Skater Subculture Research

My subculture that I researched is the Skater subculture. Skating which was originally called “Sidewalk Surfing” was invented in 1958 by California surfers. With early skateboards built of wood with usually metal or clay wheels, injuries were frequent until 1972 when urethane wheels were invented by Frank Nasworthy, making skating smoother and safer than the danger and recklessness associated with skating in 1965. Also in the 1970s skating tricks such as the “Ollie” and vertical skating (skating in an emptied out pool) emerged as skating constantly evolved. “As a subculture, skaters value creativity, risk, and freedom.”(Beal and Weidman 2003) As skating is not defined by the standards of an organized sport, the ability to skate almost anywhere and make decisions are an important part of skater’s values. Skateboarding has a high chance of injury and little parental …show more content…
The authenticity of professional skaters is challenged as they compete against others for money, fame, etc., but professionals can stay true to the sport by continuing to skate without the incentive of profit. Despite being viewed as aberrant to the norm, the skater world extends the patriarchal society. Women have a difficult time becoming authentic in the eyes of male skaters considering their acknowledged hangout to be on the sideline watching instead of taking part in skating. While the skater subculture is often characterized as deviant, dangerous, and reckless, skateboarding shouldn’t be classified as a counterculture. Although street skating often takes place at the expense of public property and in areas where skating is prohibited, which fuels the delinquent illustration of skateboarding, the vast majority of skaters don’t go against the norm and are simply a unique subculture with their own values that go beyond the