Drew Barrymore’s 2009 film Whip It, about a girl who trades her small-town beauty pageant crown for the rowdy world of roller derby, is a millennial cult hit. The origins of the sport date back to 1930s Chicago. More recently, it has become one of Asia’s fastest-growing subcultures. And just like the movie, the cast of Hong Kong Roller Derby, the city’s first and only group practising the sport, is female led.
Part endurance race, part wrestling match and all on roller skates, when it first appeared this full-contact game allowed men and women to compete on equal grounds at a time when such a concept was unheard of. With Hong Kong Roller Derby, that egalitarian message has evolved into an unapologetically feminist one. Created in 2013 with just five members, the crew now boasts 30 skaters – from creative types to young entrepreneurs – competing in tournaments across the world.
“Roller derby is like feminism combined with athleticism and a little bit of punk,” says Snooky Wong, a founding member who’s been leading the team for several years. “It’s a way to feel strong and be part of a community of seriously cool people.”
What it’s not, explains Wong, is exclusionary. “We’re an inclusive bunch, and are always open to growing our crew.” So much so that she and a teammate have opened the multi-floor skate emporium Madame Quad, where everyone is invited. (You can also find Wong and Co in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park every Tuesday night.) “Roller derby might look intimidating, but the ethos behind it isn’t,” says Wong. “It’s the most welcoming sport I’ve ever done.”
It is also not what is traditionally expected of Asian women. “In Asia, there’s this assumption that women should avoid physical games, or else they might get bruised or bloody and inherently unattractive,” Wong says. “Roller derby is very ‘unladylike’. But that’s what draws a lot of us to it. It defies expectations.”
