Roller skating Atlanta man focuses on building a community for LGBTQ+ people

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Joshua Sutton has been roller skating since he was a kid.

”I started going to the roller rink at a very young age because I just didn’t fit in,” said Joshua Sutton, @therollergay on social media.

Roller skating became a safe space for Joshua before he realized the community he would build, from life on 8 wheels.

”I didn’t know at the time, the friends that I would go to and meet at the rink, we all later in life came out. We all identify as LGBTQ,” said Joshua.

Joshua kept skating into adulthood. Eventually, he started posting his rides on social media.

”I realized quickly, it just brought people joy,” said Joshua.

The Roller Gay has more than 25,000 followers on Instagram and more than 33,000 followers on TikTok. He started a group ride called Roller Slay for LGBTQ+ roller skaters.

”I have had a lot of people from the international community reach out to me on social media, and let me know how much they are inspired by me being out, and being a gay man on skates,” said Joshua.

People from all over the world come to Joshua’s pages to watch videos of him, gliding down Atlanta city streets with a smile on his face and roller skates strapped to his ankles.

“It is genuine. When I am in those moments when I am flying down a trail when I am dancing. I am doing it for me. I am not doing it to show off,” said Joshua, ”It is okay to be yourself. I had someone on social media tell me ‘You’re a great skater but I don’t understand what being gay and skating has to do with each other.’ And I responded ‘Absolutely everything!”