Intersectional Roller Derby

MUST DO

Intersectional Roller Derby:

If you want to play, you can play

By Tammy Rae Matthews (aka Hermione Danger) pronouns: she/hers

Sport is foremost a fundamental societal institution. It could be a transformative space for revolutionary inclusion and profound social impact if we open our eyes to the multitudes of intersectional identities. Theorist Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw’s “intersectionality” signifies the ways gender and race shape compounding facets of a person. It is a formidable, powerful and enduring social movement. Intersectionality’s framework reveals untold stories. In 1991 in the “Stanford Law Review,” Crenshaw wrote: “I want to suggest that intersectionality offers a way of mediating the tension between assertions of multiple identities and the ongoing necessity of group politics.”

Here, we see that intersectionality reveals and unpacks deeply rooted and problematic sentiments that expose varying layers of vulnerability at the intersections. An overall analysis of privileged and marginalized identities could inform a more critical understanding of experiences of specifically queer identities in sport.

Intersectional sport is the goal of the You Can Play Project (youcanplayproject.org), which works to promote an inclusive environment.

The organization’s significant initiative is promoting acceptance of queer folks in sporting spaces. It supports athletes, parents, coaches, administrators and other leaders with direct impact on the sporting experience. You Can Play encourages teams, schools and fans to create videos meant to highlight personal experience through a thoughtful and honest message on inclusivity in sport.

In partnership with videographer and editor Emilie Johnson (aka Rickashanaynay) and the Boulder County Bombers (bouldercountybombers.com), I directed the first roller derby “You Can Play” video. It is available to view facebook.com/ YouCanPlayTeam.

“The roller derby community is welcoming, inclusive and empowering,” Fleur de Beast said in the video.

If you want to learn more about roller derby, please Google “roller derby” and your town, city, state or country. Then, begin to support your local league. For many, roller derby represents a safe space. In the video, Paws O Fury said: “Having the space to introduce myself as my full self feels really empowering.”

“So many people I’ve talked to who come here,” Buffy the Jammer Slayer said, “have found a space and a way to be their whole self.”

After posting the video on its Facebook page, the roller derby athletic-wear company, Frogmouth, wrote: “This wonderful film about inclusivity in roller derby may give you goosebumps.”

In her 2017 book, “Living a Feminist Life,” Sara Ahmed reminds us that living a feminist life requires that we stay students in feminist study. In sporting spaces, this means learning and using inclusive language.

“Derby is unique in the sense that there is a lot of open and inclusive language,” Butters Stotch said in the video.

The way people understand and express themselves depends on the words used in society and discourse.

To create inclusive spaces in roller derby specifically and in all sport, people need to learn about the multi-dimensional lives of the queer community to be productive, ethical and successful.

“Wherever you feel like you belong, you should be able to go,” Downtown Stabbey said in the video.

And remember: If you want to skate, you can skate. If you want to jam, you can jam. If you want to block, you can block. If you want to offciate, you can offciate. If you want to play, you can play.

www.CultursMag.com | Spring 2019