As skateboarding evolves, and mainstream media begins documenting the different areas of our subculture, so too does the female population of the sport grow. We are hearing about women in skateboarding more and more, but for many it still seems rare.
Jenna is the owner of Rogue Skateboards, an all female skate team and distributor based in England. As a prominent part of the girl skate scene in the UK, Jenna gives us her insights into skateboarding and its disparate sides; where the scene gives, and where it takes away from women in skateboarding.
First of all, can you give me an idea of your role in the skate scene? How you yourself got into skateboarding, and to where you are today?
I run a skateboard company called Rogue Skateboards, next year is our 10th anniversary. We are a company that represents female riders to give them a platform on which to be recognised. I got into skateboarding through a female friend who persuaded me to buy a board around 1998. I won an Uk female competition held up in Sheffield around 2001, and from that got sponsored by Carhartt and Gallaz. One thing lead to another and through meeting other female riders, I started up the team. I mostly photograph and film female riders these days though.
So since starting Rogue Skateboards and having an insight into the scene, what have you come to learn about the skateboarding subculture in relation to women?
Probably the same as any other subculture, there are a lot of people who are incredibly supportive of what you do. There perhaps could be more coverage of women overall but I know magazines like Sidewalk are really starting to push the female scene (to be honest though there aren’t a huge amount of women who skate in comparison to the guys as it is). There has been a tendency in some magazines and companies to only push a certain ‘look’ of women, disregarding their ability as riders. For surfing and snowboarders this has proved a huge problem and I hope that skating doesn’t end up the same way
You mentioned Sidewalk, who else would you recommend checking for the promotion of the female skate scene?
GirlSkateUk.com
GirlsSkateNetwork.com
RubiconGirl.com
They are probably the 3 best ones.
What do you think about Jenkem‘s recent claim that skateboarding athletes nowadays are not all that far from the jocks of American Football or Basketball (the sports that some say skateboarding was always meant to e antithesis of)? How does this affect the view of female skaters in the scene?
I think that’s the unfortunate involvement of vast amounts of money into the culture. Kids don’t take it up for the same reasons they used to – just because they loved doing it. Ok, I wouldn’t say this applies to all but now there is a “prize” to be won, the scene now involves people it once didn’t. I don’t think it really affects the female scene in the same way as there’s not really any money to be made. The only thing I have noticed is this shift with some media towards covering women for their looks as I mentioned earlier and I guess this is the one downside that we have.
So where do you think skateboarding is heading ? Increasingly homogenised corporatism, or do you think there will be revolution of sorts? What would you like to see?
Look at the 80’s, when skateboarders were regarded as rock stars. Then popularity completely dropped off. It always goes in waves – with a new generation coming through putting their stamp on things. For me personally, overall I think the female skate scene is in a good place right now – so many more people involved, and a good little community.
So who leads the way? Which magazines, teams, skaters should we be checking out? And would you like to promote anything to our readers?
Rogue Skateboards, for sure! Representing some of the finest female skaters in the UK.
Over in the States you have Hoopla and Meow skateboards, pretty much consisting of some of the best female riders in the world. Definitely girl skate UK blazing the way for coverage. Rubicon skate camps (who also run the rubicon girl website) run the super popular girl skate week.
Thanks Jenna for all your time. It’s been a pleasure talking to you, and an happy ten year anniversary to Rogue Skateboards.
(all photographs copyright Jenna Selby: www.jennaselby.co.uk/)
