Several Ontario roller derby teams, including Tri-City Roller Derby, have chosen not to compete in the U.S. this year due to safety concerns over the current political climate and gender-related policies. The decision was influenced by U.S. President Trump's executive order recognizing only two genders, which team members felt endangered the safety and inclusivity of athletes. Maggie Middleton, a board member, shared that many skaters did not feel safe or confident traveling to the U.S., leading to a united decision to refrain from participating in these bouts.
Maggie Middleton, a skater and board member for Tri-City Roller Derby, said the decision not to go to the U.S. was made to protect team members. "It was pretty clear from the get-go that people from various communities are becoming more and more unwelcome in the U.S., and then that was really solidified through the number of laws that were actually passed, the executive order etc.," she told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris.
The order mandates that identification documents issued by the government, including passports and visas, be based on "an individual's immutable biological classification as either male or female." Since 2019, Canadians who do not identify as female or male can find themselves without proper documentation for travel.
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