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This story originally appeared on The 19th.
For Juniper Simonis, that night in 2012 replays like the start of a favorite movie. It’s a warm summer evening, and she’s speeding through Ithaca, New York, on her bike. The wind is in her hair — at least as much as it could be under a bike helmet. Mariee Siou, the American folk singer, is blasting through her headphones.
The moment is memorable because of the feelings of freedom and hope sparked by an email she has just received. It says that the Ithaca League of Women Rollers derby team voted to allow her to play.
“As somebody who played sports and was queer, but those were two very separate parts of my life, the promise and the opportunity … to integrate those was very hopeful for me.”
This story originally appeared on The 19th.
For Juniper Simonis, that night in 2012 replays like the start of a favorite movie. It’s a warm summer evening, and she’s speeding through Ithaca, New York, on her bike. The wind is in her hair — at least as much as it could be under a bike helmet. Mariee Siou, the American folk singer, is blasting through her headphones.
The moment is memorable because of the feelings of freedom and hope sparked by an email she has just received. It says that the Ithaca League of Women Rollers derby team voted to allow her to play.
“As somebody who played sports and was queer, but those were two very separate parts of my life, the promise and the opportunity … to integrate those was very hopeful for me.”
5 days ago
