Queer community celebrates Emily Bridges’ ‘sensational’ inclusion on influential British Vogue list

Trans cyclist Emily Bridges has been included in a list of influential women by British Vogue magazine.

Activists and allies celebrated the star’s inclusion in Vogue 25, a list of women who are “defining – and redefining – Britain in 2023,” compiled by the fashion bible.

Bridges became the centre-point of a toxic national debate in 2022 after she was barred from a major British Cycling championship for being transgender.

Since then, she has become a figurehead in the battle over trans women’s inclusion in female sports, and her mention in the list brought praise from across the LGBTQ+ community.

“This is sensational. The ultimate acknowledgement, acceptance and inclusivity. Her brave fight for fairness is far from over, and, armed with genuine science, this trans voice will finally be heard,” one fan wrote on social media.



Major love to Emily Bridges, and Vogue
https://t.co/PsFMWsecEz

— LGBWithTheT (@LGBwiththeT) August 22, 2023

“This is such a great piece,” another said, about Vogue’s coverage of Bridges and her sporting story. “I wish cisgender people would acknowledge this, not [only] trans people fighting for our ability to just exist in this sporting structure.”

Writing on Instagram about being included in the list, Bridges said the magazine approached her as she struggled to deal with British Cycling banning her – and other trans women – from competing in the women’s category.

“It took real introspection and some incredibly dark times to realise and fully accept this, and when I did, it broke me,” she wrote. “I knew that to move forward, with my life, and for me to grow as a person, I had to separate my self-worth from cycling.”

She is in a “more stable place now”, and was “truly grateful” to be on Vogue’s list, she added.

“For the first time in a long time, life has meaning and purpose. I wouldn’t have gotten through this without those around me, and I’m so grateful and lucky to have you all in my life. I love you all so incredibly much, you mean everything to me.”


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A post shared by Emily Bridges (@emilybridges45_)



In a separate opinion piece as part of the Vogue 25 announcement, Bridges – who came out as transgender almost three years ago – laid the blame for the abuse she often receives at the feet of those who have never previously cared about the sport.

“Sport is inherently unfair,” she wrote. “That’s why there are winners and losers. Competitors are put into categories so everyone has a reasonable shot at winning, but the reality is that the playing field is never completely level in the first place.

“All athletes have different levels of endurance and physical ability, that’s why we train relentlessly.“

Transphobes have seen the segregation of trans women from female competitions as a way to “jump in on the culture war” and “further anti-trans rhetoric”, she claimed.

“Sport is built around such explicit binaries. When those are blurred, people freak out. We, as trans people, challenge something that most people see as so unchangeable, so innate. Once those barriers start to break down, you see how socially constructed much of our world view is.”

As if to prove her point, social media posts about the piece have since been bombarded by “gender-critical” individuals and anti-trans activists, who have relished in misgendering Bridges and insulting her.

In response, supportive members of the community have said Bridges “deserves better” and asked activists to “send likes, positive comments… Don’t engage with [gender criticals], just block them.”