Conversations with Cindy Whitehead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Whitehead. 

Hi Cindy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was a pro skateboarder in the late 70s when it was rare for girls to skateboard pools and half-pipes. Luckily, I had some amazing men in the skateboard industry who saw something in me and helped my career. From a centerfold skating vert in a skate magazine and being able to voice my strong opinions (at age 15) that I did not feel girls were weaker than boys. To setting up a skate tour for me that took me to some of the best skateparks on the east coast, where I was featured on TV shows talking about the few women in skateboarding and what that was like for us. I always felt it was important to stand up, fight and say when things were not right – getting less prize money, lack of visual representation – all that seemed wrong even in my young teen years. Skateboarding started dying out for women who skated pools and pipes in the early 80s as skateparks were closing right and left. Some of us took it back to our roots – backyard ramps, empty pools, and ditches. But sadly, there were no more tours and contests for us. Skate mags didn’t want to feature what we were doing now, so most of us went to college, got real jobs and careers, and moved on. 

I moved on to a career in fashion styling, working with pro and Olympic athletes on their advertising and editorial shoots. But, again, I saw too few female athletes in most major sports getting the recognition and money they deserved. 

Fast forward to 2013, when I saw that there were a few girls out there skating pools and vert again and using social media to showcase what they were doing. So, I decided to start a movement and a brand, Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word, to raise funds to help them get to contests. We built a website to give women a visual platform so people could really get what they were doing was impressive. 

We launched the first hardback book on women’s skateboarding by combining Ian Logan’s photos and Elise Crigar’s design work. “It’s Not About Pretty: A Book About Radical Skater Girls” debuted in 2017. The feedback from all industries and media was terrific – they wanted to know MORE! 

In 2016 I was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame for my past pro skateboard career and what I am working on now with non-traditional skaters. In addition, my skate history was taken into the Smithsonian National Museum of American Sports History and is showcased currently in the exhibit “Girlhood (It’s Complicated). 

Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word has a line of apparel sold worldwide, three books that empower marginalized groups, and collab gear with some of the biggest companies in skateboarding. We also have a team of skaters, a website that updates daily on non-traditional skateboarders, and social media platforms where we can showcase these skaters from all over the world. In addition, we co-host significant skate events for girls, women, and LGBTQ skaters. We have infused over 20K into women’s skateboarding and have much further to go. 

This month we launch a new collaboration helmet with S1 Helmets and a new skateboard deck with Pom Pom Skateboards – both are totally different than anything we have done in the past, and we are really excited about it! Both items give proceeds back to the Girl is NOT a 4 Letter Word Movement – our fiscally sponsored non-profit.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road – nothing that is worth it ever is. We received a lot of “no thanks” about publishing the first book from publishing companies telling us that the genre was too small to sell many. We proved them wrong the first month by being featured in Vogue, Marie Claire, Vice, and more and selling in stores like Fred Segal, Hennessy & Ingalls, and many more stores worldwide. When establishing our ideas and how we want to execute them, working in the skate industry can also be a bit difficult. Some of this is new to them as far as non-traditional skateboarders. That being said, I have learned that if someone doesn’t get your ideas, it’s time to move on to someone who does. Don’t get discouraged – PIVOT. You must also stop thinking about the roadblocks, or you will get discouraged. Think about the people helping you now and how that is all going. Focus on the positive. 

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m now known for being an activist. Speaking out for women, girls, and LGBTQ skaters – to me, this is more of an important legacy than being one of the first female pro skaters or being inducted into the Skateboard Hall of Fame. Those accolades are incredible, and I am so grateful for the honor. But I genuinely feel that what you do later to help future generations is most important. Of course, some people don’t like people who speak out and push for equality, so sometimes that’s hard, but you just take a breath and push onward and forward. 

This team of skaters reminds me daily about what is important and WHY I spend my free time doing this every day. They are the future, and the future looks bright. 

Being at these girls’ contests is a highlight for me. We were recently at Exposure Skate comp in Encinitas, CA, and girls from around the world competed! It brings me back to my skate days- although the bowl is now filled with non-traditional skaters ages six to over 50. And that is amazing! 

High five to all the women in skate working to elevate this part of the industry! 

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
Skateboarding down the strand with the wind blowing through my hair. Meeting up with my friends to find a ramp to skate or making one out of plywood. Skating all day until our legs were spent. Then, we all pooled money to share slices of pizza and drinks to fuel up for more hours of skating around Hermosa Beach, where we lived. Jumping in the ocean to cool off and skateboarding some more. Watching the sunset over the ocean as we skated home together. The friends I have made through skateboarding are my family for life.

Contact Info:

•     Website: https://www.girlisnota4letterword.com/
•     Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlisnota4letterword/
•     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GirlisNotA4LetterWord
•     Twitter: https://twitter.com/GirlisNOTa4LW
•     Board: https://pompomskateboards.com/collections/boards/products/8-5-gn4lw-x-pom-pom-exclusive
•     Helmet: https://shop.s1helmets.com/s1-lifer-helmet-gn4lw-purple-water-color-matte/

Image Credits
Ian Logan
Mazel Alegdo
Klara Kermoade
Katelyn West
Elle Warne
Mayzie Feher
Maya Kenny
Briel Weingartner
Quinne Daniels
Evette Halitzka
Kaiya Daniels