Cori’s introduction letter to the GS women’s GROUP

Hello Ladies,

My name is Cori Schumacher and Thomas Green has asked me to help him with the women’s group here on GaySurfers.net.

I’d like to tell you a little about myself in introduction. I have been surfing since I was 5 years old, having learned from a mother and father who themselves both surfed. I began competing when I was 8 years old and worked my way up both the amateur and professional levels of shortboarding and longboarding. Last year, in 2010, I won my third World Longboarding Championship in Biarritz, France.

My experience in surfing ranges from free-surfing mostly in Southern California to the organizational levels within the ASP. I have worked with a variety of different characters in the surfing world over the last 29 years. During this time, I have experienced a broad range of opinions within and outside of the surf industry and competitive circles regarding gays and lesbians. I myself have been “out” with my family and friends since 2001, but kept this to myself mostly within the surfing community (with some exceptions). I was married to my partner of 6 years in 2008, when it was legal to do so in California. This past year, I came out, officially, to the entire surfing world via an article in The New York Times that made the front sports page on March 26th. Since then, I have written an article which was recently published online in The Guardian about this specific topic and continue to be an advocate for LGBT rights as well as women’s rights, specifically within the realm of surfing, through my writing on The Guardian-Comment is Free America and TheInertia.com.

I feel honored and excited to be a part of this community and I would like to make myself available to any and all questions and suggestions you may have. I want to contribute positively in making this place a vibrant, safe, loving environment where we feel connected and free to share our experiences, our thoughts and our love of surfing.

I am very much looking forward to making your acquaintance, learning about your lives and experiences, your love of surfing and how it began. Additionally, I would like to see us organize surf meet-ups locally and internationally where we can connect and share our love of the ocean and surfing.

This is an evolving group and any and all ideas about how to make it a more vibrant and inclusive environment are welcome and encouraged!

Thank you so much for your time and I am looking forward to hearing back from you!

Cheers!

Cori Schumacher
cori@gaysurfers.net