October 11, 2020, by Emma Thorne

National Coming Out Day: national cycling champion and Nottingham student comes out as trans athlete

To mark National Coming Out Day, a cycling rising star and University of Nottingham student has revealed how lockdown was the turning point in overcoming her gender dysphoria and that her life has been on a happier track since coming out as trans.

In a blog for Sky Sports, Emily Bridges says coming out as a trans athlete was the final step in allowing her to live authentically in all aspects of her life and talks of her hopes that her story will inspire other young trans people to feel les along and more welcome in the sporting community.

Emily said: “I hope that I can be a small part of changing the culture for the better and encourage people in the sporting world to fully be themselves. I also want to show that people shouldn’t have to choose between being themselves and doing the sport that they love. Sport has to be for everyone, regardless of who they are.”

Read Emily’s full story here at Sky Sports

The University of Nottingham’s Director of Sport, Dan Tilley and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Professor Sarah Sharples said:

“We are pleased to welcome Emily Bridges into our community at Nottingham, celebrate her courage and share this important moment with her. All of us at the University look forward to supporting Emily and working with her to realise her ambitions. On National Coming Out Day, we hope that her powerful story will show that support is there for anybody who is on their own coming out journey.”

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