Understanding how issues of equity in skateboarding are being addressed and the milestones and barriers that still face various populations
Dr Indigo Willing OAM is a sociologist, skateboarder, co-founder of the Girls Skate Brisbane network and a co-founder/facilitator of Consent is Rad. Working with a team of experts in the fields of youth cultures and the sociology of sport, her research projects aim to identify and understand how issues of equity in skateboarding are being addressed and the milestones and barriers that still face various populations, as well as gaining insights from skateboarding on ethical and cultural issues as it shifts from its subcultural origins to becoming globalised and formalised, including through its inclusion in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Main areas of interest
- Issues of representation, diversity and inclusion for minority populations in sport
- Ageing in youth cultures and forms of multigenerational participation in skateboarding (with Dr Ben Green, Professor Andy Bennett and Dr Adele Pavlidis)
- Issues of sexual violence, ‘rape culture’ and the promotion of consent in skateboarding (with Dr Adele Pavlidis and Professor Simone Fullagar)
- The changing social landscape and ethics of skateboarding (with external researcher Anthony Pappalardo)
Feature article
Studies of masculinities in lifestyle scenes and action sports
Sport, along with school and the military, is one of the most significant institutions of male initiation and bonding and studies of sport and masculinity have made extensive use of the concept of hegemonic masculinity. This concept, systematized by Connell (1995) refers to the pattern of practice that allows men’s dominance over women by configuring and embodying ways of ‘being a man’ and requiring all other men to position themselves in relation to the dominant formations. With this ascendancy achieved through culture, institutions, the media and persuasion it is however, also open to challenge and changes (see e.g. Connell and Messerschmidt 2005). This social constructionist approach to gender and masculinity guides our analysis of the BB.
Publications
- Willing, I, and Pappalardo, A (to be released in 2022) Skateboarding and Social Justice: Activism, Power and Change, Under contract with Palgrave Macmillan.
- Willing, I, (2020). '2020 Skate Visions': Pushing Boarders Reflections 3. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 29 January. https://yeahgirlmedia.com/2020-skate-visions-pushing-boarders-reflections-part-3/
- Willing, I. (2020) ‘The Film Kids 25 Years On: A Qualitative Study of Rape Culture and Representations of Sexual Violence in Skateboarding’. Young, Special Issue on Skateboarding. Accepted 20 July, 2020. First published 6 November: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1103308820966457
- Willing, I, (2020). ‘Don’t Touch: A Consent is Rad Collaboration with Rapper K-May’. Quell Skate Magazine. Posted 1 December. Downloaded from URL: https://www.quellskate.com/posts/2020/12/1/dont-touch-a-consent-is-rad-collaboration-with-rapper-k-may
- Willing, I, (2020). ‘Skate and Regenerate: How Skateboarders are Making a Difference to the Environment’. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 1 December. Downloaded from URL: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/skate-and-re-generate-skateboarders-making-a-difference-to-the-environment/
- Willing, I, (2020). ‘2020 Skate Visions’: Pushing Boarders Reflections 3. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 29 January. Downloaded from URL: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/2020-skate-visions-pushing-boarders-reflections-part-3/
- Willing, I, (2019). ‘Get By, Get Through, Get Rolling: Pushing Boarders Reflections 2’. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 17 December. Downloaded from URL: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/get-by-get-through-get-rolling-pushing-boarders-reflections-part-2/
- Willing, I, (2019). ‘The Evolution of Skateboarding and Why Pushing Boarders is a Sign of the Times’. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 10 October. Downloaded: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/the-evolution-of-skateboarding-and-why-pushing-boarders-is-a-sign-of-the-times/
- Willing, I, (2019). ‘Strength, Courage and Resilience: An Interview with Navajo Nation Skater Di’orr Greenwood’, Yeah Girl Media. Posted 26 August 2019. Downloaded: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/strength-courage-resilience-an-interview-with-navajo-nation-skater-diorr-greenwood/
- Willing, I (2019), ‘Real Talk, Real Change: ‘An Interview with Sports Agent Yulin Oliver’, Yeah Girl Media. Posted 11 July 2019. Downloaded: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/real-talk-real-change-an-interview-with-skateboarding-agent-yulin-olliver/
