Debutantes, Brats, and Mayhem: Women's Rugby and the Creation of an Oppositional Culture in the South

Every year, James River Women play the Norfolk Storm in a post-game motley called the "Debutante Debacle." In this game, each participating player sports a thrift-store prom or brides-maid dress, and teams earn points for ripping off opponents' bows, lace, and other dress accessories. This yearly meeting always proves to be extremely amusing for both sides involved, and the festive atmosphere promotes good will between the teams, it also graphically illustrates how rugby women view and defy stereotypes of the southern woman. Here, Shockley finds that women rugby players in the South upend traditional southern norms of womanhood by choosing a challenging and athletic sport that relies on fast, aggressive play.