champion and gay at the same time. I needed to dream bigger because now I get to be the first openly gay World Champion. I get to be proud of who I am and I get to love myself exactly as I am, not as people would want me to be. And it is my hope that I am going to inspire other LGBT athletes that are suffering in silence to live your truth.”

Surfing, like almost every other sport, lacks visible, openly gay, competitors and Kennelly’s words are a powerful reminder of challenges LGBTQ athletes still face.

You can hear the entirety of her speech below.