At Thomas Boyland Park in Bushwick, a crowd has gathered to watch a basketball tournament. Despite the rain, the athletes continue to play, their hair stuck to their foreheads and their shirts stuck to their skin. As time expires, AJ, the team captain in a pink T-shirt, throws the ball from midcourt, driving in the basket and beating the buzzer. His team’s hands all fly into the air in celebration, while the opposing team’s players’ hands also go up, theirs in frustration.
It’s Basketdolls, an all-trans streetball league in Brooklyn, and Team AJ takes on Team Nora in the September 28 Doll-Star Game, which features top performers from the Doll-For- summer tournament. All earlier in the month. .
With team names like Whore Moans, Metropolitan Trans Authority, and New York LiberT-Slurs, there’s no doubt that this is a community for trans people, by trans people. The fantasy of the team names contrasts with the fierce atmosphere on the pitch. “The competition was a perfect balance of people trying hard and taking it seriously, but also being there to have fun,” said Jae Grumulaitis, a 24-year-old member of the Cunning Stunts. “Someone would score on me and I would say, ‘That’s a great shot.’”