Photos by Raisa Abal & words by Letícia Nogueira

I’ll go straight to the point and tell you the story behind issue’s #12 cover: Shag was in Barcelona on a skate trip with the adidas team and battled that nollie backside flip for hours straight, eventually days, until he finally came out victorious. Now, for those who don’t know the mythical spot personally, I can guarantee that this baby is slippery. Raisa came out of the experience with that epic sunset photo and told me, ‘He battled so hard. I think this is cover worthy.’

A no brainer. We had our cover: Shag, a 30-year-old skateboarder and visual artist who rides for adidas, Thunder, Spitfire and There (which he’s pro for). His travels have taken him around the world, skating and filming everywhere from China to California, though you can currently find him in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

Come to think about it, Shag is only the second trans man to achieve pro status in the skate industry, so I was excited to interview him. I had questions. Are there really not many of them out there? Is the industry still learning? And would he be willing to share a bit of his journey with me? With this conversation, I wanted to get to know him most of all, his skating, travels and artistic endeavours, but I also wanted to touch upon his trans experience. In a way, I felt this was important for all trans people out there - to honor them, show them they’re not alone, give them the space they so deserve.

Yet, after editing and reflecting upon it, it was clear to me that this interview isn’t just for those who transgress the boundaries of the binary. Everyone in the world, regardless of identity, can find inspiration in Shag’s testimony. After all, we all need to follow our own path, as to be in sync with our most authentic selves; we all need to confront the parts of ourselves that feel disconnected, and find peace amongst the chaos.

What’s up Shag, how are you today and what have you been up to lately? I know you’re working on a big canvas at the moment?

I am excited, very wired. Drinking way too much coffee at all hours of the day. Skateboarding tends to slow down exponentially in the winter, but this last year was so busy, I am relieved to have downtime to recharge. Naturally a nice time to shift focus on improving my physical health, and dig into other pastimes like painting, reading and music. It is mundane, but necessary. Having a lot of fun experimenting on the big canvas!  

Tell us about your hometown in Nebraska, can you describe what it was like growing up there and how you got into skating?

I claim Omaha to be my hometown, though technically I grew up outside of Omaha about 30 minutes south. It is very small and quite conservative, a place where you would settle down and start a family. I don’t always feel comfortable being out in public here. As a kid, I was hyperactive. Really anything listed under ‘extreme sport’ interested me, but I also grew up quite isolated on a farm before the internet or social media. I often had to find ways to entertain myself. I saw skateboarding on TV over the summer and it was mesmerizing. The perfect activity to be creative but also challenged.

How did you end up in California?

After high school, I enrolled at the university in Omaha to pursue a Bachelor in the Arts. I stayed very passionate about skateboarding throughout university; taking holidays to travel to Los Angeles and New York. I even took a year and a half to study overseas in China with a close friend of mine who wanted to make skateboarding films. I was slowly building connections to the global skateboarding community through travelling, filming parts and participating in contest events. I also began to attend the Wheels of Fortune skateboarding contests in Seattle, Washington. This would be where I would meet Jessie Van Roechoudt and other skateboarders from the Bay Area. After graduating university, I moved back to Chengdu, China to be closer to my filmer friend, but I was also staying in contact with Jessie Van over email. In 2019, the opportunity for sponsorship by adidas presented itself, as did the opportunity to ride for a new board company based out of the bay area, There Skateboards. It was then I made the decision to leave Chengdu that spring and moved to San Francisco at the beginning of 2020 to see what could happen.

Seems like you made a good decision - later on in 2023, you’d go on to turn pro for There Skateboards. How many pro model boards do you have now and what's the experience of designing your own boards like?

When this interview drops, I will have five pro models released with There Skateboards. It’s been a gratifying experience to have creative control in designing the boards and selecting artists, even drawing my own graphics. I have such talented friends; it’s nice to collaborate with them as many of them skate and are actively involved in pushing the culture forward.  

