Rollerblading gay
QUEER VOICES IN ROLLERBLADING
INTRODUCTION | Jonathan Labez @JMLabez
Being queer in rollerblade culture has been a story that has remained on the peripheries for much of its history. The reasons vary but several stand out. The cis-heterosexual bias of a predominantly masculine sport and an unconscious partiality towards those who reflect your values and beliefs (the latter of which is tribalism characteristic to all people). Then there are societal and cultural rules that enforce stringent values (gender roles for instance) and repress queer lives with threats of discrimination and violence. Lastly, are the limited channels the sport has offered to discuss these issues. It should be said these aren&#;t unique to rollerblading, merely magnified from the community which they are cast from. As society becomes more enlightened, so does the sport. Attitudes from 20 years ago touch dated and uncouth. Media appreciate Jump Street Podcast recently interviewed Tim Adams to openly chat about being gay. It is something I can&#;t say would have happened even 10 years ago. The boom of social media has als
This article originally appeared on VICE Netherlands. ‘It’s Very Freeing’
Roller skating has going through something of a renaissance ever since the begin of the pandemic. Back in the days of bread-making and home workouts, people got into the sport as a way to exercise and steal a breath of fresh air. In the past couple of years, fresh roller skating clubs have popped up in cities all over the earth, many of them are queer and inclusive.
There’s the Los Angeles-based Queer Skate Alliance and We Got This and Queer Skate LDN in London; Toronto has the Homosexual Quads; Berlin the Jam Skate Club; and Amsterdam’s skaters have jumped on the bandwagon, too, with the Homosexual Skate Club.
I spoke with Job Bulder, owner of THE Derby Shop, a roller skating shop in Amsterdam. She confirms that she’s also seen more and more people interested in roller skating since the pandemic, and lgbtq+ people in particular. “The roller skating community is generally very open,” Bulder explains. “I ponder that makes gay people feel more comfortable than in heteronormative sports.”
I decided to
|