Stereotypes

The following are a few of the common stereotypes of snowboarders:

• žTroublemakers
• žReckless
• žDisrespectful
• žRebellious
• žStoners
• žPunk

      Most of these stereotypes were formed from the feud between snowboarders and skiers.  Since skateboarders and surfers were some of the first people to try snowboarding, they brought many of the stereotypes from their cultures to snowboarding.  Some of the punk and troublemaker stereotypes are from these cultures.  The ski and snowboard cultures clashed and snowboarding wasn’t allowed at nearly all ski resorts.

This video just shows an example of the feud between skiers and snowboarders.

      The stoner stereotype of snowboarders comes from a Canadian snowboarder.  žIn the 1998 Winter Olympics Ross Rebagliati had his gold medal stripped after a drug test that was positive for marijuana.  žThe Olympic committee later overturned the decision because marijuana is not a performance enhancing drug.  žIt was the first time that snowboarding was accepted as an Olympic sport.  This had a bad effect for all snowboarders and showed them in a bad light.

      As snowboarding as a sport changed, the culture also changed.  However, many of the stereotypes are still the same as when the sport was created.  Some of them are starting to fade, but they are still there.  Part of this reason is that the media still uses these stereotypes to represent snowboarders.  In reality, the vast majority of snowboarders are not represented at all by these stereotypes.  There is a larger number of adults that are starting to snowboard.  More than half of all snowboarders are over the age 24.  Since there is more and more adults snowboarding, the youth, reckless, and disrespectful stereotypes are fading.  Adults are more mature and don’t fit these stereotypes.  Shaun White is one of the most popular snowboarders today.  He does not dress in a punk fashion or act out in reckless behavior.  To  appeal to people of all ages he can’t act in these ways.  Even though most of the snowboarders today don’t fit these stereotypes, there are still exceptions.