Body-positive surfer struts through Times Square in hot pink bikini and longboard to prove a point about 'women with curves'
Body-positive surfer Elizabeth Sneed took to the streets of New York City with nothing but a bikini and her longboard to make a statement about curvy athletes.
The content creator, who is known as Curvy Surfer Girl online, has gained a following of over 126,000 people on TikTok as a result of posting videos of herself hitting the waves of Honolulu, Hawaii. And while surfing is a sport that she simply loves to share, her page has since provided inspiration to people of all sizes to try something they've been afraid of.
On June 15, she took her board and her mission even further as she arrived in Times Square to bare her body and her message.
"I want the world to know women with curves are surfers & athletes," Sneed captioned a video shared on social media. "What better place than New York City to show the world."
While rocking a hot pink bikini, the surfer made her entrance onto the busy city streets to find her light for some shots with her longboard. Even with people passing by, she hoped that her message was made clear.
"I chose Times Square to represent the changing times of women's beauty standards," she wrote.
Sneed was also making a statement with her choice of bikini as she announced her new role as a brand ambassador and consultant for the design team at swimwear brand JOLYN.
"I will be fit testing the collection, consulting on designs and eventually designing & launching the Curvy Surfer Girl collection in 2023," she wrote in another Instagram post. "It's been 2 years in the making and together we have truly begun to shift the tides!"
In a statement to Yahoo Life, JOLYN CEO Mondy Herndon praised Sneed's work, saying she's helped to "change the perception about surfer body types." The brand has already released select styles from the current collection in extended sizing and is also committing to provide a more expansive range of gear for surfers and athletes in its next collection.
Sneed added, "I'm thrilled to be by their side ushering in a new generation of women's surfing. Collaborating with their team of design experts to create more inclusive high-performance swim is a dream come true not just for me but for the countless women who love the water and need supportive suits to follow their passions."
Although the full line of inclusive surf gear isn't out just yet, Sneed has been praised for what she's done thus far in terms of representation for female athletes chasing their dreams despite rigid beauty standards — her eye-catching photos included.
"My inner little girl is so grateful to you," one person commented on Sneed's Times Square posts. "Thank you for everything that you do."
Another wrote, "Loving this and what it's doing for our surf culture."
While Sneed is helping others to fulfill their dreams, she can't help but to recognize that she's living out her own.
"This is a moment that will live in my heart always & forever! I have tears in my eyes because I’m SOO GRATEFUL & HAPPY for every single person here to share this moment with me! I love YOU so much!" she wrote. "LET'S GO CURVY SURFER GIRLS ?? the sky is literally the limit!"
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