An exhibition recognizing LGBTQIA+ faces in skateboarding history was held at the House Skatepark in Neepsend last Saturday.
New Wave organised the event in partnership with the University of Sheffield’s LGBTQIA+ Society to highlight the inclusivity within the city’s skate scene.
New Wave representative Fern Jeferzade said: “Tonight is about providing a recess in skateboarding for people that are underrepresented.
“Skateboarding has always been queer, there has always been female skaters, there has always been trans skaters, but quite often they’re overlooked.”
New Wave is combating the issue with their monthly Marginalised Genders and Queer Skate Sessions, that look to encourage queer skateboarding participation.
Alongside beginner classes, New Wave also looks to educate queer skateboarders of all the LGBTQIA+ faces that have influenced skateboarding. Professional skateboarder Cher Strauberry was one of the many queer skateboarders that the exhibition showcased.
LGBTQIA+ Society Member Madeline Dooraree said: “It can often be quite daunting, especially when there aren’t many queer people in the scene.
“Skateboarding has a massive queer history, and it’s opportunities like this that makes it a lot easier for people to enter skateboarding.
“Skateboarding is a sport where there is lots of taking turns, there is lots of humility, and while people seem hard to approach in reality everyone in skateboarding tends to be really nice.”
New Wave’s evening sessions and exhibitions provide a safe zone for interested skateboarders to learn. Fern said: “At New Wave we provide a welcoming atmosphere, usually a lot quieter than your normal skatepark.
“This is to encourage people who see themselves as a part of the queer community to come and skate.”
Despite Sheffield skate scene placing inclusivity as number one priority, more needs to be done internationally.
Data from the Out in the Streets Project suggests that despite the LGBTQIA+ community making up 9% of skateboarders, only 2% of Thrasher Magazine front pages include a queer skateboarder.
However, Fern believes that Sheffield is a great city for inclusivity, she said: “Sheffield is very much a welcoming and diverse place. I think as a city we need to keep doing more of what we are doing.
“We need to keep having these sessions and conversations.”
