Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides: A History of Badass Women Skateboarders

Porter shines a spotlight on the unsung women, BIPOC pioneers, and queer trailblazers who helped propel skateboarding to the Olympics, highlighting the need to validate the stories of older women often ignored by the industry. While not always the most famous or talented, these individuals were essential in driving change and inspired Porter to combat archival silence. With rare images and powerful stories, this book honors the blood, sweat, and tears of these groundbreaking individuals, paving the way for today’s youth.

A vibrant, meticulously researched celebration of the women and non-binary skateboarders who defied a hostile industry and redefined skateboarding around the world

The experiences of heroic older women have traditionally been dismissed or buried in the history books, and the skateboarding industry has mirrored this trend. The conversation has focused on the iconic male professionals, their contest results, trick inventions, and sponsors, while female skateboarders rarely get mentioned beyond a token paragraph, and stories of their contributions and barrier-breaking have almost never been told. Until now.

With enthusiasm and empathy, Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides celebrates the relentless participation of women in skateboarding from the 1960s onward who defied a hostile industry to carve out their own space through underground networks. Skater librarian Natalie Porter presents interviews and meticulous research, including the DIY zines created by female and non-binary skaters to expose this unacknowledged story while offering a personal narrative about the importance of community-building and validation, with or without your own video game.

Girl Gangs, Zines, and Powerslides disrupts the image of skateboarding as an exclusive male domain, offering historical context for the seemingly rapid progress of female skaters today seen competing on the Olympic stage. Discover how the collective action of a grassroots movement in the 1980s established meaningful change, building a foundation that has led to greater inclusion and diversity, which has inspired women, girls, and non-binary youth worldwide to roll on a skateboard for the first time and, sometimes, return to this passion as an adult.

Natalie Porter lives in Powell River on the traditional territory of the Tla’amin First Nation, began skateboarding in 1995, and works for the British Columbia Library Association. She is the founder of @womxnsk8history on Instagram and the online archive Womxn Skateboard History and is a subject expert for the Smithsonian’s skateboarding advisory board.