“Would roller derby be different than other sports for my child?” I asked myself as we made our way into our first practice. “Many of the early founders of roller derby identified as members of the LGBT community.” Since that time, roller derby has grown to be an international grassroots phenomenon.
Not long after came a co-ed youth association. While roller derby resurfaced as a women’s empowerment movement, a men’s roller derby association quickly followed the all-women’s league. You could say roller derby was founded by and for queer women, but they would not have the sport to themselves for long. Many of the early founders of roller derby identified as members of the LGBT community. Players pick derby names, usually a pun, to compete under, such as ‘Kill-Her-Bee.’ Roller derby was seen as a women’s empowerment movement. In the early 2000’s, women in Austin, Texas revived the sport focusing on athleticism while not forgetting the “Fishnets and Glitter” roller derby flare. After this zenith, roller derby practically stopped for a number of years. These bouts became more entertainment, focusing on showmanship and drama. Roller derby enjoyed a heyday during the 1970’s when women’s bank track bouts were televised coast to coast. By contrast, most women’s sports today have modified rules from their male counterparts. While women and men did not compete against each other, they did play by the same rules. The leagues were always co-ed and welcomed openly gay players and all ethnicities. Initially, both women and men would compete in alternating periods, combining their scores to determine the winner.
Since its inception, roller derby has been a more inclusive sport than most. Roller derby began as a thrilling depression era escape. But, roller derby was supposed to be different, more inclusive.
Since his gender identity did not match the gender marker on his birth certificate, simply registering for a youth sport became impossible. When my son came out as transgender, there did not seem to be a place for him in sports. We walked into United Skates of America in Raleigh one Sunday morning, not knowing exactly what to expect.