Movies
Trans Skater Leo Baker On Quitting the Olympics & Hanging With Miley
His story is the subject of the new Netflix documentary Stay On Board.
simbernardo
August 09 2022 2:49 PM EST
May 31 2023 2:30 PM EST
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His story is the subject of the new Netflix documentary Stay On Board.
At 30 years old trans nonbinary skater Leo Baker has already lived an extraordinary life ā and heās just getting started.
That life is now the subject of the Netflix documentary Stay On Board: The Leo Baker Story which explores both Bakerās career as a professional skateboarder as well as his life-changing journey of self-discovery.
While the film does showcase some difficult times that Baker faced and the sacrifices he made,Ā it is ultimately a tale about perseverance, courage, and standing your ground ā itās incredibly inspirational, particularly for LGBTQ+ viewers.
Besides being an extremely talented skater, Baker runs the company Glue Skateboards and just released his brand-new single as a musician titled āHold Me Til Weāre Home.ā
During an exclusive interview with PRIDE, Baker talked about his journey on Stay On Board, his thoughts on why it took such a long time for skateboarding to become an Olympic sport, and why he decided to say no to competing in the 2020 Olympics, among other things.
āSkating is more of a creative thing. Skateboarding competitions, when they first started, they were like, competitive but also fun ā and nobody took it seriously,ā he told PRIDE.
āSkating is its own thing, so itās really hard to judge and put points on things when so much is contingent on, like, style and choices that you make. But then, when it gets to be in that [competitive] zone, people start to figure out what to doā¦ it becomes strategic, and itās boring. I get really bored watching it because Iām like, āOK, I know what theyāre all going to do.ā And thatās the opposite of what skating is,ā he added.
Bakerās perspective ultimately led up to his decision of saying no to competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Besides feeling like skateboarding just isnāt a great fit for a competitive environment with a points system. āNot to mention that the [International Olympic Committee] is actually really messed up as an institution,ā he said. āIām like, āNobody wanted them there.ā (ā¦) For so many reasons, I was like, āI am so glad that Iām not there participating in this toxic sh*t.ā I just canāt stand it.ā
You can watch PRIDEās full interview with Leo Baker below.
Another exciting moment in Bakerās career was getting featured in Miley Cyrusā music video for āMotherās Daughter.ā
āThat was surreal,ā Baker recalled. āHer team hit up mine and just wanted to have me in there I guess because of being outspoken as a trans nonbinary skater. And I was like, āObviously yes I want to do that.āā
Baker then talked about his experience meeting Cyrus and what it meant to be featured in this particular music video.
āShe was really nice to me for the brief moment that I got to meet her,ā he said. āI was like, āWow, this is a crazy day.ā It was obviously a huge honor to be recognized in that space because the message in the song is honoring people who are fighting for stuff that matters.ā
Itās a message that is near and dear to Bakerās heart, who has in turn become an inspirational figure to many in the LGBTQ+ community. For those who arenāt familiar with his story Stay On Board is a great entry point for queer folks to witness someone embrace their most authentic self, and thrive.Ā
Stay On Board: The Leo Baker Story premieres August 11 on Netflix.
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Bernardo Sim experiences and explains queer multiverses. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
Bernardo Sim experiences and explains queer multiverses. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.