‘With Liberty and Justice to Brawl’

The DC Rollergirls begin their new season this Sunday in true roller derby style: kicking ass and making names.

By Chase Johnson

September 21, 2009

Courtesy of Framehouse Photography

Rollergirls are not your typical female athletes. They may skate in fishnet stockings, short skirts and makeup, but with names like Killary Hittin and Lois Slain, these women are not to be taken lightly.

Although it might seem incongruous at first, the juxtaposition of exaggerated femininity with overt aggression is a classic characteristic of roller derby, and not just in Washington, D.C.’s local league, the DC Rollergirls.

“People often see it as a subculture,” says league member Dr. Drea, also known as Andrea Jennings of Arlington. “But I don’t think that’s actually true.” Indeed, outside of roller derby, many of the women are just normal members of society. For example, Jennings is a sign language interpreter; league president Ovary Reaction, or Maegan Henry of Alexandria, is the director of religious education at an area church.

In many ways, these women defy stereotypes, and that is precisely the point. They assume alter egos, which for many are more aggressive, outgoing versions of themselves. Even though they dress differently than they might in their everyday lives, they often don’t stray too far from the unhindered versions of themselves.

“I think that people change depending on the situation that they’re in. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t being true to themselves,” Drea says. “I’m myself at work, I’m myself at home, and I’m myself at derby.”

The sport also seeks to devalue societal norms regarding body image. “It’s a place where women can, no matter what size or shape they are, [be] accepted for the gifts that they bring,” Action says. “All different types of women are encouraged and valued.”

In that way, the sport represents a new kind of feminism that focuses on letting individual women decide for themselves what it means to be a woman. Some would categorize it as an example of third-wave feminism (the first wave being suffrage, the second the bra-burning movement of the 1960s), although that distinction isn’t universally accepted among derby participants because many feel it is unnecessary to label the sport.

“Roller derby is so cutting edge in terms of its type of feminism,” Action says. “We don’t openly talk about this being any specific type of social movement. We’re just doing it”

Roller derby has come a long way since it was dreamt up in the 1930s as an alternative to walkathons and danceathons. Back then, one might confuse a derby as a quiet weekend trip to the roller rink with a friendly competition to see who could complete a set number of circuits first. The sport’s popularity has ebbed up and down since then, but seems to be gaining traction once again, evidenced by the creation of local leagues across the country, much like the DC Rollergirls, which was founded in 2006.

The D.C. league is made up of three home teams¬: The DC DemonCats, the Cherry Blossom Bombshells and Scare Force One. In addition, the league fields a traveling all-star team drawn from the three local teams. The home and travel teams model is a common one among the 78 leagues across the country associated with the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

D.C.’s home teams compete against one another during the local season, which begins this Sunday. Bouts that routinely draw more than 1,000 fans are scheduled monthly, and usually pit two of D.C.’s teams against one another, preceded by an expo bout between the remaining D.C. team and a visiting team from a nearby league.

The home teams maintain a league-first mentality; they practice together, they help develop new talent together, and they cheer each other on at regional tournaments in which the all-star team competes. But the women don’t hold anything back when they face each other—the bouts are physical and very competitive. Yet, through all the competition, most of the women form unique friendships with people they would have never known otherwise.

“It’s been really rewarding for me to have a community of women that I spend time with that are not related to work or friends that are the parents of my daughter’s friends,” Action says. “It’s really just me exploring what it’s like to be my own person as an adult and have something that I’m doing just for myself.”

The DC Rollergirls host bouts at the D.C. Armory, which is next to RFK Stadium. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $6 for kids aged 6 to 11 and free for kids under 5.

“There’s no typical demographic of our fans; it is everyone from the family—the couple with the kids—to the Vietnam vets that ride up in their motorcycles,” Drea says. “We have everything in between. It’s theatrical and entertaining, but real, and I think people are drawn to reality.”

To find more information about the league or how to join, visit DCRollergirls.com. The league is open to any experience level, and newcomers are trained on technique and strategy before they join teams.