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, (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
Skate Journalism
- 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, (2019). ‘Get By, Get Through, Get Rolling: Pushing Boarders Reflections 2’. Yeah Girl Media. Posted 17 December. https://yeahgirlmedia.com/get-by-get-through-get-rolling-pushing-boarders-reflections-part-2/
Featured in Skate News/Media
- 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