• AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    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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