Blood, Sweat and Queers: Roller Derby and Queer Heritage

Summary

Queer theory is a new and developing realm of heritage management; with the listing of historic places Stonewall National Monument and the Bayard Rustin Residence, queer heritage is attaining broader recognition. Investigations into the broader patterns of queer history will expose additional spaces and places with important associations to queer communities on multiple levels. Roller derby’s queer-normative environment has become a center of community-building in the last twenty years, particularly for queer women and gender-nonconforming or trans* individuals. An analysis of the history of roller derby, the uses of space and landscape associated with the sport, and the development of community ties provides a unique perspective on the establishment of marginalized, sub-cultural communities. The examination of roller derby as an aspect of Queer Heritage acknowledges and incorporates the queer community in the Authorized Heritage Discourse, allowing for a richer, more inclusive understanding of our shared past.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Paper / Report Submission (General Sessions) 2018   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 978