MARION, Ill. (HEARTLAND WEEKEND) - The Southern Illinois Roller Girls (SIRG) will be bringing a new, more inclusive version of themselves to the roller derby track at this year’s Brawl-O-Ween Scrimmageathon.
According to a release from a spokesperson for SIRG, the group was founded in 2009 as the first all women’s flat track roller derby league. In 2015, The Brigade of Handsome Gentlemen, a sibling league, was developed to give skaters, who did not align with the gender definition set forth by the Women’s Flat Track Derby association, an opportunity to participate.
The release states that these teams have worked together to ensure that any adult who wanted to skate roller derby had a place to do so.
League co-president Lethal Objection says it is time for a change.
“We are inclusive in every other way but our name,” she said.
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During the time when the leagues were unable to practice because of COVID-19, members began to discuss the league’s names and if they were exclusionary.
“Though it was the trend at the time when we were created to use something like girls, chicks, babes or other feminine diminutives, we have never really been ‘girls’ as an adult-only team,” said league co-president Dread Pirate Robyn.
In the rebranding discussion, league members wanted to keep the acronym while moving to a genderless label, the release says. Many options were discussed, including Southern Illinois Roller Goonies, Southern Illinois Roller Guild and even the Southern Illinois Roller Gigglewatts.
The league has decided on a new, more inclusive name that better represents the league’s demographic. They will announce the rebrand at their annual Brawl-O-Ween Scrimmageathon.
This event will take place at The Pavilion in Marion, Ill. on Saturday, October 28 at 9 a.m. and will end at 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 29. It will feature skaters from all over the Midwest competing in mixed-skill games.
Those interested in attending all of the festivities may get passes at the door for $30. For those who just want to see standard roller derby games, there will be a public mixer with the newly named team and the Brawl-stars--the top skaters of the day--followed by the Brigade versus Morphine and the Alpahs. The doors open at 5 p.m. for these games with the first whistle at 6 p.m.
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