Skirts and Inverts Pt. 2

As much as I enjoy a good preamble in my blog posts, as those of you keeping score have no doubt noticed, there isn't a whole lot that can be said to precede today's entry. For those of you who may be new ( I think I might see one, way in the back there...), I had written this post about three weeks back, and in spite of the great feedback I received (seriously, all you guys are awesome), I felt there was something left unsaid. Truth be told, what I had really wanted for the first post right off the bat was more of a woman's perspective on the matter, though my efforts to receive such a perspective proved fruitless by my self-imposed deadline, and with no time to develop anything else so as to put my initial idea on the back-burner, I posted, and waited.

the backbone of this second part came to me via my Facebook inbox, in the form of young Jess Speedie. Some of you reading this may have met Jess before, but for those of you who haven't, allow me to offer some insight:

During 2009/2010, due to the fact that I had taken a year off from school, I took a second job as a skateboarding instructor at CJ Skatepark in Toronto. At the start of, I believe, the second week of Holiday camps in December, a young camper asked me if I was able to drop in on the park's twelve-foot tall vert ramp. I happily obliged the camper by proceeding to give all of the campers from that particular week an impromptu demonstration of all six tricks I can actually do on vert. Afterwards, I was approached by a young lady who had enrolled in the camp; she complimented my skating, and asked me if I would help her with her frontside airs. Eighteen months later, and she looks like this:

The young lady, for anyone not paying any attention whatsoever, is Jess Speedie.

When I took it upon myself to query Jess about the nature of women and femininity in skateboarding, she was, unbeknownst to me, spending a week at Woodward further honing her abilities. Still, though, when the questions did eventually get to her, she was more than happy to offer her insight.

BTJ: As a skater, how did/does being surrounded by males affect your personality/interests outside of skating, if at all?

Jess: Frontside Ollie

JS: Well, I have to say, being around males does affect my personality. It inspires me and pushes me to be more out-going, and less finicky about trying new things. And also to be willing to go all out, and be tough and strong all the time. Basically to just stand out, and be proud and aggressive, despite any differences, disadvantages or lack of experience that I may have. In terms of interests though, it doesn't really affect me.

BTJ: Do you feel the majority of female skaters are inherently masculine? Why or why not?

JS: No, I don't think female skaters are inherently masculine. I think they just enjoy flowing around on a skateboard (for me personally, I love the rhythm and freedom of skating, it's kinda like music). They're attracted to the same thing about skateboarding that males are. But that doesn't make them masculine.

BTJ: Is there a place for femininity in skating, or will it always be perceived as a hindrance?

Erin Wolfkiel, potential X-Games Medallist.
Way to blow it, ESPN

JS: I think there is a place for femininity in skating, I just don't think it's that big or popular. It will probably be a bit of a hindrance until a girl comes up who has dialed 720s and can skate strong and aggressively; someone who is as fun to watch as one of the pro male skaters.

For that last question:
While I was at Woodward, I met a female skater, Erin Wolfkiel (she was my counsellor). She was going to compete at the X Games until the women's division got so wonderfully cancelled. During my time with her, we had some really great conversations, and I discovered that she has some super interesting ideas to offer about female skateboarding, the challenges it will face, and its future. She thinks in a really cool way. I think you should get some opinions/answers from her, she really wants to get her message out there and heard, and she honestly has some amazing things to say. If you'd like, I can contact her and ask her your questions and send you her response. I think it would make your blog post even more interesting and thought-provoking. 

I did take Jess up on her offer to gain some more insight from miss Wolfkiel, however at this time Erin has not, for whatever reason, been able to offer her two-cents on the matter. Said lack of communication notwithstanding, however, I do feel inclined to share with you a short documentary featuring Erin, that may, in fact, answer some of my questions inadvertently.

I want to end this post not by offering my own insight, as I feel I did so fairly thoroughly in the first part. Instead, I want to urge those reading this blog to ponder this matter on their own. Form your own opinions based on what you know and what you've seen. To the male readers, maybe use this an encouragement to get your sisters/moms/girlfriends/wives to give skateboarding a try, and to the female readers, use this as a fire to go out, grab a board, and learn how to rip, or rip harder. Who knows, one day you may be doing frontside airs higher than the person you got to teach you them in the first place.