Roller Derby’s Rainbow Revolution: A Study of Sexual and Gender Diverse Experiences in Sport

Background and Purpose

This study delves into the experiences of sexual and gender diverse (SGD) individuals in roller derby, with a focus on how this participation disrupts social exclusion and discrimination and contributes to mental health and well-being. It seeks to inform social work practices and policies that validate and celebrate the resilience and joy inherent in SGD and trans and gender diverse (TGD) lives, contributing to the broader discourse of social justice. As an arena historically challenging gender and sexual norms, roller derby stands as an opportunity for social justice, embodying the principles of sexual and gender inclusion and diversity. It’s potential as a protective platform for SGD athletes against minority stressors, highlights sports as a catalyze for progressive social change. This study explores how roller derby can transcend the sporting context to influence social work policies and practices aimed at uprooting discrimination and fostering wellbeing among SGD populations.

Methods

This qualitative study, used a constructivist grounded theory approach, engaging 29 diverse SGD roller derby participants in semi-structured interviews that were triangulated with image and video data. This multimodal framework required blended coding strategies to dissect intricate participant narratives across the data. Multiple coders, memos and coding team meetings supported in-depth engagement with the data and enriched understanding of the nuanced social and physical experiences of participants. NVivo software was used for data analysis, which provided a robust platform for integrating and examining textual and visual data, ensuring depth and precision in our interpretive analysis.

Results

The research has yielded three pivotal insights that illustrate RD’s unique role in promoting mental health among SGD populations. Firstly, RD offers a robust array of protective and promotive factors, along with processes that are activated through engagement in the sport, significantly enhancing mental well-being for SGD participants. Secondly, TGD individuals report profound experiences of joy and affirmation in RD; a sporting domain where they not only gain the opportunity to participate but also receive community connection, support and validation. Lastly, while RD stands as a haven for bolstering resilience among SGD skaters, the findings underscore an ongoing imperative: the sport must further evolve to support the complex interplay of identities especially for racialized skaters. There remains a necessity to foster an environment that is genuinely safe and validating, one that honors the rich diversity of all participants' identities.

Conclusions and Implications

RD’s embodiment of inclusivity and resilience provides vital lessons for social work and social justice endeavors with SGD populations. The sport's embrace of diverse identities and cultures offers a blueprint for dismantling systemic barriers and enhancing the well-being of marginalized groups. Integrating roller derby's ethos into social policies and practices can amplify efforts towards equity, fostering environments where joy, inclusion, and affirmation are not the exception but the norm. This approach underlines the imperative for continuous advocacy and proactive strategies in support of SGD and diverse communities within and beyond the realm of sports.