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BOYS’ CLUB – a powerful statement about sexism in skateboarding

We just discovered this movement called Boys’ Club. They just launched a video that left us speechless. This is their statement:

SKATEBORADING is commonly portrayed as a welcoming culture.
A movement that promote personal freedom and encourage creativity.
At the same time, we skaters have created a Boy’s Club, where sexism and homophobia is widely tolerated, sometimes even encouraged.
Our language, our ideals and our images all testify to that one same thing, we strive to preserve skateboarding as a masculine activity. Our rules and strategies result in an alienation of anything female or feminine. Often oppression is exercised against those who do not fit into our picture of a skateboarder.
We have the power to break this system, but amongst us “boys” there is virtually no discussion about what values we project.
We boys need to talk.

This video makes a powerful statement about sexism in skateboarding coming from a male point of view and we’re stoked on it. Many of the male skateboarding elite is featured in the video, almost as an accusation on their behavior towards women.

As we always say, sexism in skateboarding is a reflection of sexism in society. Let’s keep opening minds, educating and showing what skateboarding is really all about… that stoke that change our lives, gender-label free.

Below, some visual examples on how women rock on skateboards & longboards, in case anyone wondered… 😉

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Alexis Sablone during Xgames Street Finals. Nam-Chi Van photo for MAHFIA

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LGC Israel having fun together

ainhoa loidi, longboard girls crew, longboarding, skate, skateboarding, downhill skateboarding, cool, rad,

Spanish rider Ainhoa Loidi shot by Mikel Echegaray

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Lacey Baker during Xgames Street Final. Nam-Chi Van photo for MAHFIA.

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LGC Peru & Australia’s Maga McWhinnie shot by Ben Westover.

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LGC Brazil rider Ana Maria Suzano. Danyllo Rocha photo.

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Leticia Bufoni during Xgames Street Final. Nam-Chi Van photo for MAHFIA.

Rusia, Kate Voynova, longboard girls crew, longboarding, skate, skateboarding, lgc, rad, cool, jump, vans

Rusia’s Kate Voynova

amanda powell, matt k, dgm, longboard girls crew, longboarding, skate, skateboarding, downhill, cool rad, strong women, rad women,

Amanda Powell going fast. Matt K photo for DGM.

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Lacey & Leticia during XGames Street Final. Nam-Chi Van photo for MAHFIA.

Thank you Maria Arndt for showing us this video!