Ontario roller derby teams cancel trips to U.S., say 2-gender rule makes it 'unsafe' for some athletes
'If all of us can't go and feel good about it, then none of us are going to go,' skater Maggie Middleton says
Some Ontario roller derby teams say they won't travel to the United States this year to compete because the current climate makes it "unsafe" for their athletes.
Teams in Waterloo region, Guelph, Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa have said they will skip bouts in the U.S.
On Sunday, Tri-City Roller Derby in Waterloo region issued a statement saying U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order recognizing only two genders — male and female — does "not allow the accurate reflection of gender expression on government documents."
Maggie Middleton, a skater and board member for Tri-City Roller Derby, said the decision not to go to the U.S. was made to protect team members.
"It was pretty clear from the get-go that people from various communities are becoming more and more unwelcome in the U.S., and then that was really solidified through the number of laws that were actually passed, the executive order etc.," she told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris.
"It was really actually quite an easy decision. Some of our skaters were not going to be safe, were not feeling safe, were not feeling confident about travelling," she added.
"If all of us can't go and feel good about it, then none of us are going to go."
Trump signed the executive order recognizing only two sexes on Jan. 20.
The order mandates that identification documents issued by the government, including passports and visas, be based on "an individual's immutable biological classification as either male or female."
Since 2019, Canadians who do not identify as female or male can list "X" as their gender on their passports. Ottawa says about 3,600 Canadians are using that marker.
Being inclusive 'important ethos of our sport'
Kaitrin Doll, a Tri-City Roller Derby athlete who also competes in Toronto, is completing a PhD dissertation on the experience of sexual and gender-diverse people in roller derby.
Doll said that as a skater who is transgender and gender queer, they appreciate the team taking a stand on travel to the U.S. and for team leadership to take the proactive step in making the decision.
"The reality is roller derby is a sport where we have had trans and gender-diverse inclusion since basically the inception of our sport. We are one of the only full contact sports that is crowned inclusive … that is an important ethos of our sport," Doll said.
"I know and love this team and trust this team. But I think it was an important decision for our leadership to make that centred the well-being of our skaters over competition."
The decision means Tri-City Roller Derby will miss out on eight bouts in the U.S. this year.
Middleton said they will still compete in Canada, and U.S. teams are invited to attend those bouts, although they've heard concerns from the U.S. teams about travelling to Canada and what they might face upon returning to the U.S.
Fewer bouts will impact season
Toronto Roller Derby said in a post on Instagram that the team's decision was made "to prioritize the safety of our skaters."
As well, Toronto Roller Derby will take additional steps to support athletes, including practices dedicated to skaters who "hold a marginalized identity," at no cost.
"Our goal is to stand in solidarity with all communities affected and affirm that we will put in the work to create an inclusive space for all," the league said.
Hammer City Roller Derby out of Hamilton said it's pausing all league travel to the U.S. indefinitely.
Fallon Hewitt, president of Hammer City, said in an email that they are "committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and we stand firmly with our trans, non-binary, two-spirit and gender-expansive friends."
"We refuse to put our members at risk and will prioritize safe competition locations," Hewitt said. "We welcome U.S. teams to Hamilton with open arms and remain dedicated to fostering a safe and inclusive space for all in roller derby."
Megan Kole, the games liaison for Royal City Roller Derby in Guelph, said she got emotional when she had to email teams in Ohio and Michigan on Feb. 24 to tell them the Guelph teams wouldn't travel for bouts south of the border.
"There's real love between our Canadian leagues and our U.S. leagues," Kole said.
"When I wrote this e-mail, which I put a lot of time into to make sure that it wasn't another hit to them when all these things were happening, they were so caring, and they said they appreciated us supporting and protecting our trans and non-binary athletes. They absolutely understood."
Kole said not attending U.S. bouts will potentially impact their league rankings.
"We do have teams we can play within Canada, but there are more teams that are close to us in the U.S., so it can have an effect on our rankings," Kole said.
"We're not necessarily going to get the games that we would want. It's going to shorten our season. We're going to have less games than we would usually have."
Kole added Royal City Roller Derby has felt supported in its decision by the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the international governing body of women's flat track roller derby. Kole said the association has told the teams it will work toward making sure all teams can attend playoff games and tournaments, including the world championships, which are scheduled for next year in Sweden.
CBC News has reached out to the WFTDA for comment on Canadian teams not travelling to the U.S., but hadn't received a response by publication time.
On Feb. 6, the WFTDA issued a statement about the U.S. administration's stance on gender. It said the gender identity of all participants "is considered confidential and private until such time, place and capacity in which the individual wishes to disclose it."
"The [association] does not and will not differentiate between members regardless of presentation and identity, and does not and will not set minimum standards of femininity or androgyny for its membership, or interfere with the privacy of its members for the purposes of eligibility," the statement said.
Sport 'is really struggling'
Doll said they're worried about roller derby athletes in the U.S. who may be impacted by the U.S.'s two-gender rule, as well as the sport itself.
"We were hit pretty hard during the pandemic. This is like another big giant hit to our sport," Doll said. "It's not necessarily just the skaters within the space. It's our sport in general that is really struggling and taking another hit here, which is a big challenge."
Doll hopes people who are unfamiliar with the sport, and either want to experience it as a fan or an athlete, will attend bouts and information nights to learn more.
"Roller derby is an incredibly fun, skilled-needed and talented sport. We have a lot of cool people — the environment is great," Doll said. "I've built my life around this sport and I've got my community with friends."
Kole wants to see safety and respect for all the athletes.
"Trans and non-binary folks in roller derby are a gift to our sport and a gift to our community. They shouldn't be treated this way."
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