WomensStuff

In 2007 I started roller derby, up until that point I'd being doing figure skating on ice (badly) and didn't fit in at all because while I was pretty fucking graceful I didn't want to be all sparkly spandex. The dress code was very rigid.

At that time roller derby was very punk rock, we made our own outfits and getting bruises was a badge of honour. I fitted in well, and made good friends, we had fun, and the experience was about empowerment and having fun rather than winning.

Sometime around 2010 it started to change, there were power struggles over committee places, some teams split in two over petty crap, uniforms were professionally made so we could be "seen as real athelites" and some teams started to exploit the rules or even outright cheat in order to win.

I stopped playing, and my friend group drifted away because I'm naturally introverted ... but for that bit of time I fitted in and was truly happy.

I still have some of the kit I made myself, and lots of happy memories and photos ... sometimes I throw on a pair of quad skates and go for a roll around, and I can still do some of the graceful moves in the style of ice skating :-)