Sock wrestling – not just for kids

It’s a favourite among children, but sock wrestling gets a grown up twist at Get Your Socks off. The event, primarily for transgender people, is providing a safe and inclusive space for queer people to have fun and enjoy being silly.

The aim of sock wrestling is to get the other player’s sock off first. Two opponents go head to head at a time and it’s a high energy game. Allies and other queer people are welcome to attend, but discrimination isn’t tolerated at the event, which takes place at Easton Community Centre later in March.

Often nights for LGBT+ people are centred around alcohol, bars and pubs. Get Your Socks off, which has already hosted two successful evenings, is offering a chance for queer people to meet others and have fun in a low pressure environment that isn’t reliant on alcohol.

Zouk Forest, organiser of Get Your Socks off 3, says: “I think it’s really important for us trans people to have fun sometimes, in each others presence and away from the judgements by cishet people. I wanted to offer a comfortable space where we can use our bodies if we feel safe to and claim back ownership.”

All queer people are invited to attend, but the event is especially for transgender and genderqueer people with Zouk saying: “All genders are welcome and we warmly invite you to dress however you want for this night. See it as a night of exploration where you might wear the things you might be scared to wear elsewhere.”

There will plenty going on besides sock wrestling. Food will be provided by Food not Bombs Bristol with a range of vegan and gluten-free delights. A familiar sight across Bristol, they regularly give out food at Turbo Island in Stokes Croft on a Sunday, seeing food as a political tool for change. With transgender people constantly in the news and politics spotlight, it seems right that such a political group serves food on the night.

A bar will offer alcoholic and soft drinks. DJs will spin the decks all night to “help you win that sock”.

Zouk highlights that “you don’t have to sock wrestle. You can just come and watch other people be silly and sock desperate!”

For those needing a quieter space, the foyer will have seating, a raffle, a stall with zines and T-shirts, welfare and first aid.

As well as offering a safer space for trans, non-binary and genderqueer people to have fun, the event will be raising funds for Future Festival 2020. Zouk describes it: “This is a festival for trans, non-binary and intersex people, scheduled to happen in spring 2020. We aim to bring people together to organise, socialise and be ourselves together, hopefully fuelling the movement for years to come.”

Entry on the night is £5 (the important competition-level socks are included in the entry fee), with all funds raised going towards Future Festival 2020. Find out more at www.facebook.com/events/318998055631505

Poster by Pantxike Patch

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