cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/1476849
Archived version: https://archive.ph/0Su3f
Archived version: https://web.archive.org/web/20230815101452/https://www.euronews.com/culture/2023/08/15/amsterdam-opens-trailblazing-skatepark-a-safe-haven-for-lgbtq-and-women-skaters
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Despite its image as an alternative sport for baggy-pantsed rebels, in Amsterdam, a unique skatepark is one of the first in the world to offer a safe space for LGBTQ skateboarders.
This recently inaugurated skatepark in the Dutch capital carries a clear purpose: to serve as a safe for LGBTQ individuals and female skaters alike.
“There is no judgement,” says Tem, a 22-year-old wearing a black helmet and T-shirt and a pair of blue and white checked trousers while riding an 80s-style freestyle board.
The skater, who works as a food volunteer, added that it was a “comfortable environment where I feel like I can learn to skate without the icky vibe in a public skatepark”.
Despite its reputation as a counterculture sport associated with rebellious attire, skateboarding has grappled with long-standing challenges tied to sexism, homophobia, and at times, an overly masculine culture.
The park is a trailblazer, as NGOs (non-governmental organisations) have previously promoted skateboarding for women in countries such as Afghanistan and in the Palestinian territories, but not for LGBTQ skaters.
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