'This is not the place for a social experiment': Trans boys kicked out of roller skating rink, protest ensues
A roller rink in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is skating on thin ice after the removal of two trans boys.
On Oct. 26, two individuals, who have chosen to remain anonymous, were enjoying an evening at Super Skate when the DJ announced a “boys only” skate. The 12- and 13-year-olds were born female but identify as male, so they stayed on the rink.
Their fun was cut short when the DJ asked them to get off the floor because, apparently, “someone complained about girls skating during a boys’ skate,” Tommi Karma, a member of the LGBTQ community in Cedar Rapids and media representative for the families, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. One of the boys told Cedar Rapids news station KCRG that they “didn’t personally see anybody complain.”
The friends approached the DJ to explain that they both identify as male. “Both also have short hair and dressed in typical teenaged boy clothing,” Karma points out. But that didn’t suffice. “The DJ then responded, ‘This is not the place for a social experiment,’” Karma says. Naturally, one of the kids called his dad, who came to Super Skate to address the issue. “He approached the DJ and explained that the kids identify as male, and denying them the right to participate as their identified gender can be harmful and even lead to suicide,” Karma says. “The DJ responded, ‘So what.’ The father then went to the owner of Super Skate to complain and was told that they needed to leave and never come back.”
They left. But they came back.
Cassie Ellis, a close family friend of one of the boys, shared this story on Facebook, and after it was shared more than a thousand times, it became clear that they had a lot of support. Karma organized a protest, which took place on Nov. 3, a week after the incident.
“I am also a friend of one of the families, and knew that we couldn’t just let this happen without taking action,” Karma says. “So I, some other local activists, and a local teacher organized the protest and public demonstration in front of Super Skate.”
Diane Peterson, a Cedar Rapids resident with two sons, one of whom is gay, heard about the protest through the local pride group. There were about 35 to 40 people at the protest, according to Peterson, who recently served as the president of the local PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of LGBTQ People) chapter. “The protest on a cold, windy, rainy day felt like a warm hug of community,” she says.
The protesters, including the two boys and their parents, lined the street outside Super Skate with pride flags and signs that said things like, “We will not be erased” and “Someone I love is trans.”
Peterson tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the boys “appeared really happy and looked like they felt supported by the show of people.” The community’s support moved one of the moms to tears. “I cried when I rolled into the parking lot,” she told KCRG.
But that doesn’t erase the pain inflicted by this neighborhood hot spot. “I’ve been going to Super Skate, like, my whole life, so I was really disappointed and sad,” one of the boys told KCRG. “I’ve never had a problem until the last time I went,” said the other boy. “Upset. Hurt. Shocked,” one of their moms said of how she felt.
“To the best of my knowledge, Super Skate is still refusing to comment on the situation,” Karma says. “Several community leaders and the media have attempted to contact them, and their response has consistently been ‘no comment.’ I myself have attempted to contact them and not had any response.” Super Skate hasn’t responded to Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
“After several attempts to speak with the owners, both in person and over telephone, the only response we’ve gotten is ‘we don’t have time for this’ and ‘no comment,’” Ellis, who’s known one of the mothers for 19 years, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “Their refusal to acknowledge any wrongdoing is disheartening and unacceptable.”
Although Super Skate is keeping quiet, the community is not. “In the week after the incident, I have received messages from multiple organizations that have canceled their events at Super Skate as a result of their discrimination,” Karma says. “The response from our community, as well as communities around us, has been amazing,” Ellis says. “They flooded Super Skate’s Facebook page, Yelp and Google reviews expressing their outrage, demanding an apology.” Karma says they have since deleted the negative Facebook reviews.
But the Yelp reviews are still coming in from people all over the country. “Discrimination and hate should never be allowed anywhere, but especially a fun environment for teens,” one user wrote. “Transphobic towards CHILDREN! That is never ok. No business that is cruel towards people based on appearance deserves my money,” someone from Florida said. “Not ok to press your oppressive views onto your customers if they are not deliberately being disruptive. No business should be in operation if they are participating in racial or gender discrimination,” a user from Washington wrote.
Although the parents want an apology, that’s not “going to justify what had happened on that night,” one of the mothers told KCRG.
“This type of open discrimination does not often occur in our community,” Karma says. “But when it does, it will be addressed and dealt with swiftly.”
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
How a law ordering therapists to ‘out’ transgender kids to parents could cause serious harm
Gay elders who made it through dark times are making sure LGBT youth make it, too
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