Trans athletes welcomed with open arms by inclusive roller derby league: ‘Open to anybody’

With sporting bodies and politicians intent on excluding trans people from sports, a grassroots initiative is trying to change the narrative.

LGBTQ+ charity The Kite Trust teamed up with inclusive roller derby league the Cambridge Rollerbillies for a taster session on 2 April to help get young trans people excited about sport.

Roller derby is a team contact sport played on roller skates, and the Rollerbillies is “very a much a place where you can come as you are, we’re happy to have everybody involved”, team member Alison Hedley, known as Hedders, told PinkNews.

“The whole league is open to anybody, we welcome people of all backgrounds and sexual identities.”

Player and training officer KP called it the “perfect gateway” into sports for trans people – who may feel uncomfortable with the likes of rugby and swimming, given the scrutiny top-level trans athletes have faced.

“I think there is an entryway into thinking, ‘Oh look I actually can be part of sports, I just hadn’t found something that was right for me,'” KP said.

“I’ve met young trans girls that we’ve worked with who said: ‘I now can’t play for my local rugby team, so what do I do? Where do I go?’

“Now it’s trying to find those people who have been disillusioned by these things and I think the relationship we have between The Kite Trust and the Rollerbillies is a nice, strong one in that sense.”

‘It would have changed my mind and possibly my whole life’

Trans participation in sports has become a hot topic in recent years fuelled by claims trans people – especially trans women – are outcompeting other players.

This has resulted in bans on trans athletes, despite experts and trans advocates saying that there’s not enough robust research to justify these decisions.

In an effort to combat the impact this is having on trans people’s love of sport, The Kite Trust has organised multiple trans-inclusive or trans-only sports sessions – from swimming to local marathons.

Hedders explained that as a young person, she had “hated sport” and thought it “wasn’t for me”.

“If I had seen the Rollerbillies at that point, it would have changed my mind and possibly my whole life. The mental health benefits would have done me a lot of good and I think that’s more applicable to LGBTQ+ young people who are struggling.“

In February, the Kite Trust’s headquarters was attacked by homophobic vandals who smashed a window and destroyed stock inside.

In response, a fundraiser to repair the damages held by the Cambridge Rollerbillies raised over £590 – more than double its £250 goal.

Despite the backlash, The Kite Trust and the Cambridge Rollerbillies are determined to create a safe space for trans people to be able to play the sports they want to play.

As Hedders explained, roller derby is simply fun to play, and trans people deserve that joy as much as anyone else.

“I think it’s a really refreshing change of attitude compared to a lot of sports and the way they’re heading at the moment,” Hedders said.

“If you’re unfamiliar with roller derby, it’s worth checking out.”