This Is Men's Derby
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This is Men’s Derby: Identity, Belonging, and Community in Men’s Roller Derby By: Dawn Fletcher A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Sheffield Faculty of Social Sciences Department of Sociological Studies August 2018 1 2 ABSTRACT The emerging sport of roller derby was initially conceived as an inclusive, DIY/ ‘alternative’ sport. Tensions exist around the competing desires to retain this focus, but also to become commercially viable and professional. Existing research positions roller derby as women-only and interprets the sport as a space for identity and gender expression. Offering an insider account, I develop an ethnographic case study of a men’s roller derby team. Through data gathered during a year-long participant observation and sixteen in-depth interviews, I examine the relationship between identity, belonging, and community in the development of a specific, localised roller derby culture. Underpinned by an interest in the realisation of gendered identifications, this thesis explores the interdependence of inclusivity and exclusivity, performance and professionalism, and self-image and public image. It also considers those more prosaic tensions of ‘doing’ roller derby that exist between playing and officiating, ethos and administration, and continuation and change. In doing so it attempts to provide a sociological lens through which roller derby can be seen to be achieved, experienced, and understood in the practices of those who engage with the community. Whilst ethnographic accounts are necessarily situated within specific contexts, this thesis extends the literature on roller derby by highlighting how the competing and dislocated ideals associated with the sport are experienced within very particular places. Moreover, it provides an account of the process through which sports teams within a ‘DIY culture’ get made and re-made, and, ultimately, how they are variously transformed by the people who experience them. Additionally, through this exploration of the perceptions and experience of men, the thesis seeks to add to the literature redefining what it means to be ‘masculine’ within sport, in a site where mutual support, comradery, and acceptance are more important than the will to win. 3 4 DECLARATION This research is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council +3 Award, grant number: 1510347 This thesis is my own work, apart from where otherwise indicated, and has not been submitted for any other degree or professional qualification. Dawn Fletcher Sheffield, August 2018 Adapted sections of Chapter 4 appear in Fletcher, D. (2017) “Or Are You Just Pleased to See Me?” The Role of the Boutfit in Men’s Roller Derby. Sheffield Student Journal for Sociology, pp.120-136. Adapted sections of Chapters 5, 6, and 7 appear in Fletcher, D. (2018) Getting Roller Derby Right: How the Interplay of Identity and Community Creates Belonging. Paper Presented at the 2018 British Sociological Association Conference, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK. Adapted sections of Chapter 5 appear in Fletcher, D. (2017) Roller Derby Identities: Disruption and Redefinition. Paper Presented at the 2017 Leisure Studies Association Conference, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK. Adapted sections of Chapter 6 appear in Fletcher, D. (2017) Men’s Roller Derby as a Progressive Model for Trans Inclusion. Paper Presented at Men and Masculinities: Politics, Policies, and Praxis, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden. Adapted sections of Chapter 6 appear in Fletcher, D. Belonging and Inclusivity in Men’s Roller Derby. Paper Presented at ‘Recovering the Social: Personal Troubles and Public Issues’, the Annual British Sociological Association Conference, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 5 6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to thank my supervisors, Lorna Warren and Tom Clark. Lorna has been there for me from the beginning, guiding me through both the act of doing a PhD, and the emotions that are an inevitable part of the process. Tom joined later but has been invaluable in offering me ways to think through the methodological and ethical issues I encountered. Together, they are a formidable team and I am grateful for their support. I must also thank Vicki Robinson, who supported my early thinking. I am also grateful for the feedback offered at my confirmation review by Jadwiga Leigh, Robin Sen, and Kate Reed. Thanks also go to my co-editors of the Sheffield Student Journal for Sociology, Ruth Beresford and Lauren White. You both now know more about roller derby than