CVU Roller Derby Team 4 Queer&Trans Empowerment!

Sports should be fun. But for the majority of queer kids they are not. At our school, we wanted to start a casual and explicitly queer and trans supportive club sport team and chose roller derby because of its proximity to queer culture, as well as the fact that our amazing school librarian is super well versed in the sport as she was a founding member of the Boston Derby Dames. Since choosing this sport, we’ve found that it is perfect because all teammates have to start from square one on it and learn together.

Because we are all beginners and starting a brand new team, along with the fact that we really want to make sure everyone who wants to play can, regardless of whether they can afford equipment, we are seeking an estimated goal of $4000 dollars (this includes wiggle room for venue costs). While we aim to reach part of this goal with school fundraisers, we are in a bit of a time crunch because we want to start in April to be in line with spring sports seasons.

Words from the Captains/Founders:

Brigid: I’m a twelfth grader and played boy's varsity tennis before coming out as a trans woman and have felt uncomfortable about playing on the girl's team because of potential backlash. If I knew that there was a preexisting community that would have my back, especially through early transition, I would have felt more comfortable joining that team. I want to make this roller derby team into a space where people can be themselves and feel accepted and affirmed.

Clark: I’m a tenth grader at CVU, and play for the varsity girls hockey team. Ever since coming out I haven’t felt very accepted in athletic communities. I’ve never been asked my pronouns by a coach, or fellow player, and even after I advocate for myself I still do not garner the respect that my cis straight peers receive. Sports are incredibly binary, but hockey specifically creates a culture of misogyny and transphobia that is incredibly hard to escape even on a girls team. This team would provide a safe space for me and other trans athletes to exercise and play a sport we love, while also feeling included, and supported.

Storey: I’m an eleventh grader and this is my first year since elementary school that I am not playing school sports (field hockey and softball, positions forward and pitcher), in no small part due to my transition. I started my transition from female to male when I was 14 years old and although that has greatly improved my life in most ways, it has made it harder to participate in increasingly competitive sports every single year, despite my skill level. Even though I haven’t been excluded from my league for being trans (like many trans feminine students are,) sports programs still fail to include me as an equal member, whether they are summer overnight programs that can’t give me roommates or coaches that ask uncomfortable and inappropriate questions about my body and transition. To take away this unnecessary stress while still playing team sports that benefit my mind and body, a roller derby team that is accessible to everyone will greatly benefit me and my trans masc friends.

What we have so far:

Three amazing coaches who are all CVU educators!

12 other teammates!

Support from our GSA community!

Support from Green Mountain Roller Derby!

Lots of trans joy and love!

Why we need your funds:

So our teammates can have skates and safety gear!

So we can have a place to skate!