A new enthusiasm?

[sacredchao]

At random intervals over the past few months the subject of skating has come up. I used to skate quite a lot when I was a kid and for a short time back in the early 90s a pair of rollerblades was my primary form of transport. I adore skating; it's a beautiful, fluid, graceful form of movement that makes me feel all deft and stuff. At the Midsumma queer festival recently someone handed me a flyer for a roller derby event that was on tonight so I bought a ticket and went along to have a look. A little more body contact than I usually like in a sport but it still looks awesome and I'm led to understand that they're quite trans friendly. I collared one person to ask about it who sent someone else over to have a chat with me and the upshot of it is that there's a tryout happening on the 18th of Feb. I shall buy myself a mouthguard and give it a shot and if the stars all align which I rather hope they will, I'll then commit to the expense of skates and pads and helmet and find out how enjoyable and beneficial skating training 2-3 times a week can be. They don't have a policy with regards to trans people but it's apparently something that's under discussion and all looking promising in that respect. The rule of thumb seems to be that I'd have to have been on hormones for 12 months and I passed that mark a couple of months ago so that's all fine.

It really does look promising. There's a pile of associations and connotations there that tell me I can be both athletic and feminine and they people will accept me as both.

So a fun afternoon watching that followed by an evening of sitting about chatting at a party marred only slightly by the temporary filling I had put in a long time ago finally giving up and falling out. I should probably have a less temporary one put in. Expense. Grr.

Comments

[ms-kilian.livejournal.com]

Ohh, that sounds like fun. I don't know much about roller derby, but I understand the outfits are really cute. Even if the participation doesn't suit you (as in, you try out and decide its a bit too much for you ATM), it's another plae to go to hang out with like minded beings.
What sort of padding is required?

[sacred-chao.livejournal.com]

The outfits are very much what you want them to be but there is a sort of punk/rockabilly thing going on which is rather fun. Padding is mouthguard, knee and elbow pads and wristguards. This also winds up being part of the look of the thing...there's a bit of riotgrrl chic going on there.

roller derby on the rise

[paypabakwriter.livejournal.com]

You're catching a big trend. In first life, I attended a roller derby at a skating rink and it was a lark and a hoot. Girls of all shapes and sizes were out there having a great time. In second life, I've joined a roller derby team! Writing about it on my Tumblr blog, too.

Go for it!