So this article has been really controversial, both here and on Facebook (especially on Facebook). I want to give another perspective, also as a person of color. I am originally Korean, and I was raised in the United States until I was 10 years old, and then moved to and completed the rest of my schooling in Switzerland. I identify as Asian first and foremost, and a skier second.
I learned to ski in Europe, and as many people are aware, Switzerland especially is one of the most culturally diverse countries on the planet. I went to a high school where more than 150 different nationalities were represented. Skiing is ingrained in the culture to the extent that I didn’t know a single person who did not ski (except due previous injuries or other similar circumstances). I had friends from all over the world, people who, in the United States, one would not usually expect to see skiing. Haiti, Turkey, Portugal, The Netherlands, are some examples. What some people within the United States are not understanding is, it’s different. That’s not to say that American skiers are not skiers, or that they are less dedicated to the sport, if anything they are more so. Every single skier I’ve met having lived in New England for 3 years is a better skier than myself, but that’s not the point. The point is that even though there are mountain towns, and even though there are people who wake up every day they can to drive 3 hours to the mountain, skiing is not ingrained in the culture as a whole as it is in Europe, simply because not everyone in the United States has access to do so. It is certainly prevalent in New England, and out West, but not to the extent that it is in Europe, where in almost every country, one can be at the mountains within the hour. This becomes more obvious to someone after experiencing both cultures, and identifying as such.
I was never once made aware of my race while growing up, simply because of the accessibility and the sheer number of different races that participate in our sport. Like I said, I had friends from all over the world who skied with me.
Graduating high school and coming back to the States for school, I was greeted with a different version of ski culture. As I stated before, all of the friends I have made during my time at the University of New Hampshire are more talented than I am, and just as dedicated to the pursuit as myself. But they are all white. For me, this isn’t a problem. Even though my campus is 90% white, I have yet to be reminded that I am not part of that 90%. On campus, at least. When I go north, things are different. At places like Loon Mountain, Sunday River, Sugarloaf, I have been approached by random skiers and told, “wow, you’re the first asian I have ever seen skiing.” Granted, maybe those people only ski 5 days a year. Maybe it’s true, that they haven’t seen an Asian person skiing before. But why do I need to be reminded of that? When I’m skiing, I identify as a skier, not as an Asian skier. What is the purpose of pointing that out? I have witnessed this many times, not just myself being reminded either, but other BIPOC too. People go to the mountains to ski, not to be told that they are, “the first -blank- person,” that someone has seen on the slopes. This is why, as white people, white Americans, cannot see this from a BIPOCs point of view. If I were a white American, no one would approach me and say, “Wow, you’re the first white guy I’ve ever seen skiing.” This approach is a reminder of racial prejudice and oppression, and it is the same for black people, Hispanic people, asian people. We don’t need to be reminded of what race we are, we’re well aware.
All of this being said, I wanted to extend my gratitude to most of you (not all), because this community is unique to the ski industry, and even to the world. Here, everyone is a skier. I haven’t been asked if I am white or not, and it doesn’t matter. People are here for information, good laughs, discussions, not to point out one members race.
@VT_scratch , you especially presented a very coherent argument on your thread, and I appreciate it more than you will ever understand. This is about understanding that even though the largest barrier to skiing is financial, many BIPOC can pass through that barrier, but may not want to because of the underlying prejudice to being a person of color, that also happens to ski.
