RiLee
1. Name And pronouns? RiLee, she/her
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2. Favourite song to skate to?
Levitating by Dua Lipa never gets old for me. her entire Future Nostalgia album was MADE for skating!
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3. What empowers you?
unapologetically doing things that make me happy! skating, wearing whatever makes me feel good, going out in full glitter eyeshadow for no reason, taking photos even if they’re bad, learning useless hobbies just because i want to…..all things that used to make me feel insecure, now make me feel empowered because it’s MY life and i deserve to be happy!
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4. Biggest issue for women and gender fluid?
lack of representation. decisions that directly affect us are often made by groups of cis men who do not understand us or listen to us. we are always fighting to be represented and heard, and constantly at the mercy of authority figures who do not care about our needs.
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5. How has skating impacted you?
skating has given me a new form of expression! i have always loved music, but i’m a terrible dancer and have always been self conscious of my body. skating has given me a way to move to music in a way that feels good, and empowers me to express myself in ways i never have before. every time i accomplish a new skill or trick i feel amazing!
6. What do you want people to be aware of?
everyone around you is going through something, whether you can see it or not. be kind and do not be quick to judge, as i guarantee you never have the full story about someone based off of their actions and words that you see. unconditional acceptance and love goes a loooooong way ❤️
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7. How do you gain self-respect?
i gain self-respect through forgiveness of others and of myself. when i do or say things i regret, i do my best to forgive myself and use it as a learning experience instead of beating myself up. and when other people say things that hurt me, i do my best to forgive them and remember that they are fighting their own battles, and do not know my full story. i am not perfect at this and it is a constant learning curve, but to cultivate that self-respect i must allow myself to do what i think is right, and forgive myself when i don’t always succeed in doing the right thing.
