Newly out LGBTQIA+ pro skater Nora Vasconcellos is not staying quiet after comments made by YouTube skater Joa Field, better known online as Gifted Hater.
After recently coming out as gay and posting “Better than late than straight,” Nora got a lot of love from the skate community, especially from queer skaters who have not always seen themselves represented at that level.
READ MORE: Pro Skater Nora Vasconcellos Came Out as Gay and Says, “Better Late Than Straight”
But not everybody was feeling it, especially the MAGA skaters.
Gifted Hater dropped a video taking shots at her. In the clip he said, “The only thing she dropped in the last five years is the announcement that she is gay.”
Then he typed out her last name on screen and joked that the fact he could spell Vasconcellos correctly meant the hate was real.
He kept going. He claimed she built a career off just showing up to events. He called it female skateboarding privilege.
He mocked her product drops, her social media posts, and even brought up her political opinions and life in Los Angeles.
It was less about skating and more about tearing her down.
Many LGBTQIA+ skateboarders felt it crossed the line into homophobic and sexist territory.
Nora did not argue with him. She did not make a long speech. She reposted the clip and wrote, “Is this your boy? Homophobic or sexist for what…” That was it. Just a clear call out.
For many skaters, that was enough.
Nora rides for Welcome Skateboards and has put in real work over the years. Video parts and contests. She has been outside, actually skating hard in the streets.
So when someone tries to reduce her whole career to one personal announcement, people are going to react.
Skateboarding has always had loud opinions. That part is nothing new.
The culture is shifting, even if some do not like it. More women are getting shine. More queer skaters are visible. That is just reality.
Nora coming out meant something to a lot of people who grew up not seeing that in pro skating. For younger skaters, especially girls and LGBTQIA+ kids, it shows that you can be yourself and still hold your own.
Gifted Hater said what he said. Nora said what she said. It is not a debate between them. It is a moment that shows where different parts of skate culture stand right now.
At the end of the day, Nora is still skating, still getting her checks, and living her new LGBTQIA+ life.