crankyoldman (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
crankyoldman) wrote2012-06-30 10:43 pm
crankyoldman) wrote2012-06-30 10:43 pm
Entry tags:
Men's Roller Derby
It leaves me with a feeling in the pit of my stomach. A bad one. One of my favorite things about watching roller derby is the culture around it, which means you'll see all sorts of people enjoying it. All sorts of woman-identifying (yes, it's in the bylaws that being trans* is fine and they don't do embarrassing investigations into it either) types play the sport. Huge ranges of ages, body types, backgrounds play roller derby.
But the men's team that came to play ours in an exhibition bout didn't look any different from any other men's sports team of a similar sort, except a few more tattoos and hipster facial hair. There was a sense that because they were men they also were taking it extra srs, and that before they arrived they weren't srs.
I don't mean to knock all men's sports, or men in general, but there was a disturbing uniformity to the men's team that the women's teams just don't have (well a Wisconsin team I saw once was pretty uniform, but I chalk that up to geography more than anything). There was a little camp to them, but not to the same level (no bootie shorts!) It was like watching pro sports. Nothing against those that watch them, but they are just really not my thing.
Maybe I worry that now that men's derby is starting to happen, the original women's derby won't be considered legit anymore. And there's a lot to roller derby that isn't just competition. There's a whole lot of identity spectrum just being out there and having fun being aggressive and then laughing it off afterwards and just.
Oh my complicated feelings.
But the men's team that came to play ours in an exhibition bout didn't look any different from any other men's sports team of a similar sort, except a few more tattoos and hipster facial hair. There was a sense that because they were men they also were taking it extra srs, and that before they arrived they weren't srs.
I don't mean to knock all men's sports, or men in general, but there was a disturbing uniformity to the men's team that the women's teams just don't have (well a Wisconsin team I saw once was pretty uniform, but I chalk that up to geography more than anything). There was a little camp to them, but not to the same level (no bootie shorts!) It was like watching pro sports. Nothing against those that watch them, but they are just really not my thing.
Maybe I worry that now that men's derby is starting to happen, the original women's derby won't be considered legit anymore. And there's a lot to roller derby that isn't just competition. There's a whole lot of identity spectrum just being out there and having fun being aggressive and then laughing it off afterwards and just.
Oh my complicated feelings.
no subject
They may not have roller derby. It is sacred and I will not have this.
no subject