Eleven years ago, I started Skate Guard Blog as a way of sharing my passion for figure skating with all of you. Over the last decade, I've put together dozens of blogs and had some amazing partnerships that have all helped shine a spotlight on the fascinating and fabulous history of figure skating.
My latest project is my new book "Sequins, Scandals and Salchows: Figure Skating in the 1980s", which will be released on September 3rd. Inspired in its design by one of my own favourite skating books, Lynn Copley-Graves' "Figure Skating History: The Evolution of Dance on Ice", the book chronicles a decade of figure skating season by season, highlighting the skaters and stories we all know and love, as well as dozens of fascinating tidbits and stories that haven't received enough attention. I sincerely hope you'll consider supporting the blog by adding the book to your library and sharing your favourite 1980s skating memories on social media using the hashtag #TheSk80s.
One of the central themes of the book is the impact of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic on the skating world in the 1980s and I hope that when reading the book you carefully consider the way the powers that be in the sport handled that impact, the journalists who broke that story, the impact of homophobia in the sport and most importantly, the incredible skaters, coaches, choreographers and judges who aren't here to tell their stories themselves. In December, in conjunction with World AIDS Day, I will be launching an online feature which is a bit of a companion piece to the book called "They Skated Away". It will feature short biographies, photos and memories of those we lost and offer an opportunity for you to contribute your own stories. Watch this space for more information on that project.
For the forseeable future, you can continue to expect two new skating history blogs a week, as has been the case over the last decade. Throughout the year, there will also be special timelines and blogs for Pride Season, Black History Month, Asian Heritage Month, Latin American Heritage Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, National Indigenous History Month, Women's History Month and German Heritage Month. Now perhaps more than ever, it couldn't be more important to showcase diversity in figure skating history. Representation matters.
Lastly, I want to remind you that Skate Guard has always been a 100% free resource. While donations of materials like old skating magazines, photographs, and show and competition programs were previously on pause, they are now welcome. Your contributions help us continue preserving and sharing the rich history of figure skating. Please note that I cannot accept donations shipping from the United States going forward.
Take care, stay safe and happy reading!
Ryan
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