Men in a ‘women only’ sport? Contesting gender relations and sex integration in roller derby

Abstract

Roller derby is a growing, popular sport, where teams compete on roller skates, and where rules allow "blocking" and full body contact. Roller derby is primarily played by women, with men restricted to support roles during its revival stage in the early 2000s. However, men and gender diverse skaters are increasingly playing the sport, in mixed / co-ed leagues and Men's teams. This has created deep divisions within the derby community regarding the role of men in a women's space and the playing of a full contact sport with men against women on the track. The tensions within derby highlight the wider gendered problems in sport regarding perceptions of athletic ability, strength and capability. Drawing on an ethnographic methodology, we present a range of perspectives from derby players and counter-point their lived experiences with the structural constraints on gender enforced by the governing bodies with the sport Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and Men's Roller Derby Association (MRDA). We explicitly engage from a radically inclusive position inspired by Hargreaves' (1990) call for sport to challenge gendered notions of capability.

“Before I am biologically a male, I am me”: Exploring gender identity of South Korean male exotic polers

“…Research participants’ theatrical backgrounds in dance studies allowed them to be welcomed and prevented them from being scrutinized by female members of the studio. Contrary to women participating in female-centered activities, research has shown that women expressing strong passion for their involvement expands to exclusiveness, which ultimately renders the feeling that men are invading a female terrain (Pavlidis and Connor, 2016). In this study, it was not mentioned why studio owners restricted access for certain men to join classes.…”

Derby Girls’ Parodic Self-Sexualizations: Autonomy, Articulacy and Ambiguity

“…Moreover, derby is a physically tough, full contact sport that, in Kane's (1995, 194) terms, offers opportunities for women to 'experience their bodies as strong and powerful and free from male domination'. It is for these reasons that derby is often espoused as a 'feminist' sport (Finley 2010;Kearney 2011;Pavlidis and Connor 2016). Sailors (2013) affirms an emancipatory potential through a sweep of qualities characteristic of the sport and its subcultural scaffolding: (i) the sport's DIY character; (ii) a core aggression constitutive of the definition of masculinity and ideologically at odds with conventional femininity; (iii) simultaneous attachment to elements of conventional femininity such as the preceding revealing clothing; (iv) the extension of the said clothing to women of different body shapes and ages; (v) the parody of conventional femininity; (vi) inhospitality towards 'girl drama ' and (vii) the bonds between players.…”

Skills capital and inclusivity in men’s roller derby

“…Modern roller derby was conceived in 2001 as a women-only sport (Breeze, 2010; Sailors, 2013), and adherence to DIY and alternative ethics were an integral part of its development (Beaver, 2012; Pavlidis, 2012). Initially a space for women to have the freedom to be athletic and aggressive, whilst also part of a cooperative community, the sport of roller derby expanded to include men (Fletcher, 2014; Pavlidis and Connor, 2015). This involvement has not always been welcomed and men have frequently been reminded that they are a small minority within the sport; that roller derby is not ‘for’ them (D’Andrea, 2011; Proven, 2014).…”