Roller Derby Star Fifi Nomenon on Being Trans in Texas

Edge of Sports

Dave Zirin / The Nation

Sports, History, News, Politics, Sports News

4.8 • 619 Ratings

🗓️ 3 June 2016

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Fifi Nomenon (say the name quickly) is a star of the Texas Rollergirls and team USA Roller Derby, and is one of the most prominent trans athletes in the United States. We break down roller derby, why it has proven to be more hospitable to trans athletes than other sports, and what it's like to be trans in Texas - a place where scapegoating has run rampant. In addition to Fifi, I have some Choice Words about anti-trans bigotry and the 2017 Super Bowl. Finally my Just Stand Up award goes to an icon of my sports-loving youth, NFL Hall of Famer Harry Carson, and his efforts to ban tackle football for kids.Fifi Nomenon: http://fb.com/fifinomenon | http://twitter.com/fifinomenonTexas Rollergirls: http://texasrollergirls.orgTeam USA Roller Derby: http://fb.com/usarollerderbyZirin: Fight Transphobia and Move the Damn 2017 Super Bowl http://thenation.com/article/fight-transphobia-and-move-the-damn-2017-super-bowl/This NFL Hall of Fame Member Won’t Let His Grandson Play Football http://thenation.com/article/this-nfl-hall-of-fame-member-wont-let-his-grandson-play-football/—http://edgeofsportspodcast.com | http://twitter.com/edgeofsports | http://fb.com/edgeofsportspod | email us: edgeofsports@slate.com--Music: LL Cool J "Phenomenon" http://llcoolj.com | Shovels & Rope "Mary Ann & One Eyed Dan" http://shovelsandrope.com | No7ice "It's Too Late" http://soundcloud.com/no7ice Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Edge of Sports, the podcast.
0:04.8	We have a hell of a show this week.
0:06.5	I'm Dave Ziren.
0:07.4	We are talking to one of the most prominent trans female athletes in these United States,
0:13.6	Texas Roller Girls and Team USA Roller Derby player, Fee Fee Phenomenon.
0:18.9	Something like a Phenomenon.
0:21.9	Greatest name ever.
0:27.8	Now, her name in regular life is Penelope Niederlander, but we're going to call her Fee Fee Nomenon.
0:34.1	I think that I would still probably go to North Carolina to play a game.
0:42.2	I will go to the bathroom with someone who is trans that feels threatened because I don't necessarily feel threatened, especially in, like, a roller derby environment.
0:43.0	Because you know what?
0:43.6	Bring it.
0:45.6	You mess with, you know, mess with Fifi Nomenon.
0:46.2	See what happens.
0:56.2	We're going to speak to Fifi about what makes roller derby special and what it's like to be a trans athlete in Texas,
0:59.9	a place where the demonization of transgender people is on full blast.
1:05.4	How did you come to Derby?
1:07.6	I saw Whip it.
1:09.5	I saw that movie when it came out in 2009.
1:11.8	The Drew Barrymore Ellen Page movie.
1:14.3	Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
1:16.2	Ruthlet.
	...

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