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Contrary to Bob,'s idea, I don't thank that that many people would be lining up to buy "the gay shoes" marketed by "the gay pro skater," "progressive" 2018 or not. I'm not anti LGBTQ, but I really don't think kids would be lining up for that kind of thing. I don't think shit works that way. Him coming out not going to move Steve Brandi into a new neighborhood or buy him 16 cars. I don't quite understand how people can think that people would come out for any other reason than that they don't want to hide that part of themselves any longer. Coming out makes you so vunerable and open to all sorts of assholes - socially conservative assholes and bitter associates - this means you Bob. The difference between Brandi coming out is that he is obviously loved and cared about by skateboarding, without being a super star. If Bobby came out tomorrow, I'd be happy for him being true to himself, but he'd still be a bitter racist asshole who has alienated 99% of Slap. This message board is known for being the last stronghold of Puleo fans. It's a fucking inside joke!
Skateboarding is about expressing yourself and I think the microcosm of slap would have been completely supportive of Brian, Forrest and Steve even if they weren't selling anything. In fact, Forrest isn't pro anymore and hasn't been for a few years. I don't even think dude fuckin' skates anymore. It makes me angry that someone is so fucking delusional, delusional because I don't even think he's homophobic. I think he said some stupid shit that he somehow believes. I think he believes that Brandi talking about coming out is going to drive people by the boatload to by those hideous (IMO) Cons. No one was buying the Project BA because they thought "huh, Brian Anderson is gay, I should buy these." They bought them because they looked sick and skated well.
At least Bobby can back up his numerology shit with the fact that yes, he is in fact citing real numbers.
Sorry for the rant I have nothing better to do than write and get my mind off shit.
You're tripping if you don't think queer people went out and bought a Brian Anderson board after he came out. I'm gay and I bought an Anti-Hero BA board right after he came out, and I hadn't skated a BA board in years. I always liked him, but him coming out made me want to go out and support him. Have you heard of Unity? A lot of Queer people get insanely hyped to ride their boards because they know what it represents and who else is riding them.
It's about representation and seeing someone who is like you in a prominent position. Y'all can talk about like 4 dudes who have come out, but in the scope of who is currently skating and has ever skated, that's just a microscopic fraction. The number of queer skateboarders (or out ones, I should say) is only growing, and with that, there will be more products marketed specifically to that audience. Skateboarding has always been marketed towards straight dudes, so you can't go about it the same. You're going to probably see changes. I can't wait.
Dude, I have his first Anti-Hero board (and a Girl board with Templeton artwork) as a wall board. I'm not saying queer people didn't go out and support him. I'm stoked for him, and I'm stoked for Steve and Forrest. Let me try to explain:
I was definitely having difficulties explaining what I meant. I still can't really put my thoughts into words. How about this: I don't think Brian came out
to sell boards, and I don't think Steve Brandi came out to sell Hopps boards or Cons. In Steve's case, being a pro with a much lower profile than BA or even Forrest, this might be his only major interview. Maybe he had a 'Heads' or 'Who's Hot' or something. I think the fact that this Cons x Hopps video/shoe drop is the reason he got the interview... I hope I'm not being unkind by saying I seriously doubt that he will have a million other Thrasher interviews, or a platform to say something meaningful that can change lives. This Thrasher interview was his one chance to do that. He took it. I'm sure that there are people in the closet reading it that feel completely empowered by the fact that Steve Brandi isn't seen as "the bic'd badass who front blunted hubba hideout," and he's gay. There were many people, when BA came out, that theorized that a lot of people might be less accepting if it was someone less badass. There's probably something to that, unfortunately.
Point is - if the
more progressive people non-neanderthal, forward thinking types want to buy a Steve Brandi board or a Brian Anderson board or... uh... a Forrest Kirby dumb-bell, sick,
please go do it. Support them. I've had Hopps boards and I wish I could still skate a Forrest Kirby board. I just don't think that it's generally a big marketing scheme when someone comes out. That's what Puleo thinks happened, and that's what I took offense to.
Yes, I know of Unity. I think what they do is really rad. I
wish skateboarding was more inclusive to everybody, but as everyone knows, that isn't the case. It sucks there's a need for a queer only skateboarding brand because skateboarding (and unfortunately parts of society) doesn't accept them, but I'm glad they're doing what they're doing.
They also gave Stevie Shakes a pro-model, and he was/is the nicest dude with the best half cab flips and backside flips. Dude was always very very nice to me and my friends even though he had no need to be. He's jocking Hockey pretty hard right now so I'm not sure if he's involved or not anymore.