you ever wished to, and I appreciate the times you listened, and your friendship. To my house-mates, Jenny and Steve: Thank you for providing me with a home and putting up with my moods and unfocused ranting. To my non-human companions, Sprocket and Hendricks: I know you can’t read, but you’ve always listened. If you are feeling sad or angry, there is nothing better than a couple of sad-faced dogs to act as a confidential sounding-board. Also, thank you to my parents who continue to support me no matter what life decisions I make. Thank you to the Sheffield Steel Rollergirls. You have given me more than I can say. There is a huge list of amazing things I have been given the opportunity to do over the last eight years that I would never have done if I hadn’t found you. And to the Crucibelles: <3 <3 <3 <3 Finally, thank you to all the members of the Inhuman League, past and present, but especially to Fin. I, quite literally, could not have done this without you. I might not see you as much as I would like, but I love you all. Despite any of the difficulties I have laid bare, you are still, and will always be, my very favourite men’s sports team. And, yes, I still have the Zom B Cru helmet covers. They are ready and waiting whenever you need them. 7 8 CONTENTS ABSTRACT p.3 DECLARATION p.5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS p.7 CONTENTS p.9 LIST OF FIGURES p.11 1 INTRODUCTION p.13 1.1 The Roller Derby p.14 1.2 Modern Roller Derby p.16 1.3 Men’s Roller Derby p.19 1.4 The Inhuman League p.20 1.5 My Experience p.22 1.6 The Research p.24 2 LITERATURE REVIEW p.29 2.1 Introduction p.29 2.2 Everyday Practice p.32 2.3 Identity p.34 2.4 Community and Belonging p.41 2.5 Theorising Gender p.47 2.6 Embodiment p.52 2.7 Gender, Masculinity, Identity and Sport p.55 Sporting Masculinities p.55 New Masculinities p.59 Gender Integration in Sport p.63 2.8 Roller Derby p.67 Identity in Women’s Roller Derby p.67 Belonging, Community, and Inclusivity in Women’s Roller Derby p.71 2.9 Conclusion p.76 3 METHODOLOGY p.81 3.1 Introduction p.81 3.2 Situated Knowledges p.82 3.3 Truth and Faking p.89 3.4 Ethical Risk-Taking p.95 3.5 Interviewing Men p.102 3.6 Situational Analysis p.107 4 COMMUNITY AND ENGAGEMENT p.111 4.1 Introduction p.111 4.2 The Local Roller Derby Community p.112 Women’s Teams p.112 Officials p.116 Sheffield Roller Derby p.121 4.3 Non-Roller Derby Locals p.123 Venues p.123 Doing-It-Yourself p.129 Engagement and Recruitment p.131 4.4 The Wider Roller Derby Community p.135 4.5 Summary and Discussion p.140 5 IMAGE AND IDENTITY p.143 5.1 Introduction p.143 9 5.2 Names and Numbers p.145 5.3 Boutfits p.152 5.4 Good Impressions p.165 5.5 Inclusivity p.171 5.6 Summary and Discussion p.174 Individual Identifications p.175 Collective Identifications p.178 6 BELONGING AND INCLUSIVITY p.181 6.1 Introduction p.181 6.2 Banter, Jokes, and Insults p.183 6.3 It’s More of a Team Now p.192 6.4 Acceptance p.205 6.5 The Bigger Boys Made Me Do It p.217 6.6 Summary and Discussion p.221 7 BARRIERS TO BELONGING p.225 7.1 Introduction p.225 7.2 Every Team Has One p.228 7.3 The Referee’s Decision is Final p.240 7.5 Roller Derby Through a Different Lens p.248 7.5 Summary and Discussion p.251 8 CONCLUSION p.257 8.1 Findings and Discussion p.257 Successful performances of a roller derby persona p.258 Constructions of community in everyday practice p.261 8.2 Contributions and Implications p.266 Empirical p.266 Theoretical p.267 Methodological p.267 8.3 New Questions and Future Research p.268 8.4 Postscript p.269 GLOSSARY p.271 APPENDIX p.277 REFERENCES p.297 10 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1 Inhuman League logo p.20 Figure 4.1 ‘Dead Meat’ recruitment poster p.133 Figure 4.2 Inhuman League webpage p.134 Figure 5.1 Graphical taxonomy of roller derby skate names p.147 Figure 5.2 Phally’s first hot-pants p.155 Figure 5.3 Phallic Baldwin’s boutfit p.156 Figure 5.4 Nuke’s shorts p.159 Figure 5.5 Jonathan R’s boutfit 1 p.162 Figure 6.1 Zom B Cru logo p.199 Figure 6.2 Phally jams wearing his hot-pants p.209 Figure 6.3 Switching teams p.221 Figure 7.1 On the outside of the action as a referee. p.243 11 12 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION This thesis takes the form of an ethnography. It explores the relationship between identity (including gender), belonging, and community in a UK-based men’s roller derby team. Through this central focus, the thesis examines the interdependence of inclusivity and exclusivity, performance and professionalism, and self-image and public image, and explores the tensions that exist in ‘doing’ roller derby between playing and officiating, ethos and administration, and continuation and change.