Photographer Eliza Hatch captures a more inclusive night for skaters – in pictures

Frustrated by the often laddish atmosphere in skateparks, skate enthusiast Milo Turnley set about organising a night for trans skateboarders, roller skaters and wheelchair users. Founded in August 2023, Transkaters takes place on the second Friday of each month at Baysixty6 in west London, where photographer Eliza Hatch took these portraits of those in attendance. “As a skater myself, it immediately caught my attention – skate nights that cater to women, queer people or any marginalised group are few and far between,” says Hatch. “Trans people are a minority who experience an overwhelming amount of harassment and abuse, and who deserve to be able to participate in sports without fear or risk to personal safety. At Transkaters, the atmosphere is incredibly warm, supportive and joyful, and I wanted to highlight that.”

Main image: Detail from a portrait of Robin and Will by photographer Eliza Hatch. All images © Eliza Hatch/@cheerupluv

  • Milo Turnley (he/him)

    “I’m Milo Turnley and I’m the founder of Transkaters. Having a dedicated space for LGBTQIA+ and specifically trans skaters is really special, this skatepark in particular. I used to come here a lot as a kid, and it used to be scary. Having loads of warm, friendly faces around you who have a shared understanding of transness, identity and queerness is really comforting and settling. Then you can just focus on skating.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Zeyde (they/he)

    “I’ve done wakeboarding and snowboarding before, and have always wanted to try skateboarding. It’s important to have a non-threatening way for queer and trans people to try these things, especially in skate or snowboard culture, which can sometimes be a bit heteronormative.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Ollie (he/him)

    “There aren’t any other trans nights [like this] – trans spaces and queer spaces in general are so hard to come by. Most trans people feel really uncomfortable doing sport, and then [Transkaters] puts us all together and says, ‘hang on, you can actually move your body and feel good about it’.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Roo (they/them)

    “I’ve skated for quite a few years now, but when you get to a skatepark it’s difficult to feel comfortable all the time. I now come to this every month and it’s so lovely – you get to chill out, and everyone is very inviting and inclusive. There definitely need to be more nights like this.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Raya (she/her)

    “I started coming [to Transkaters] in December and I haven’t missed one so far. Many trans people self-exclude from sporting activities – it took me quite a long time in my transition before I felt comfortable using changing rooms, and that meant I stopped going swimming. So I think trans-specific sports and events are really important.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Nikki (they/them)

    “I find the social elements of nights like this nearly as valuable as the practice time, because you can ask for tips or advice. The vibes are immaculate – it’s just a lovely space to hang out. It’s great to catch up with people while doing a couple of rounds and seeing how everyone is developing. It’s magical.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Arora (she/her)

    “I found out about Transkaters from Instagram. For a lot of [trans] people it can be scary to go to a skatepark, where the typical culture is very ‘laddy’. I came here today to meet up with friends, have some fun and move my body.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.

  • Robin (they/them) and Will (he/him)

    Robin: “I wanted a place where I could find a community that wasn’t drinking-focused. A lot of queer events are in bars and I don’t drink and it’s a bit exclusionary in that way. It’s a very social place, and it’s nice to just be in a space where we are not looked at differently.” Will: “I decided to take up skating as a form of physiotherapy, and as a trans person I didn’t feel comfortable skating in regular skateparks. When I first [transitioned] I felt like I couldn’t really have a hobby or join a team because it felt like we were pushed to the edges.”
    Photographs of participants of the Transkaters night that takes place at Baysixty6 in west London by photographer Eliza Hatch.
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