> As for posers, skateboarding historically has gone through waves of popularity. It's cool, then it's not, then it is again.
> I'm personally for inclusion, but I also think that if there wasn't some degree of "gatekeeping" then the cultural side of skating would have been diluted long ago.
As a skateboarder I feel it's more than that, and doesn't relate to the "coolness" much. I don't really care that people that never set a foot on a board wear Thrasher or Vans shirts. What really binds us skateboarders together is some core value, because to practice this sport, you have to be dedicated to such a level, or else you just give up because it's so incredibly punishing. That we have to have this passion burning inside of us, that our sole adversary is ourselves[0], is what binds us and makes it so that I can walk into anyone I see with a board on the street and tag him/her in for a game of skate.
That's also what acts as a sort of natural "gatekeeper" of sorts. Compare with football: anyone can hit a ball basically instantly wooohooo just like that you're having fun with friends, but even riding around a skateboard requires some form of dedication. Even skiing is more accessible because, well, crashing in snow might appear unpleasant but is fun and all and makes for a good laugh, while slamming on concrete is not exactly pillow-like and arguably some quite twisted definition of "fun".
What infuriates me though, is the brats that think it's cool to wear skateboarding apparel and draw ire of the crowd by acting like punks. Because then as skateboarders we're just fine and respectful people but get some shit thrown towards and kicked at or whatever by folks who conflate us with those little bastards. Some "regular" people feel insecure enough they come right up to us and get physical for no reason at all except us being skateboarders. I've had cyclists kicking me out of bicycling lanes as I was passing near them cruising around, or playing dare when coming up front. I've had cars trying to hit and run a friend on purpose. What is just going across the mind of those people?
> and there's a large influx of people who have no regard for the culture
Well if they have no regard for the culture they most probably will drop out because they won't be driven enough, and at some point the "culture" just brings you along, and guess what, we're all sufficiently into it that we can all recognise that if you're enjoying skateboarding, even if it's just riding around, even if it's just a little spark that you nurture, well, then you're one of us. Also, no true Scotsman.
«Riding a skateboard doesn't make you a skateboarder, being unable to stop riding a skateboard is what makes you a skateboarder.» — Lance Mountain.
> The difference is this time they ingrained the cultural aspects into the brand.
Many people don't seem to understand the economic dynamics behind brands in a fringe† activity like skateboarding. Pros and semi-pros emerge from the community pool, brands sponsor pros, parks, events, video parts, which crystallises culture, which entices people into skateboarding, which makes them buy hardware at shops, which finances pros... It's a tight, dynamic loop. Hipsters like to hate brands, but brands bring a lot economical and non-economical value to skateboarding.
† Let's not kid ourselves, it's fringe compared to the massive amounts of money displaced by mainstream sports like basketball, baseball, football, soccer, skiing, whatever...
[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqpRZ69z8_8