KL:
Rant on if you like, get it all out…
NG: Well, my speech professor was talking in class
one day saying that there is an actual journal
on teenage eating disorders for young women. And
he said it himself, he said that means there is
enough information to actually make a journal
about it. How sad is that? So to think that our
industry would perpetuate that stereotype is ignorant
and mind blowing and crushing. And I don't want
to be a part of it. I want to be a part of something
positive and influential to the young girls. I
couldn't be a part something that gives people
an eating disorder.
KL:
Doesn't it seem like there are enough people like
us who recognize what is happening, and could
make an actual core industry?
NG: That's a very good point, yeah; I've talked
to people about that a bunch. The women have to
support the women in order for there to be headway.
But for me, I don't even know where to start.
Sitting here talking to you is a good start, talking
with Holly about IWS is a good start. It's hard
when you don't have any resources. What do you
do? Start a clothing company owned and operated
by women, and somehow support the women? Layne
Beachley has her own website and she gives out
scholarships and things to women, I think it's
laynebeachley.com.
But yeah, if enough girls got together and really
used their heads, and if they really wanted to
see a change, they could make one. It's not gonna
happen overnight though. We'd be doing it more
so for the girls who are learning right now, who
are like us and deserve to have the chance at
a career in professional surfing.
KL:
Do you consider yourself an angry person?
NG: Sometimes, yeah, it’s hard to keep a
level head when there is so much injustice in
the world. I think the anger comes from feeling
helpless sometimes and wanting to do the right
thing. I just try to turn that passion into my
surfing and into my photography, capture it and
communicate it to the rest of the world. But I
think I'm a pretty happy-go-lucky kinda person.
I think my friends would say I'm funny. I think
I kinda turn my anger into comedy. Laughter has
always been a way I deal with things.
KL:
Tell us about your recent misfortune.
NG: I don't know what it is, but in the last year
or so I've had a lot of things stolen from me,
I've never stolen anything in my life. But it
was just random, someone came into our house at
night, I kinda feel embarrassed to say but our
front door was unlocked, so someone came in, grabbed
all of our keys that were hanging by the front
door, and stole my car that was in the driveway.
So just another setback. But through all this
I've just realized how good of friends I have.
KL:
Do you feel like an unlucky person?
NG: No, not at all, this kind of stuff happens
to everyone. You know, I got my health, got awesome
people around me who want to help. Bad things
happen to good people all the time, I'm not gonna
take it personally and let it get me down. Sometime
it does, but self pity isn't going to get me anywhere.
I'm very lucky, life is good.
Nicole Grodesky
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