Girl Skateboarders?

There's this thing that happens when a girl walks into a skate park. Every head turns, some look away, others just keep watching to see what she's got.

This can be highly intimidating for a girl who's just starting out. Guys who just start out, get a certain amount of consideration, after all if he can't do an Ollie it's obvious he's only just started. If you're female though watch out for the accusations... If you can't Ollie and you're female the assumption isn't so much that you're new, it's that being a female obviously you won't be any good. You're accused of being in the way. You're accused of skating to "get a guy".

This treatment has caused girls to retaliate in a typically non-aggressive way, although there are those who know not the word pacifist. They go late at night and early in the morning as groups to learn and practice together at a time when they can be the majority. They often intend to eventually throw off the habit of sneaking around and come out to skate at the regular times... once they "get good enough".

Unfortunately unless they become familiar with the level of intimidation that is present at skate parks for females, they will likely never skate in a crowd. Not to mention that just because you "get good enough" doesn't mean that people will stop watching you or judging you more severely due to being a minority. In fact as you improve you'll be more closely watched and the comments will be more audible, simply because people in general don't easily adjust their view points, instead they look for verification that what they already believe is correct. So every time the girl riding the bowl wipes out that's a confirmation that girls as a group can't skate.

In essence guys are judged as individuals, girls are judged as a group. This will continue until the point that either skater chicks increase in number, or they prove themselves as individuals and throw off the perception that they are a symbol and not a person. I'm not saying they need be as good as or better than the best male skaters, all I'm saying is that they need to stop hiding and standing at the edges and interact with other skaters so that they will be known for who they are and not what they represent.

If you are new to skateboarding (girl or guy) for a helpful guide to tricks click here.