Author Topic: who was the first gay pro street skater (Read 2163 times)

lowline · « **on:** June 02, 2026, 02:26:12 PM »

it'd have to be between tony cox and brian anderson, right? also chip van ham was another

lowline · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2026, 02:28:59 PM »

kinda amazing that two early gay street pros shared a part and they're skating to slint

The Huffer · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2026, 02:49:41 PM »

Tim Von Werne may have been the first out Pro gay skateboarder but I'm sure there were others who didn't feel safe coming out...

lowline · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2026, 02:52:46 PM »

Quote from: The Huffer on June 02, 2026, 02:49:41 PM

Tim Von Werne may have been the first out Pro gay skateboarder but I'm sure there were others who didn't feel safe coming out...

oh yeah, well tony and brian obviously both had fairly long careers without the general public knowing they were gay. so i guess if we're counting who was out openly then it's probably him

i'm not sure if chip van ham went pro also

Allen. · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2026, 03:03:18 PM »

Rad. Just saw a Chip Van Ham 50-50 a kinked rail to ledge type beat on insta the other day and wondered about him. I’ve heard the name but never put it to much footage. Loved that Midwest part! Crazy how many of those spots are still in play more or less.

pop idiot · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2026, 03:08:09 PM »

Jarret Barry had that Big Brother cover/interview and then the follow up one on Jenkem. Always liked his style

SatanicPanic · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2026, 03:13:15 PM »

Elissa Steamer?

lowline · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2026, 03:18:46 PM »

no clue who the first gay vert pro could be either, maybe someone from the eighties which is before my time. i'm sure someone has the answer

TheLurper · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2026, 04:08:54 PM »

Quote from: The Huffer on June 02, 2026, 02:49:41 PM

Tim Von Werne may have been the first out Pro gay skateboarder but I'm sure there were others who didn't feel safe coming out...

Did he go pro? I thought he was am and bailed after Birdhouse convinced the magazine to pull his interview.

midnitecruiser · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2026, 05:01:13 PM »

Quote from: lowline on June 02, 2026, 02:28:59 PM

kinda amazing that two early gay street pros shared a part and they're skating to slint

What a great part that I’d never seen. I feel like this is as good as skaters need to be, doing more can feel excessive

The Huffer · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2026, 05:27:07 PM »

Quote from: TheLurper on June 02, 2026, 04:08:54 PM

Quote from: The Huffer on June 02, 2026, 02:49:41 PM
Expand Quote
Tim Von Werne may have been the first out Pro gay skateboarder but I'm sure there were others who didn't feel safe coming out...
[close]

Did he go pro? I thought he was am and bailed after Birdhouse convinced the magazine to pull his interview.

This interview said he was pro but I don't know for sure...

https://www.huckmag.com/article/gay-skaters

propaganda · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2026, 05:39:28 PM »

been trying to not to comment this but tony cox and chip van ham are the gayest names ever [proud ally don’t ban me]. I really like that part too

WarmUpZone · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2026, 06:11:53 PM »

The first pro who was out when they were pro was Vanessa Torres.

She doesn't get nearly enough credit for this.

Bugsytootsie · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2026, 06:36:52 PM »

I think Forrest Kirby might've been one of the first? Absolute ripper. Think I had skated one of his Zoo York boards WAY back in the day haha.

Bony cawk · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2026, 09:25:42 PM »

richard simmons

gnidraobetaks · « **Reply #15 on:** June 02, 2026, 09:42:44 PM »

Terry Lawrence

Atiba Applebum · « **Reply #16 on:** June 02, 2026, 09:49:14 PM »

Didn’t know Tony Cox was out. Skateboard media should do more to celebrate pride month

Rustin Cohle · « **Reply #17 on:** June 02, 2026, 10:40:35 PM »

Don't have an answer to this question but thanks for putting me onto a dope part with two skaters i'm not familiar with skating to one of my favourite songs

botefdunn · « **Reply #18 on:** June 02, 2026, 10:53:17 PM »

Ed Templeton was the first pro regularly being called gay, honorable mention.

IWANNABEABIGDOG · « **Reply #19 on:** June 02, 2026, 10:57:11 PM »

Pretty sure Liberace had a gold skateboard

polerbear · « **Reply #20 on:** June 03, 2026, 12:29:23 AM »

Ben Nordberg

matty_c · « **Reply #21 on:** June 03, 2026, 01:02:02 AM »

Quote from: WarmUpZone on June 02, 2026, 06:11:53 PM

The first pro who was out when they were pro was Vanessa Torres.

