Tim Okasaki: World’s First Gay Skateboarr

Contents:

• A BRIEF LOOK AT SKATEBOARDG'S GAY PAST
• 'QUEER SKATEBOARDG': PHOTOGRAPHER DOCUMENTS GAY SKATER CULTURE
• TIM OKASAKI: WORLD’S FIRST GAY SKATEBOARR

A BRIEF LOOK AT SKATEBOARDG'S GAY PAST

Gay people skate.

When asked about her orientatn terviews sometim she jt bsh the qutn of wh “I’m gay. A said thg to note is that he hid his sexualy for many years bee he felt would hurt his reer to be openly gay the “macho” world of skateboardg.

'QUEER SKATEBOARDG': PHOTOGRAPHER DOCUMENTS GAY SKATER CULTURE

She is openly gay and her fay supports her orientatn which is not always the se nservative untri like the Philipp.

”Self-portra of photographer Ross Lannberger Oak Ridge, LannbergerLannberger adms that as a gay kid skateboardg at his lol skate park a suburban Tennsee, he never felt all that weled by other skateboarrs. “Once I was a ltle b olr, and knowg I was gay, and people throwg around slurs all the time, jt beg around that, I had no tert beg iends wh the people. It wasn’t until profsnal skateboarr Brian Anrson me out as gay 2016, that Lannberger began to realize there uld be a space for him to be openly gay while also beg embraced wh a sometim homophobic skateboardg culture.

TIM OKASAKI: WORLD’S FIRST GAY SKATEBOARR

"Skateboarr Ryan Schertz, LannbergerSce 2017, Lannberger has been travelg to different ci and documentg the liv of lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr and queer skateboarrs for his photo project tled “Queer Skateboardg. Will there ever be openly gay skateboarrs or are skate pany owners and fans too homophobic to allow one? I've always thought Dill may be gay, and i heard om a iend who grew up Philly and knew Dill through var acquatanc that he is.

This is after all, a sport wh a majory of 13-16 year old fans who unfortunately tend to be on the homophobic si spe morn GLBT iendly tn programs.

Skater Tim’s Okasaki’s mom is totally nvced that he is gay, and she cis to turn to a bs. “I’m Gay! I also me up wh ‘skateboardg gaystyle.