Skate Day

I'm happy to say I'm finally going to have a chance to write a post not concerning winter.  This afternoon, a group of friends and I are going to see the Cincinnati Roller Girls.  So yes I'm talking roller skating.  In my youth (yes I do remember it) , I remember watching mainly men roller skate on a banked wooden oval basically creating mayhem.  Hey, it beat wrestling! But when I caught a glimpse of the roller girls, I was fascinated!  For the most part they were faster and meaner than the guys.

As I was looking forward to this afternoon, I thought how great it was that several years ago, the sport broke the binary gender lines (along with body parts) by accepting a transgender woman skater.  In the beginning, Kayley Whalen, who signed up for roller derby in May 2008, and had to lie about who she was. Later though,she was required to sign a code of conduct that stated, ‘transsexual women are allowed to join if it has been at least two years since surgery, per International Olympic Committee rules’. At that point, Whalen, who skated under the name Lenore Gore, was drafted onto the DC Rollergirls team Scare Force One.  Kayley was a “jammer,” scoring points while speeding past the other team’s players while blockers with names like Dyke Diggler, Velocity Raptor and Marion Barrycuda toss opponents aside to clear the way. It’s sisterhood through bruising- which gives you an idea of the sport.

So, this afternoon will be fun in that I know one of the participants just could be transgender and the three genetic women I'm would even know-or care.