She doesn't get nearly enough credit for this.

Tbf she probably doesn’t get enough credit in general haha, it’s probably just her, Elissa, and Hayley for girls that were/are legitimate street skaters and were/are on proper companies

Poe pinson will get there too I think

I thought

rocklobster · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2026, 02:16:54 AM »

Quote from: lowline on June 02, 2026, 03:18:46 PM

no clue who the first gay vert pro could be either, maybe someone from the eighties which is before my time. i'm sure someone has the answer

Ali Cairns? Could be misremembering but he got kicked off after coming out.
https://www.instagram.com/alicairns_/?hl=en

Dick Dastardly · « **Reply #23 on:** June 03, 2026, 02:47:00 AM »

Quote from: matty_c on June 03, 2026, 01:02:02 AM

Quote from: WarmUpZone on June 02, 2026, 06:11:53 PM
Expand Quote
The first pro who was out when they were pro was Vanessa Torres.

She doesn't get nearly enough credit for this.
[close]

Tbf she probably doesn’t get enough credit in general haha, it’s probably just her, Elissa, and Hayley for girls that were/are legitimate street skaters and were/are on proper companies

Poe pinson will get there too I think

I thought

Jaime Reyes

lowline · « **Reply #24 on:** June 03, 2026, 03:27:06 AM »

Quote from: Atiba Applebum on June 02, 2026, 09:49:14 PM

Didn’t know Tony Cox was out. Skateboard media should do more to celebrate pride month

in this interview he mentions that jake phelps knew he was gay when he lived in sf but was very caring/respectful about it and made sure the broader industry didn't know. not exactly what you'd expect from old phelper but i guess he did have a friendly side

not sure when the time stamp is

Democratic Republic Of Mongo · « **Reply #25 on:** June 03, 2026, 08:31:05 AM »

Tony Hawk’s alter ego: Boney Cock.

lowline · « **Reply #26 on:** June 03, 2026, 08:38:22 AM »

Quote from: Allen. on June 02, 2026, 03:03:18 PM

Rad. Just saw a Chip Van Ham 50-50 a kinked rail to ledge type beat on insta the other day and wondered about him. I’ve heard the name but never put it to much footage. Loved that Midwest part! Crazy how many of those spots are still in play more or less.

dude had a really nice style and was hitting some big shit also for the time.

GnarAlarm · « **Reply #27 on:** June 03, 2026, 08:51:52 AM »

Quote from: rocklobster on June 03, 2026, 02:16:54 AM

Quote from: lowline on June 02, 2026, 03:18:46 PM
Expand Quote
no clue who the first gay vert pro could be either, maybe someone from the eighties which is before my time. i'm sure someone has the answer
[close]

Ali Cairns? Could be misremembering but he got kicked off after coming out.
https://www.instagram.com/alicairns_/?hl=en

Looks like he's currently married to a woman and has a daughter?
Did he come out as bi?

bluntfullofmid · « **Reply #28 on:** June 03, 2026, 09:13:55 AM »

Quote from: Bugsytootsie on June 02, 2026, 06:36:52 PM

I think Forrest Kirby might've been one of the first? Absolute ripper. Think I had skated one of his Zoo York boards WAY back in the day haha.

TIL forrest kirby was gay. now gotta go back and watch his Static and Zoo parts

GnarAlarm · « **Reply #29 on:** June 03, 2026, 09:51:07 AM »

Quote from: bluntfullofmid on June 03, 2026, 09:13:55 AM

Quote from: Bugsytootsie on June 02, 2026, 06:36:52 PM
Expand Quote
I think Forrest Kirby might've been one of the first? Absolute ripper. Think I had skated one of his Zoo York boards WAY back in the day haha.
[close]
TIL forrest kirby was gay. now gotta go back and watch his Static and Zoo parts

Oh damn that just shook a memory loose! In his 411 profile he says "I wanna thank RB, Bill Weiss, JB...", they all kinda rhyme, so an inside joke in my friend group for a while was anytime one of us landed a trick we'd been working on for a while we'd say "I wanna thank RB, JB, ZB, Poo Pee, Pee Pee, Wee Wee..." etc

Author Topic: who was the first gay pro street skater (Read 2163 times)

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