“I have never regretted taking steps toward transitioning. One must find peace amongst the chaos.”

Tell us about your artistic work, what kind of art do you make and what inspires you to do it?

I would consider myself a visual/graphic artist. I’ve found that painting or drawing is one of the healthiest ways for myself to release energy; and it is universal. My flow state is optimized when I am painting, very similar to the feeling I experience when skateboarding. It is also a medium that I can accurately express my abstract emotions as well. I am very inspired by underground club music culture, technology, urbanization and transience.  

You’re only the second trans man to achieve pro status in the skate industry. Is it right or wrong to assume that there’s not many transmasc skaters out there?

We are a smaller community but an omnipresent force in most aspects of the culture. It depends on the guy too! Some guys aren’t interested in pursuing sponsorship; it’s a lot of pressure. They’d prefer to skate solely for joy. Others find their inspiration behind the camera or within community building. Trans men also decide to pursue greater opportunities within music, video production, modeling and fine art. You most likely know at least one trans man, or of his work, but may not even realize it unless that detail came up. Baby Skateboards did turn a trans man pro this past year; and it was an amazing moment! Trans men are quite humble, but as much deserving of reverence.  

Can you share more about your journey as a trans person? How has your personal experience shaped you?

I am passionate about being the best version of myself I am capable of being, which means being in sync with the most authentic version of myself too. I had to confront the parts of myself that felt disconnected and find solutions, simply to be fulfilled. While it comes with challenges and stigma, I have never regretted taking steps toward transitioning. One must find peace amongst the chaos. 

Did skateboarding play a role at all in your transition and in helping you navigate your identity?

I like to think my gender identity and skateboarding are interconnected. Because of where I grew up, I was not exposed to correct education or resources that one would need to be supported in transitioning at a young age, or at all. I owe a lot to skateboarding and the community. It certainly was the necessary catalyst to leaving my hometown, then to seeing alternative ways of living and thinking for myself.

“My gender identity and skateboarding are interconnected. It was the necessary catalyst to seeing alternative ways of living and thinking for myself.”

What were some pivotal moments and people who guided and supported you in your transition?

Pivotal moments would be meeting Lianel Soleil and Ru Storey, both of whom I had met at the Wheels of Fortune contests. We connected through skateboarding and filming together, but also on life experience and perspective. They both guided me when it came to things like hormones, surgery, and transitioning. I also wouldn’t be where or who I am today without the support and validation of Jessie Van Roechoudt, Jeffrey Cheung, Jim Thiebaud, the entire There Skateboards family, and the communities surrounding Unity Skateboarding and Skate Like a Girl.

What advice would you offer to other trans and non-binary people who are navigating their identity in spaces that might not always feel welcoming? 

Do not waste energy on people who do not wish to see you thriving in life. Expect yourself to change, that can mean changing the people who you surround yourself with.  

What challenges do trans, queer and enby people still face in skateboarding and how can the community and industry do better to support them?

Common challenges are working or skating in proximity to people who choose to either not educate themselves or accept alternative gender identities and sexualities. It can be awkward, especially at industry events. I used to shy away at these types of events, but I feel quite confident nowadays. I try not to prejudge any situation and introduce myself first, people do surprise you. Is that a trick question? We need to continue to support one another.

“Reaching that point in your transition when you realize you are just another ordinary, average guy in the world. It is great!”

What’s unique and beautiful about the transmasc experience?

Reaching that point in your transition when you realize you are just another ordinary, average guy in the world. It is great!

And finally, what are your plans for this year? Any upcoming projects or collabs that you’re excited about?

I am releasing a new part for There Skateboards around the end of February, beginning of March, while welcoming a new chapter by returning to Omaha to start a video project with my grip and clothing sponsor Vee Studios. I am planning to spend time filming in New York this spring and eventually return to Chengdu and Shanghai to begin filming a project with my friends out that way as well. Really just bringing things back full circle, continuing to have fun and film videos with friends.