ALLYSHIP AMONG COMMUNITIES Narratives from the Queer Community and the Roller Derby Community

Abstract

This thesis investigated narratives of allyship within and between the queer community and the roller derby community. The thesis is an ethnographic interview study and through six interviews with people of the communities it studied how the interview participants understand the concept of allyship and what it means to be an ally for them. Furthermore, the thesis discuss how the interview participants do allyship within and between the communities they move within. Inspired by Ahlstedt (2016) the thesis circulate around narratives and uses a narrative analysis. I conclude that allyship means to stand united and come together; to listen, relearn and support. Furthermore I understand that the interview participants interpret being an ally as understanding one’s position from an intersectional perspective. From their ‘I’ and their own alliance, they ally with others. Vulnerability is a center concept in the discussion of how they do allyship. The creation of ‘us’ and a ‘we’ is another theme that shows how the allyship is done. Political values and statements are ways of creating alliances, political ‘we’ are constructed by delimitation to ‘they’. By making statements and putting themselves on the political map, political alliances within and between the communities are constructed.