longboard lady

Today's blog has been inspired by my fellow Oshkosh peers undying curiosity and free ability to express that they are extremely surprised and impressed that I am a women and have the ability to ride a longboard so well. (For those of you who don't know a longboard is similar to a skateboard only the cruising version)

Initially, I was flattered by all the attention that my skills brought to me. However,  after attending my women's studies class a few times I found myself becoming more aware of the tone in peoples voice and their body language particularly men when they asked me such things as, "Do you really know how to ride that thing?".  It was long after that that there comments started to offend me a little bit.  Then I found that if I wasn't already riding my longboard that people would ask me to show them, or prove it. As if carrying the heavy board around wasn't enough now I need to prove myself?

I understand the fact that being a women that longboards is unusual. However, I don't understand the fact that when people see me on a daily basis they just can't except the fact that longboarding is something I enjoy doing weather its a normally a "man" thing or not. I find it to be a privilege to be among the few women that do longboard and I claim and own responsibility to continue to defend the fact that longboarding can be a "women" thing too.

In Adrienne Rich's "Claiming an Education," she says, "Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you; it means learning to respect and use your own brains and instincts; hence, grappling with hard work. It means that you do not treat your body as a commodity with which to purchase superficial intimacy or economic security; for out bodies and minds are inseperable in this life, and when we allow our bodies to be treated as objects, our minds are in mortal danger. It means insisting that those to whom you give your friendship and love are able to respect your mind."