County Challenges Transgender Roller Derby Team
Clear Facts
- The Long Island Roller Rebels, a women’s roller derby team based in Long Island, New York, is grappling with a ban on transgender athletes imposed by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
- Blakeman’s executive order requires all sports teams to disclose their sex assigned at birth if they wish to participate in county facilities and parks, a move he defends as a way to prevent “the bullying of women and girls by transgender males.”
- The Roller Rebels, who follow the inclusive policies of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, have teamed up with the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) to challenge the ban in court, a legal battle that has drawn the attention and criticism of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The Long Island Roller Rebels, a women’s roller derby team stationed in Long Island, is currently wrestling with a significant challenge. This predicament is a result of a ban on transgender athletes put in place by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Blakeman’s executive order, a mandate that all sports teams disclose their sex assigned at birth to compete in county facilities and parks, has thrown a wrench into the operations of the Roller Rebels.
“The law is clear: you can’t discriminate against a person because of their gender identity or expression.”
Blakeman defends his order as a necessary step to prevent what he perceives as “the bullying of women and girls by transgender males.” However, this stance puts him at odds with the Roller Rebels. The team follows the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s inclusive policies, which allow participation from transgender women, intersex women, and gender expansive individuals.
In a bid to challenge the ban, the Roller Rebels have joined forces with the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU). The situation took a dramatic turn when New York Attorney General Letitia James publicly criticized the ban and called for its immediate repeal. In response, Blakeman initiated legal action against James, disputing her interpretation of the New York Human Rights Law.
Blakeman expressed disappointment with the NYCLU’s position, suggesting that their support for women’s rights was insufficient. The legal battle continues, with the future of the roller derby team’s competitions in Nassau County hanging in the balance.
Despite the increasing number of states enacting bans on transgender athletes, this case in New York stands out as a particularly contentious issue. As a Senate bill on the matter remains in a state of nationwide uncertainty, the Roller Rebels are gearing up for their forthcoming bouts, demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
Stay tuned for updates as the Roller Rebels not only face opponents on the derby track, but also legal challenges in the realm of gender equality and inclusivity.
The views and opinions expressed here are just those of the writer.
Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
Rebel
March 27, 2024 at 7:15 am
I think transgenders need to form their own teams. They have no business competing against women. They will never be women. Their DNA is male. They can call themselves anything they want, but the best description is mentally ill or failed male athletes who still want to compete. Simple, form your own teams.
Disgusted Patriot
March 28, 2024 at 7:13 am
Agree. Then when there are only a few teams to compete against each other, EVERYBODY gets a trophy!!
Earnest T Bass
March 27, 2024 at 2:21 pm
There is no such thing as a TRANS HUMAN !!
These FREAKS AND WEIRDOS need to be put down like a ANIMAL.
mountainman
March 28, 2024 at 7:26 am
If you can’t make it as a male in your profession than maybe it is time to change your profession. Saying you changing your gender (an impossibility) is not going to improve your abilities just hide them like a pu–y. It is time for real men to stand up and support the women/girls who are trying to stand up for their profession.
Rat Wrangler
March 28, 2024 at 4:36 pm
The best way to handle this is to eliminate all of the men’s and women’s teams in all sports. Reintroduce male teams and female teams instead. Very few argue about the definitions of those terms, so their meanings tend to be less controversial.