Pride of MKRD
Today is Milton Keynes Pride and we are very excited to be attending. We are an inclusive team and proud of our diverse community. In the lead up to Pride we have been sharing some of our skaters testimonies on our Facebook page. You may also read them below.
"Being part of roller derby has been a big part of me embracing my bisexuality. Spending so much time with a bunch of diverse, tolerant, awesome folks just goes to show that when people are free to be their full selves, the world is a better, more interesting place! Everyone is welcome at MKRD regardless of their gender identity or sexuality." -Shanks
"I'm quite a social person, but I always feel like I'm held back by needing to explain myself to others - that I'm nonbinary, and that I want to be referred to not as a man or a woman but as a gender-neutral person. While the vast majority of people are well-meaning and will listen, it's still exhausting and surprisingly invalidating having to explain myself repeatedly, and it can mean I don't join in as much as I want to.
MKRD is the first space I've found so far that has never made me feel like this. There are other nonbinary people. Everyone remembers your pronouns. You don't have to go through Gender Identity 101 or explain why you have a "weird" name. Everyone takes you as you come, accepts you openheartedly, and gives you space to not only be yourself, but to become a badass skater/amazing ref/incredible NSO while you're at it."- Otter
"I've done other sports and my sexuality was an issue, at school because of my size and being gay I wasn't really encouraged to be myself and wasn't expected to do well at any sports, when I did karate I actually had someone refuse to be in the same changing room as me because of my sexuality. But with roller derby no one cared, it was more a case of cool you want to skate more then anything. Doing roller derby has introduced me to a spectrum of people who we thoroughly encourage to be ourselves and I am so proud of how far we've come and how comfortable this sport has allowed me to grow into being myself." -Mugs
"Roller derby has given us so many things. Self-acceptance, confidence, a sense of community, a sense of pride in our bodies and our abilities. Without this sport we never would have met and found each other. We started this journey as friends with a mutual interest in a kick ass hobby. This safe space let us explore our identities together and the support of our friends and team mates was a big part of that. Everyone needs a space to grow and feel comfortable in their skin. And maybe even find the love of your life. :)" - Nutzname
