Fast, aggressive and fiercely LGBT-inclusive, roller derby officially has a stronghold in Central and West Florida.
The Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls (OPCDG), the area’s newest league, played its first game at Universal Skate Center on Sept. 12. Currently, the league consists of three teams: Bellevue Bombshells, Sunnyland Slammers and the Serial Thrillers. OPCDG kicked off in October 2009 with only a handful of skaters. After recruitment events in February and March of 2010, the league’s numbers exploded and it now boasts about 35 active, rostered skaters, each with a different alter ego designated by her “derby name.”
By all accounts, the season opener was a huge success, with more than 700 tickets sold and nearly $900 earned through sales of merchandise and raffle tickets. Fans dressed in their favorite colors packed the rink, groaning each time a fall led to a pile-up and cheering each time a jammer took a hard hit from an opposing blocker. (For more explanation on how the game works, see the accompanying sidebar on pg. 30.)
OPCDG is the baby of the family that is Central Florida roller derby. Sintral City Derby Demons have been around since 2008 and practice out of South Daytona; and the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins have been on a track since 2005. It’s a different group of girls in different areas, but all of the leagues have one thing in common: even though they attract skaters from a variety of ages, jobs and backgrounds, all three leagues are extraordinarily gay-inclusive, with a good percentage of skaters identifying as lesbian or bisexual.
A Derby Dynamic
Tiffany Maitland (Derby name: Vegas) and her partner Melissa Biddle are the owners of OPCDG. Maitland had been on a derby team in Las Vegas before she moved to Orlando and attended the February recruitment.
“Melissa and I have always wanted to build something together, and the league couldn’t go any further without an owner,” Maitland says. So she and Biddle approached the OPCDG board about filling that role.
An endeavor of this size is a huge time and energy commitment, and for many couples, that would lead to problems. Maitland says this is not the case here.
“Any time we have a difference of opinion, we talk it out or bring it to the board to get their opinions, to help make up our minds,” she says. “Business-wise, Melissa and I are pretty much on the same page and it’s kind of nice living with your business partner, because we are continuously talking and don’t have to pick up the phone.”
Biddle admits that derby can get in the way of their relationship.
“It’s hard to separate business, and we need personal time together to do things outside of derby too, so sometimes that can get a little hard,” she says.
Maitland says OPCDG’s level of gay-inclusiveness is not unusual.
“Every league I’ve ever come across has been very gay friendly,” she says. “It was especially great to see that in Vegas because Vegas is kind of cut-throat.”
And, of course, women date women within the league.
“We just ask if anything should happen [within the relationship], that they keep it professional,” Maitland says.
Jessa (derby name: Slayer Moon) and Amber (derby name: Phoenix on Fire) have been an item for three months. They skate with OPCDG but on different teams: Jessa is with the Serial Thrillers while Amber skates for the Sunnyland Slammers. They met at practice but Amber says they really bonded at an “adult night” at Semoran Skateway—after some whiskey.
Jessa says there are no disadvantages to being together while skating against each other.
“It’s probably more of a challenge because I’m trying to impress [Amber],” she says. “I think sometimes I hit her more often because I want to prepare her but I never hit her too hard.”
“She’d never go out of her way to hurt me but she’s knocked me down a few times,” says Luu.
Another advantage is that Luu understands “what I go through or who I’d spend $700 on a pair of roller skates,” says Hartzell.
That L-word
So why are lesbians attracted to the sport?
“Because we’re hot!” says Hartzell. “Besides that, I think it’s a sisterhood. I call it ‘sportswomanship,’ hot girls in fishnets and we’re tough.”
“It’s an all girls sport and that’s perfect for me because I like girls,” says Luu.
Vanessa Brewster (derby name: TT Lichtenstein) has a girlfriend who is not a skater. Brewster and D.J. Marston have been a couple for three years, and when Brewster skates, Marston wears a T-shirt that says “Mr. Lichtenstein.”
“She loves it, it gets me out of the house and gets me moving,” Brewster says. “I’m out with the team a lot but I do try to bring her with me. We try to keep a derby balance.”
She says while derby is definitely gay-inclusive, that’s not really the point.
“It’s more about working on people’s strengths without focusing on sexuality,” she said.
However, Brewster understands why gay women are attracted to the sport: “Women in short skirts hitting each other. You’ve got the sports aspect and you’ve got females in no clothing. I’m sure that’s an enticing factor.”
Of the Tampa Bay Derby Darlins’ 80 active skaters, league director of marketing Stephanie Turner (derby name: Lesbolina Jolie) says she estimates 15–20 are bi or gay. Because the league has existed for more than six years, they have moved beyond the phase of establishing themselves and are now actively reaching out to the gay community.
Stephanie Turner (derby name: Lesbolina Jolie) is the league’s director of marketing, and she says the league had a presence in a couple of local pride events.
“We dedicated this past June’s bout to the LGBT community and did a pride-themed bout,” Turner says. “We brought in a lot of gays and lesbians, put them in our VIP section, and it was really fun.”
The league has also hosted events at Hamburger Mary’s in Ybor City and the Rainbow Room in Tampa.
“While derby isn’t a gay sport, it definitely does represent a lot of things that lesbians and gay people are about,” Turner says. “It’s all about coming together and people being themselves and expressing a part of themselves that maybe they don’t express in their day-to-day lives. In my normal life I’m a mediator, so I’m with lawyers and corporate representatives all day. In derby, I get the opportunity to be Lesbolina Jolie and be goofy and have fun with my friends.”
The Tampa Bay Derby Darlins’ next bout is Saturday, Oct. 23, and details on the match-up are available at TampaBayDerbyDarlins.com.
The Orlando Psycho City Derby Girls’ next game is Saturday, Oct. 10, and will host a recruitment event on Thursday, Oct. 14. More information on that league is available at Facebook.com/OrlandoDerbyGirls. (Click on “Events.”)
Thinking of strapping on some skates and showing up at that recruitment event? Luu has a message for you.
“We accept anyone—and lesbians are extra especially invited.”
