Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding

Deborah Stoll

Book cover for Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding
Book cover for Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding

Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding

Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding

Deborah Stoll

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Description

The bad*ss story of the female, queer, bi, and nonbinary skaters who charted a path to the Olympics and changed the face of skateboarding.

Who gets to tell the story of skateboarding? Drop In is the first book to recognize and historicize the female, queer, bi, and nonbinary humans who blazed the path that led to today's more equitable skate culture. It wasn't easy getting here.

Like the rest of the world, skateboarding has long been patriarchal. In the 70s, it personified the punk rock, lock-up-your-daughters, middle-finger-to-the-man ethos. In the 80s, it was Miami Vice soundtracks and parachute pants, neon graphics and fingerless gloves. In the 90s it was New York City--graffiti, hip-hop, and skating in the street. Rarely did you see a woman's name in a skate video--either on a deck or behind the lens.

The four skateboarders at the heart of Drop In defied expectations of gender, talent, physical ability, and mental capacity to fight the status quo: Alana as the first openly nonbinary athlete in Olympic history; Vanessa as a record breaking runaway; Marbie as an accidental boundary-breaking trans icon; and Victoria as the skate rookie turned social media sensation. Drop In spotlights their paths from rebellious outsiders to recognized pioneers on the historic stage of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, where skateboarding made its debut. Their experiences reveal a side of skateboarding that's never been recorded, amplifying voices that have, for too long, gone unheard.

Critical Reviews

"This book will appeal to anyone who has ever felt like they didn't belong and will give hope to aspiring skaters." -- Booklist

"...Stoll's finely observed portraits will have readers rooting for the four skaters as they reshape the sport in their own image. This sticks the landing with flair and poise." -- Publishers Weekly

"Drop In is a must-read for anyone dedicated to fighting for equality; it's a cultural road map about refusing to accept the status quo, no matter your gender, identity, or race." -- Billie Jean King, Sports Icon and Champion of Equality

Publishing Information

Publisher: Dey Street Books
Pub date: 2024-07-16
Length: 304 pages

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