BX’ELLES | FISE Up March

BRUSSELS TRILOGY
EP.3 BX’ELLES

FISE UP March

We end our Brussels trilogy with the discovery of a crew of gxrls skaters who participate in the dynamism of the skate scene centered mainly around the Byrrh and skate park and Silence skateboards. Here is an informative interview in addition to the mixtape of the crew now on our social networks.

What is Bx’Elles ?

It’s a collective of skaters created in 2019. It all started during the skate sessions for girls at Byrrh And Skate (the skate complex in Brussels). This is where we all met and very quickly became a tight group of skaters. So we decided to create an instagram page to post our skate photos and videos and motivate other girls to embark on the adventure. Quickly, we received many positive reactions and our community grew by itself. Bx'elles is now 2 years old, 6 members and is officially an ASBL which carries out several projects.

Can we say today that there is no longer any taboo or difficulty for a girl to take up skateboarding or is there still resistance?

To this day, skateboarding remains a predominantly male sport even though we are seeing tremendous growth in the female scene. It therefore remains a challenge for some girls to start skateboarding given the male predominance and the repercussions that this can have : intimidation, judgment, teasing... That's why we give "Gxrls skate lessons" every Monday at the Byrrh And Skate. We consider it essential to give courses in chosen single-sex groups. Our goal is to create a safe space where all womxn feel safe and encouraged. We give them the boost they need to get into skating without fear of failure and without any judgment. 

Do you tend to ride only with girls or mix with anyone?

We like to skate with everyone as long as there is a good atmosphere and support. We organize “Hop on Hop off” with the idea that we can all skate together and have fun. This event brings together skaters from different backgrounds and levels in a friendly, supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere.

What makes Brussels special for you?

The particularity of Brussels is its diversity. Brussels is a capital rich in cultures and that is what makes it absolutely unique. The beauty of this city is that we all come from different backgrounds/ethnicities/cultures but we all end up sharing the same public space.

Qualities / defects of the city and its inhabitants

Brussels is a city that seriously lacks representation of women in the public space. So skating in the streets of Brussels is our way of claiming our right to be there and to feel good there. We hope it encourages women to do the same because it's our public space too!

In general, through skateboarding, we could see the beauty of Brussels and its inhabitants everywhere and even in the neighborhoods that are considered “infamous”. As soon as you spot a smooth surface and start skating, a connection is immediately created with the environment in which you find yourself and you are often pleasantly surprised by the charm of the people and places of Brussels.
 

Must-see skate spots?

Byrrrh / Morichar / Bowl Mashers / Skate café / Trône / Congrès / Mont des Arts / European Quarter and our mini ramp at the entrance to the Gibard workshop / Ursulines

The best fries spots?

Manneken Frites / Fritkot Chouke / Broebbeleir !

Mixtape video edited by Una Kreso featuring Emma Pevernagie, Daniela Legrain, Annelien Snyers, Una Kreso, Vicky Changaeii, Pom Koolen, Lenka Honesova, Fatima Chakri, Diana Vos, Yasmina Archi