In late February, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman wanted to make history in New York—with a controversial executive order essentially banning transgender women and girls from playing in women’s sports teams. Under the attempt, women’s teams that include trans people are no longer allowed to use state features in any power. Then, a Nassau roller derby team is taking him to judge to get the restrictions lifted.
In a press conference after the executive order was announced, Blakeman called trans women and girls participating in women’s sports leagues “a form of bullying” and said that while he wasn’t aware of anyone in Nassau County actually having a problem with playing alongside trans people, he “wanted to get ahead of the curve”. Express officials, including Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, immediately came out against the professional order—Blakeman is truly suing James after her office sent him a cease-and-desist letter that claimed the senior order was “discriminative” and “illegal”.
But Blakeman is also dealing with a complaint where he’s the plaintiff. The Long Island Roller Insurgents, a Nassau County-based roller derby group, officially filed suit against Blakeman last year, with support from the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU). The Roller Separatists have around 50 people—some of whom are transgender people, meaning they’re now blocked from using state services under the executive order. “We’re expecting a determination on our complaint somewhere in middle-April,” Gabriella Larios, a team counsel for the NYCLU, told Hell Gate. “The place to me that feels most critical in this complaint is that it was issued against such a distinct backdrop of anti-discrimination laws in New York State that are strongly enforced. To me, that says this executive order is nothing more than a cynical attempt to shut trans people out of public life—and that’s unacceptable”.
Hell Gate talked to Larios and the Roller Rebels’ lead plaintiff—who asked to go by their derby moniker, Curly Fry—about community support, sitting with discomfort, and what trans women and girls stand to lose when they get excluded from sports.
This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.
How long have you been into roller derby?
Curly Fry: Yeah, so I’m 32 now, and I got into roller derby in 2016, when I was 25, 26. I got into it because I took my mom and my sister to a game, and we just looked at the amazing skaters and were just like, “Oh, my God”! We were just in awe. A few years later, I finally started playing—it’s a full-contact sport, and you’re on rollerskates. I used to skate with Gotham, and they practice in Brooklyn. I’m VP of the Long Island Roller Rebels league. We’re all volunteers. I do school part-time and I work full-time, I’m a dog parent…there’s a lot to do! But I love derby, so I want it to be a part of my life.
Did you have an organized sports background before derby?
Curly Fry: Yeah, I used to play sports on Long Island growing up. I lived in West Hempstead, which is close to Queens, but it’s Nassau County proper. When I was a little kid, I played on the GH Metros soccer team…Except, because I was really tall when I was a kid, they put me in the age group that was above mine. I didn’t know how to play soccer at all, and it was terrifying. That put me off of soccer for a minute. Then, in middle school, I ran track and played basketball and soccer—I think the only thing I didn’t make was volleyball. I played basketball, recreationally, in college sometimes, and then I ran a couple half marathons. But I hated all that—I hated running, I mean. Power to people who love running though, especially those who love running in the winter.
When did the idea of trans people—especially trans women—playing sports as an “issue” come across your radar?
Curly Fry: I don’t remember exactly when, but a few years back, there was this whole kerfuffle online because someone I know had posted something about trans women in sports on Facebook—about how trans athletes should “stay in their lane”. I didn’t really understand why someone would post that—but then also kind of understood why? It was just like, “Huh”? A very Scooby-Doo question mark moment. I remember sitting with this discomfort, and it would be nice if a lot more people really did that, rather than jumping to their immediate gut reaction, which is fear.
Within derby, like I’d already played with trans athletes who were open and out about it, and it was never an issue. So I felt that, whatever article was posted, there was a lack of understanding about trans women’s lives, or hormones—all the different things that come with transitioning, if someone so chooses to do so medically. And then my partner came out not too long after that, so I learned a lot in that short span of time.
Does your partner play roller derby too?
Curly Fry: I tried! I’m always trying to recruit people. But no, she is an actor and prefers to make sure her face stays okay. And I’m the same way. I manage at my job, and I’m always in team meetings. I can’t show up with a broken nose—it would not be cute.
For sure, most can’t. But OK, when did you hear about County Executive Blakeman’s ban on women’s leagues or teams with trans girls and women as members using county facilities?
Curly Fry: I found out through the other officers in the league, and immediately I was like, OK, I’m gonna go lay down, this bummed me out. It felt like this statement of, “Oh, yeah, you queers, you’re not welcome here”—people who have this so-called advantage, when there’s no evidence to support that in any way. It was really sad. But everyone rallied around and was like, okay, what can we do? Let’s get a message out, let’s make sure our teammates are doing all right. I’m super grateful that as a community, the league has been super supportive. And even outside of the league, now that we’ve kind of come out and announced the lawsuit and I’ve been doing these interviews with Gaby, other leagues have come out to be so supportive of what we’re doing.
Other leagues on Long Island or nationally?
Curly Fry: Yeah, there’s another league on Long Island, Strong Island. [Laughs] They’ve been supportive. And then other leagues nationally have sent messages and donations, etcetera, so that has been really thoughtful. We’re a nonprofit and volunteer-run, so anything we make basically goes right back into putting on games and training, which is why having space to do that is so important.
How has your league been impacted by the ban so far?
Curly Fry: It’s a huge potential turnoff for membership because even if I’m a cisgender woman, I don’t want to be asked about my genitalia upon joining a team. That’s just really uncomfortable. And the umbrella organization we’re connected with, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, their policy—which aligns with ours—is inclusive of trans women