- Willing, I, Green B and Pavlidis, A (2019) ‘The ‘Boy Scouts’ and ‘Bad Boys’ of Skateboarding: A Thematic Analysis of ‘The Bones Brigade’’, Sport in Society. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17430437.2019.1580265, DOI: 10.1080/17430437.2019.1580265
- Willing, I., Bennett, A., Piispa, M., & Green, B. (2019). Skateboarding and the ‘Tired Generation’: Ageing in Youth Cultures and Lifestyle Sports. Sociology, 53(3), 503–518. https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038518776886
- Willing, I and Shearer. S (2015) ‘Diverse Voices and Representations of Community Support for Skateboarding’ in Skateboarding: Subcultures, Sites and Shifts, London: Routledge. Edited by Lombard, K-J. pp. 44 – 56. First Edition (Hard Copy, with Paper Back made available 2016). DOI https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315737577 eBook ISBN9781317570479
Featured in Skate News/Media
- Kunjin, Priya, 3 May (2021), Interview about anti-racism and fighting discrimination in skateboarding, with Emily Kofoa of Girls Skate Gold Coast and Songline Skateboards Indigenous Ambassador for Women, Women on the Line Radio (national): https://www.3cr.org.au/womenontheline/episode-202105030830/skateboarding-consent-and-inclusivity?fbclid=IwAR3R4Ik9cmekJII9TfurEvbq8ob9vZyGpN8SAODaMYOTycm20OlbK6lNe6s
- Dittman, Andie, 13 December (2020) ‘Willing to Test the Status Quo’. Hey Neighbour Magazine. Downloaded from: https://www.heyneighbour.net/post/willing-to-test-the-status-quo
- Ngaluafe, Eddie, 17 September (2020) ‘Tony Hawk’s Video Game Comes of Age for Mature Skaters’. Griffith University News. Downloaded from: https://news.griffith.edu.au/2020/09/17/tony-hawks-videogame-comes-of-age-for-mature-skaters/?fbclid=IwAR36rO-XPjHt-JlWQzkPFtugrHvwbLMJGVWKPdHAT1-PoX4avW_yB1tbQTQ
- Yeah Girl Media, 18 August (2020) ‘Skating and Educating about Consent: The 1st Anniversary of Consent is Rad’. Downloaded from URL: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/skating-and-educating-about-consent-the-1st-anniversary-of-consent-is-rad/
- Hill, Christine, (2020) ‘Focus on Link Between Sport and Violence Prevention: ‘It’s On All of Us’, Griffith University News, published 17 August, 2020. Downloaded from URL: https://news.griffith.edu.au/2020/08/17/focus-on-links-between-sport-and-violence-prevention-reminds-that-its-on-all-of-us/
- Ravik, Naveen. 25 January, 2020. 'Fitting in was a challenge for Vietnamese orphan Indigo, so she created her own community'. SBS News, Australia. Article link here/ SBS Radio Audio link here / Video here on Twitter with captions in English language supplied. URL:https://www.sbs.com.au/news/fitting-in-was-a-challenge-for-vietnamese-orphan-indigo-so-she-created-her-own-community
- Jenkem Magazine Staff,14 October, 2019. 'Looking Into the World Of Skate Academia', review of skate research, Jenkem Magazine, Posted 14 October, 2019. http://www.jenkemmag.com/home/2019/10/14/looking-inside-world-skate-academia/
- Coughlin-Bogue, Tobias, 2 October, 2019. 'Consent is Rad - is Rad'. Interview in Skateism Magazine. Posted 2 October, 2019. https://www.skateism.com/consent-is-rad-is-rad
- Highlights and Take Aways from Pushing Boarders, 14 September, 2019. Yeah Girl Media, Norma Ibarra. Included in Photo Series: https://yeahgirlmedia.com/highlights-and-takeaways-from-the-womxn-at-pushing-boarders/
- Lay, Ryan, 2019, September. Interviewed as part of the 'Pushing Boarders Interviews Show 1'. Vent City Skate Podcast Show. Subscribers Content https://www.patreon.com/ventcity
- Bailey, Hannah, 2019, 29 August, 2019, 'Pushing Boarders wants to Start a Conversation'. Huck Magazine. Photography and reflections by various panelists and attendees. https://www.huckmag.com/outdoor/pushing-boarders-wants-to-start-a-conversation/?fbclid=IwAR0CojjM2pFEdk874dQ4nzlil0PRkPjlTdJMh5ZYWa3lDISC-AN2AvqGwNg
- Griffith University News, 2019, News story 'Researcher Skates into Swedish Conference' - Interview about speaking at the Pushing Boarders skateboarding conference in Malmo Sweden Posted 16 August, 2019. http://news.griffith.edu.au/2019/08/16/researcher-skates-into-swedish-conference/?fbclid=IwAR2hk5vjsymsXDavrA0-FRZfQLH53sKMqfUKbeeSZM56Y6cONCwR2090Bxs
- Holsgens, Sander, 2019, 'University of Skate, Community before Cliques: An Interview with Indigo Willing'. Posted 21 June, 2019. https://www.skateism.com/university-of-skate-community-before-cliques-an-interview-with-indigo-willing
Consultancy
- The GoodPush Alliance and Skateistan: Working Group with The Goodpush Alliance and Skateistan (2021) ‘Pushing Against Racism’ Campaign, Launched May 29. Link: https://www.goodpush.org/antiracism
- WKND Skateboards: Barbier, E, Garcia Vasquez, K, and Willing, I, (2021) ‘Breaking the Cycle: Let’s End Rape Culture’, Thrasher Magazine, June Issue #491, and Free Skate Magazine, January Issue #34 The campaign was done with Consent is Rad and sponsored by WKND Skateboards.
