For The Skaters, By The Skaters

This is intended as an affirmation, a manifesto per se.

When derby started in Austin, Texas, a group of girls broke into two parts. The reason for the break was simple. Some of the players felt like they had no say. They were doing what they were told to do, without being given reasons. They put up with a lot of shit. In the end, they said goodbye to their leaders and started the TXRG. The TXRG went on to form the WFTDA with other founding leagues. Their philosophy was basic: "For the skater, by the skater." 

The foundation of the modern derby movement is women working together to do something amazing, something astounding, something no one thought they could do. This raw power, combined with a competitive and very entertaining sport, drew crowds. Underneath it all was the power of combined female forces, building an army on skates. What kept it going were the volunteers. And what kept the volunteers going was the feeling that they were part of something. 

What has been keeping me going as a skater is the feeling that I am part of that movement. By extension, I have joined the ranks of girls who stood up and said that they didn't need to be told what to do. They had a voice. They were part of it. And when no one would listen, they took ownership of their own voices and listened to each other, casting out the ears that wouldn't hear. I hope that I can continue to feel that I have a voice, that I am a part of something, and that decisions aren't made from the top down, but from the bottom up.

This post is a reminder of the motto to all skaters:

"For the skater, by the skater."