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Jimmy: “Hey, dude, are we gonna head to Long Beach this weekend. A big swell is coming in.”
Carl: “For sure, dude. I’m totally stoked, too. Last time we were there the surf was crawling with Bettys.”
Jimmy: “Yeah, I wish my girlfriend was a Betty, Julie just doesn’t get too amped about surfing.”
Carl: “Well, at least she plays video games. Plus she’s got a good job. Last time I dated a Betty we were broke as shit. A household can only afford to have one surf bum.”
Jimmy: “Good point, I guess Bettys are best just for lookin’ at.”
The origin of the word Betty comes from Betty Page, a nude model back in the days of black and white photography. A Betty came to signify a sexy girl, but then over time shifted to just mean a sexy surf girl, and then a surf girl in general, at least in Long Beach. You will hear the word Betty used in other parts of the country, but instead Betty might refer to a skateboard or snowboard girl.
The term Betty isn’t meant to be a derogatory term, in fact, there is even a California surf school that uses the word in its advertising:
