Gays in Skateboarding

[Pauly Walnuts]

What's the current situation like? I have to do a research paper for my English class and it has to relate back LBGT, so I immediately thought about gays in skateboarding. More than anything if anyone is aware of any print literature or e-books that could help steer me in the right direction (if there are any at all, I've been looking around to no avail) and could pass it along my way that would be very much appreciated.

[Tracer]

It seems like in sports being gay is a last ditch effort to get that final contract. Jason Collins never would have stepped foot on another NBA floor without coming out, he brought untold attention to him and the NBA... maybe he's not even gay?

NFL player came out too, Michael Sam. He now struggles to even sign with a CFL team. So if you're not the first revolutionary it's probably not a smart plan for your bank account.

Marisa Dal Santo said a couple dude pros were homo but didn't name names.

[mattchew]

http://www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/reportage-2/gay-skaters/

[Pauly Walnuts]

http://www.huckmagazine.com/perspectives/reportage-2/gay-skaters/

Actually had just read that and came to the conclusion that it's definitely a pipe dream to do a research paper for, pros still being closeted could be something I could bring up, but that won't take me as far as the assignment needs me to. Who knows 20-30 years from now, maybe it'll be something that will most definitely be a researchable topic with scholarly journals and such.  

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Skateboarding is a male dominant heteronormative culture
There are closeted gay skateboarders who won't come out because of fear of loss of sponsors or drop offs in people buying their pro models.
Women, no matter how famous or talented, tend to get overlooked in terms of pro status, and they get paid and promoted less.

Its been a few years, but I remember a little while ago Birdhouse apparently put on an openly gay amateur, and Jeremy Klein and somebody else on the team forced the TM to choose the gay am or them. The TM chose them. Anybody remember the details of this? Its definitely true, but I forget the details. Tony should be ashamed for owning a company that bows to homophobia, but I doubt birdhouse was the only one.

[mattchew]

Skateboarding is a male dominant heteronormative culture
There are closeted gay skateboarders who won't come out because of fear of loss of sponsors or drop offs in people buying their pro models.
Women, no matter how famous or talented, tend to get overlooked in terms of pro status, and they get paid and promoted less.

Its been a few years, but I remember a little while ago Birdhouse apparently put on an openly gay amateur, and Jeremy Klein and somebody else on the team forced the TM to choose the gay am or them. The TM chose them. Anybody remember the details of this? Its definitely true, but I forget the details. Tony should be ashamed for owning a company that bows to homophobia, but I doubt birdhouse was the only one.

it's almost like you didnt click the link two posts above yours!

[wallieD]

your teacher doesn't know crap about skateboarding, just lie. say team handsome is a gay gang of skaters that are dominating the industry

[MintySandwhich]

I think the consumer side of the skateboard community is absolutely fine of the LGBT community. I think it's the conservative heads located at the top of the companies pulling articles out like Birdhouses situation. I've never heard one person mention words about LGBTs with negative connotation. I'm not eliminating the fact that those kind of hateful people dont exist, but I would say that we are more progressive than other cultures and communities.

Shame on people for trying to cover their identity for marketing and profits... Grow up America

[posguy]

There's also Sam McGuire and her

[Pauly Walnuts]

your teacher doesn't know crap about skateboarding, just lie. say team handsome is a gay gang of skaters that are dominating the industry

He'll never know

[palenimbus]

The skateboarding industry is one of the most conservative that there is.

The U.S. Army is more LGBT progressive than skateboarding:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/eric-fanning-gay-army-secretary_us_569d2455e4b0ce49642553cb

[ChuckRamone]

Skateboarding at a high level requires incredibly powerful buttocks and thighs.

[Xtal.]

I'm probably even gonna get banned for this.but damn not everyone has to like homosexuals. Not just them anyone or anything.

[Brandon]

I'm probably even gonna get banned for this.but damn not everyone has to like homosexuals. Not just them anyone or anything.

As a kid i tortured and killed animals.my older brother got me used to that.it wasn't til around 17 i realized my bro was a piece of shit and so was i.

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An all white team, bleh.

[close]

     why do black people always feel the need to make everything black?

you're pretty set on being the worst dude huh?

[144p]

I guess this is one of those topics where people having dicks photoshopped onto their faces wouldn't be appropriate?

[Big Baby Jesus]

Skateboarding at a high level requires incredibly powerful buttocks and thighs.

All Pros on Power bottom?

[7 year old]

Shame on people for trying to cover their identity for marketing and profits... Grow up America

yeah those guys are such assholes for trying to protect their careers doing what they love.
youre right they should feel ashamed, it's not like theyve already been made to feel ashamed their whole lives or anything.

[Silky Johnson]

I'm probably even gonna get banned for this.but damn not everyone has to like homosexuals. Not just them anyone or anything.

I don't like you

[Big Baby Jesus]

Expand Quote

I'm probably even gonna get banned for this.but damn not everyone has to like homosexuals. Not just them anyone or anything.

[close]

Expand Quote

As a kid i tortured and killed animals.my older brother got me used to that.it wasn't til around 17 i realized my bro was a piece of shit and so was i.

[close]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

An all white team, bleh.

[close]

� � �why do black people always feel the need to make everything black?

[close]

you're pretty set on being the worst dude a serial killer huh?

[Xtal.]

I can't afford a theparist.oops

[jomeara1]

The thread title reminded me of that Sopranos episode when Aj's friend is like "what's the hardest thing about skateboarding?  Telling your parents you're gay"  and everyone in the room looked at me because, ofcourse, I am a skateboarder and being made fun of for it.   Fuck you Sopranos  .

Anyway, I always try to avoid doing assignments for school that involves skateboarding just because usually the majority of the people in class, including the teacher, don't know a damn thing about it and I really don't feel like lecturing them on it.

[beazlocal]

Maybe it's not talked about in skateboarding because nobody gives a shit what you are, you skate, we're good, people need to get over the need to identify, just be a good human

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

Here we go...

[ducky darnsworth]

Here we go...

i have no clue if this thread is going to go full left field or of a cliff

[too much]

The speculation in this thread is a little narrow minded. I bet in the entire population of skateboarders, the percentage of LGBT is probably really close to the rest of society who participate in sports, especially in big cities. I can't believe some of you think there is "barely any"... That  is a straight jock mentality because skateboarding used to be described as an escape...There is no team shit, you can get a skateboard an skate with nobody and have the best time. Fucking stupid.

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

inb4 BA should come out of the closet

[Joseph Smith]

How many people here have gay skate homies? How many bi? Me: 0/ 3 confirmed, 1 alleged, respectively. On a conspiracy note: maybe a few of the bisexual homies are actually gay but say they are bi because it's perceived as more acceptable?

[The Woodsman]

I think the consumer side of the skateboard community is absolutely fine of the LGBT community. I think it's the conservative heads located at the top of the companies pulling articles out like Birdhouses situation. I've never heard one person mention words about LGBTs with negative connotation. I'm not eliminating the fact that those kind of hateful people dont exist, but I would say that we are more progressive than other cultures and communities.

Shame on people for trying to cover their identity for marketing and profits... Grow up America

Some of the consumer base is but not even the majority. The majority of slap is but a lot of skate consumers are kids in their early teens, and I'm not sure a more homophobic demagraphic exists.

[tortfeasor]

How many people here have gay skate homies? How many bi? Me: 0/ 3 confirmed, 1 alleged, respectively. On a conspiracy note: maybe a few of the bisexual homies are actually gay but say they are bi because it's perceived as more acceptable?

One of coolest dudes and best skaters I know is gay. When Jason Adams died he wrote a really interesting blurb about having  an Adams poster on his wall when he was a kid.  it started off discussing how torn he was about the poster and looking at in two different ways. Then it went on to talking about how torn he was dealing with the fact that one of his favorite skaters was outright anti-gay people.


If you dig deep there really is enough on the subject to write a really detailed paper on the subject.  shit you could get an entire paper about how hypocritical it is that gay people have a tough time in skateboarding becuse big name skateboarders/trendsetters (on an individual level) are perpetuating an anti-gay culture which is adopted by the younglogs trying to fit in. Then write another taking the counter point that based on skateboarding  "collective values" a gay person would be accepted and that internalized homophobia is the only barrier.


 

[ChuckRamone]

do you mean jay adams? at first I was like jason adams is dead?!