Mango Pushing

Hey, let’s talk about pushing in skateboarding and a term that’s tied to some not-so-cool history.

In skateboarding, pushing is how you get moving. Usually, you keep one foot on the board and use the other to push off the ground. Most folks ride with their front foot on the board and push with their back foot—that’s seen as the “usual” way. But some of us, like me, do it the other way around: we keep the back foot on the board and push with the front foot.

This style’s often called by a word that’s… well, not great. If you take “mango” and swap the “a” for an “o,” you’ll know the one I mean.

That word comes from John Langdon Down, who used it to describe people with Down syndrome (Trisomy 21) way back when. It’s not just ableist – it’s got racist roots too, tied to outdated ideas about people from Mongolia. Unfortunately, a lot of skaters still use it. Probably because no one suggested an alternative yet.

I’m done with that word and calling it mango pushing from now on instead. It’s close enough that people understand it easily, but much friendlier. Mangos are fun, juicy and bring good vibes. Let’s make mango pushing the new thing! :-D