Every Wednesday, weather permitting, something special happens at the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Skatepark on the east side of Madison.
Skateboarders of all ages and all abilities come together to hone their crafts alongside one another as well as socialize in a comfortable environment. The catch, however, is that on those Wednesday nights all of the skaters are women, and they gather for an event that is known as Lady Skate Night.
Event organizer and participant Elyse Clouthier originally started the event in the spring of 2014 because she felt it was a necessity.
It was not any particular moment that sparked the need for the space, she said. Instead it came through conversations with her friends and mutually coming to the conclusion that should be a more welcoming space for female-bodied people.
She explained that due to skateboarding’s tendency to be a male-dominated sport, spaces like skateparks can often be unwelcoming to female skaters, especially ones just starting out, Clouthier said.
“The guys are harder on themselves, and that creates this intimidating environment,” Clouthier said. “And they do want to be supportive of women, but it’s not always necessarily apparent, or welcoming right away.”
Originally the event was held in a private space when it started in the spring of 2014, but after taking a break in 2015, they made the event public at the skatepark once it started up again last spring.
Clouthier explained that while this had the trade off of making their Wednesday nights more susceptible to the weather, the positives have included a broader sense of community and an ability to accompany more skaters of all abilities and ages.
Clouthier and others also seek to make the space not just for female or female-bodied skaters, but also non-skaters such as parents, friends or anyone wishing to be supportive. The poster even advertises snacks, to help those who don’t skate feel more welcome.
“That’s a big thing with it because when people [are standing around] and not sure if they want to talk to someone, this centralized thing where we’re hanging out, it’s a potluck, and people can come into the space,” Clouthier said.
In terms of inclusivity, Clouthier emphasized that Lady Skate Night seeks to be inclusive to anybody who might not feel welcome by skateboarding’s usually male-dominated environment. She said this includes anyone who identifies as female, as well as anyone who is female-bodied.
Clouthier also made sure to make clear that many male skaters have been supportive of female skaters as well as Lady Skate Night. She said, though, while male skaters are supportive of the space, it is masculinity of typical skate spaces that deter women from the sport.
Gendered slurs and misogynist language flying around, and the intense environment, hardly help in welcoming female skaters, Clouthier said.
In terms of empowerment, she also said that one of the best parts about Lady Skate Night is that the event’s organizers do it all on their own.
“We’re not asking for anyone’s help,” Clouthier said.
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For the future, Clouthier would love for the community Lady Skate Night has fostered to further the reach of the space and create a cooperational feel. She would love for someone more inclined than herself to create a social media presence, for example.
Lady Skate Night is also great for producing some Kodak Moments.
Clouthier recalled one instance, of a one-and-a-half year old, the youngest lady skater yet she said, gliding along on a board with her mother’s assistance. Then, Clouthier said, she shrugged her mom off, perhaps channeling the confidence of the other lady skater’s, to shred all on her own.
