The vast majority of people who longboard have a gender expression that is masculine. In our society, that expression is seen as mostly “male,” thus making longboarding a “thing males do.”

I must admit, the first time I saw a long boarder was on Tumblr. The person identities as female, has long hair, and wore shorts and a wavy top and she cruised along the beach. She was a good looking person, lesbian, and proved to me that longboarding wasn’t just an activity for men.

A longboard originally was a type of long surfboard. This overtime became a type of longer skateboard, as defined online. Longboard can range from 24 inches to 100 or more inches, but a general longboard is anywhere from 38 inches to 44 inches. The main types of style of longboard are pintails, which come to a point in the back, drop down, which have a bit of slope shape to them – the board is dropped a bit lower to the ground, or cruiser, which has an elevated middle but has the same body of a drop down (usually.)

I was never one who could skateboard, roller blade, or roller skate. I would always fall or trip and decided that I just wasn’t cut out to be the next Tony Hawk. But I really wanted to try and be as cool as Avril Lavigne was in Sk8ter Boi. With time, I pretty much gave up the dream until college, when one of my close friends, who also identifies as a woman, freshman year told me that she bought a longboard.

“A what?” I said to my friend.

“A longboard, ever seen one?” She replied.

My friend explained what a longboard was and how a friend of hers was teaching her. I felt like the odd one out, I was always afraid of boarding, but this board looked different. I decided to give it a shot. My friend spent about a week teaching me (below pictures left is the frined.) Fast forward and now I own my own 44 inch drop-down longboard. I’ve learned a new trade, but also I can now see how people around me react to a feminine long boarder. I’ve seen boyfriends point at me and tell their girlfriends “You should learn how to do that,” I’ve had people yell at me “be careful, sweetie,” and numerous other condescending remarks. None of my male counterparts get this type of treatment. I would say that I have it easy. A lot of male long boarders on campus get a lot of heat for riding on some of the sidewalks – the same way I do. A lot of folks tell them to move out of the way or to use the road. But as any other college, using the road with other college-aged drivers is one of the most unsafe things to do on a board. People who are driving don’t always check both ways before they cross and a lot speed because ‘they are in a hurry.’ And I’m personally saying it’s dangerous because I’ve seen long boarders get hit or have to throw themselves down on the pavement, to no fault of their own. I have yet to experience that.

I wish people were less judgmental of people’s leisure activities. So what I’m in a skirt, riding my deck through campus, and yeah, if I fall and I will probably fall, It doesn’t mean I need everyone and their mother to help me up. I’m always down for my tips and tricks, but I don’t want to be second-guessed every time I walk into a skate shop. I just want to feel the breeze on my face as I’m cruising along central campus and I want to hear less of cat calls and condescending statements and more cheers from my peers that hey look, it took me 18 years to learn how to ride on a board. I think that’s more of something to shout about.