I read the interview with Tony Hawk, the best skateboarder in the world. I agree with the part that says you don't have to be a punk or act like a punk to be a skater. Anyone can be a skater as long as you put your mind to it.

It's stereotyping when someone says girls can't skate; I love to skateboard. It relaxes me, makes me feel like I'm being myself. I'm doing it because I want to, not because it makes me look cool. When I go to the skate park to try new tricks, someone always asks, "Can you do tricks? Can you really skateboard?" I show them, and then they treat me like I'm one of them - a skateboarder. They respect me because I can skate. I don't dress a certain way to fit in, I just show them what I can do. It's not the baggy pants, the scruffy hair, or the skateboard you have. It is your skill and your passion for skating that counts.