- The Skate Witches x Vans: Depth of Field Video Workshop Series. Edited by Shari White. Co-written by Kristin Ebeling (2020). Guest lecture, online workshop on writing. (5 August). YouTube video and URL: https://www.vans.com/skate-witches.html
Community Work
- Co-Founder and Facilitator - Consent is Rad
- Co-Founder - We Skate QLD
Videos, Talks and Documentaries
Featured in the following
- Griffith University Safe Campuses, (2021), Panelist, ‘Be An Influencer: Sexual Consent and Sexual Violence Awareness Week’, 5 May, 2021
- Skate Like A Girl, (2021) Guest speaker for ‘Virtual Hang Outs’ Q and A session, 22 February (as part of their COVID-safe virtual programming)
- Super Ordinary Twitch TV/Supord (2020) Interviewed with Kayla Cosgrove about Consent is Rad. 20 December, 2020.
- Barbier, M and Willing, I (2020), ‘Beyond the Gender Binary: Skateboarding and the Olympics’, Skateboard, de la rue à l’olympisme Conference, Rouen University, 29 October, 2020. https://webtv.univ-rouen.fr/videos/skateboarders-the-olympic-games-and-re-thinking-and-resisting-the-gender-binary-indigo-willing-et-emanuele-barbier/
- ‘Top Gun and the Sociology of Skateboarding’ (2020) The Hospital Flip Podcast with Conner, Jack. Film, skateboarding and sociology discussion. Posted 26 September, 2020. At Podcast on Spotify here
- ‘Q and A Session for Sport: The State of Play’, (2020) The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) Genders and Sexualities Thematic Group. Chaired by Dr Barrie Shannon. Panel: Dr Ryan Storr, Dr Madeleine Pape, Dr Adele Pavlidis and Dr Indigo Willing. Posted 11 September, 2020. Web: https://tasags.tumblr.com/?fbclid=IwAR15JXtBiYMF1EbDDYkG5x7pUGDAmagFhqJAAgwaXoA4E3XvoReNc2LDv_c
- ‘Everything Sport, Gender and Sexualities’ (2020) talk as part of Gender and Sexualities in Sport: Theorising the State of Play. For Social Sciences Week. Dr Adele Pavlidis and Dr Indigo Willing. Filmed by Bevan Bache at Griffith University. Hosted by The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) Genders and Sexualities Thematic Group: Posted 7 September, 2020. Web: https://tasags.tumblr.com and YouTube Video: here
- ‘Sport and Violence Prevention Panel’, (2020) Hosted by the Sport and Gender Equity Network at Griffith University, Australia, chaired by Dr Adele Pavlidis. 18 August, 2020. YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=705&v=n5P9t5-cg9Y&feature=emb_logo
- The Skate Witches x Vans Collaboration (2020). Depth of Field Series. Edited by Shari White. Co-writer Kristin Ebeling. Online workshops on photography, videography and writing. Featured on the writing team of instructors (screens from 5 August). YouTube video and URL: https://www.vans.com/skate-witches.html
- SBS Viceland and SBS News Story by Ravik, Naveen. (2020) SBS News, Australia. Facebook SBS Video – https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=538795626720912 & Twitter Short SBS Video here
- Pushing Boarders Panel, (2019) ‘The University of Skate: Support Your Local Academic’, Malmo, Sweden. Chaired by Dr Sander Holsgens and Stuart Maclure with Luke Cianciotto, Dr Dani Abulhawa, Dr Adelina Ong, Dr Indigo Wiling and Sophie Friedel. Talk given 18 August, published 22 November 2019, Downloaded from URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2PtBfpq8dw&t=4s
- Ryder, Evie, (2015) ‘Skate Like a Girl’ published 12 January, 2015, Downloaded from URL: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2490adRHIA )
- Stewart, Kane, (2013) ‘Affirmative Action: A Brisbane Skateboarding Documentary’, The Bay Skate YouTube Channel, published 15 August, 2013, Downloaded from URL: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CJaTJ12wpY)