Magazine

Two synchro skaters design stickers, pins, and masks for an organization that helps LGBTQ+


Image

The new Instagram page "Love in Synch" and the U.S. skater and designer Ava Privratsky have started a new collaboration. Their goal? Helping an LGBTQ+ youth organization by selling stickers, pins, and masks.

ADV picture
"It is so important to talk about the LGBTQ+ community in the world of synchro," starts Ava Privratsky, the artist behind the Instagram account called "Designs by Ava". This synchro skater lives in the State of Minnesota in the United States and competes for the Northernettes Junior team.

Ava started this project with her friend Abigail who launched on June the Instagram "Love in Synch" soon after their account began. The main goal of this account is "to embrace inclusivity of everyone in all disciplines of figure skating and provide a safe place for LGBTQIA+ skaters and allies can come for support or to ask questions," explains Abigail who skated for Starlights for 7 years and also for Team USA (2018-2020).

ADV picture
"Advocating for equality is something I have always been very passionate about, so I was excited to see their account bring those conversations to the world of synchro. We thought a collaboration between our two accounts would be a great opportunity to help LGBTQ+ people in the synchro community feel like their voices are being heard, and for other people to show their support by being inclusive and becoming allies," says Ava.

For Abigail, discrimination is not only the synchro world but in the whole world of figure skating. "It is a big problem that needs to be solved. Although I personally haven’t experienced any discrimination in the synchro world, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. I think that there is not enough discussion about discrimination in figure skating and that needs to change. I think that we, as a skating community, need to embrace and accept everyone regardless of their sexuality, gender identity/expression, race, etc."

All of the proceeds collected from these products will be donated to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization that provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ+ youth. Their counselors are available 24/7, providing a safe and non judgemental place to talk and issue support. They also organize ally workshops for adults to help educate people about the needs of LGBTQ+ youth, explains the two synchro skaters.

You can learn more about the Trevor Project on their website and Instagram page. The products of Ava and Abigail are available in Ava's online shop.

ADV picture