A day of joy, resistance, and community on Pacifica State Beach. 

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham, From Left: Photographers Phoenix Ocean, Emily Bornhop, and Lawrence Rickford. 

On Saturday, June 7, Pacifica State Beach transformed into a site of radical joy, resistance, and belonging as Queer Surf hosted the third annual SWITCH — an ocean-centered celebration of gender fluidity, queer expression, and community in the waves and on the beach. Held on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land, SWITCH has quickly become a cornerstone of queer surf culture in California, and this year’s event was the biggest yet.

With over 60 surfers participating in exhibitions throughout the day, as well as drag performances, dance, and a drum circle, SWITCH 2025 brought hundreds of people to the shoreline — not just to surf, but to experience what it means to be seen, safe, and celebrated on the coast, surrounded by queer community. 

"I've been a surfer for a long time. I've been surfing in California for more than a decade, and I can say I haven't seen or been part of a more inclusive and safe space for LGBTQ people, like myself, at the ocean than SWITCH.

Making a safe coastal space for our community has nothing to do with wave conditions, equipment, or surfing skill. Instead, it's about the intention put into building something rooted in simple and clear values—such as: everyone belongs at the beach and in the ocean. Everyone deserves to be here. Everyone is welcome at the coast."

—Mia Bolton, local surf writer, water photographer, and surfer

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham

Surfrider San Francisco and Surfrider San Mateo came together to support SWITCH for the third year running. In the lead-up to the event, Surfrider SF helped coordinate planning, recruit volunteers, and support fundraising efforts. On the day of, our teams helped coordinate everything from serving lunch to keeping the surf zone clear so participants could focus on being in the water, in community, and fully present. Surfrider San Mateo was also on site sharing resources about the Blue Water Task Force, our volunteer-run water quality testing program, and the ongoing campaign to clean up the water at Linda Mar.

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham

Queer Joy as Sacred Practice

New to this year’s event was the presence of Wakan Wiya (Sacred Woman) Two Spirit Drum Circle, offering ancestral rhythm, prayer, and community medicine. Led by Drumkeeper M. Zamora, a Chicana, Tongva, and Yaqui IndigeQueer educator and ceremonial leader, the circle became a place of grounding and reflection.

Participants were invited to sit with the drum, sing, share palabra (spoken word), and lay down tobacco prayers for the future. The drum circle was a vivid expression of Indigenous, queer, and trans resilience and a reminder that decolonizing the beach includes honoring the cultures and traditions of those who were here long before it was called “Pacifica.”

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham

This year’s drag show featured three powerhouse performers, Per Sia, Mudd the Two Spirit, and Eve Swallows, who lit up the beach with color, camp, and charisma. From fiery takedowns of big oil to a mid-number cameo by the Pacifica Taco Bell (truly the apex of queer performance art), the queens put on a show to remember. 

“Nothing says peak queer joy like a slow-build beach day ending in a Cher song and a spontaneous dance party in wetsuits and glitter.” - Faye Terry, first-time Switch attendee & volunteer. 

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham

The Beach Belongs to Everyone

In a sport often dominated by rigid norms and narrow definitions of who belongs in the lineup, SWITCH offers a joyful counter-narrative. One where gender is fluid, all bodies are celebrated, and the ocean becomes a site of healing, visibility, and resistance. 

From its first year to now, the heartbeat of SWITCH remains the same: to carve space for queer and trans people in the waves on their own terms. SWITCH isn’t a competition. It’s not about skill level or equipment. It’s about what happens when we make the coast truly accessible — not just physically, but emotionally, culturally, and spiritually. In a time when queer and trans communities continue to face dangerous political rollbacks and erasure, the ocean becomes more than a place of play; it becomes refuge.

As SWITCH continues to grow, so too does its impact. Events like these remind us that the work of coastal protection is the work of community protection. Surfrider is proud to support Queer Surf and to stand alongside those creating radically inclusive spaces across the coast.

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham

Thank You

A massive thank you to the organizers, performers, volunteers, and attendees who made this year’s SWITCH possible. Your creativity, care, and courage continue to shape a surf culture rooted in joy, equity, and liberation. A huge thank you to Queer Surf for the work that you do to increase access to the ocean and expand surf culture. 

Want to learn more and keep the momentum going?
Queer Surf is a California-based organization dedicated to supporting queer mental and physical health through relationships with the ocean. Support Queer Surf’s work. 🌊

Support Surfrider’s work to protect clean water and coastal access for everyone all year long. 

Photo Credit: Sachi Cunningham