Trans cyclist 'threatened with kneecapping' after Boris's gender sports comments

8 June 2022, 10:45 | Updated: 8 June 2022, 11:57

Transgender cyclist Emily Bridges has revealed she was threatened with 'kneecapping' after Boris Johnson said 'biological males should not compete in women's sports'.

Bridges, 21, said the prime minister's comments had sparked an "avalanche" of threats of physical violence that had made her "scared" to go out in public.

The Welsh athlete made headlines in March when she was blocked at the last minute from competing in the British National Omnium Championships by the world governing body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

The controversy sparked a row over whether people who are born biologically male should be allowed to compete in women's events.

Mr Johnson waded in the argument to declare "biological males should not compete in women's sports" and said he believed parents should have "involvement at the very least" in their children's decision to transition.

Bridges, speaking to ITV, said: "It's really strange to see, probably the most famous man in Britain, talking about you and having an opinion on something he doesn't know anything about.

"The response after that was as expected. I had threats of physical violence made against me, and by complete strangers online, and I'm scared a lot of the time about being who I am in public.

"People are always going to have an opinion about it. They're entitled to hold an opinion about it - but there's a way to go about voicing that opinion and threatening to kneecap me is not that way."

Bridges was listed on the British Cycling's men's senior academy in 2019 until coming out as transgender in October 2020.

Cyclist Emily Bridges had 'physical threats' after PM's trans participation comments | ITV News

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Bridges said: "I'm scared a lot of the time about being who I am in public. Is someone going to recognise me?

"They were real concerns and it was a real fear that I had after the comments were made, and it was scary. I was scared."

In March, Mr Johnson said he thought women should have "dedicated spaces" in hospitals, prisons and changing rooms.

"That's as far as my thinking has developed on this issue. If that puts me in conflict with some others, then we have got to work it all out," he said.

"That doesn't mean that I'm not immensely sympathetic to people who want to change gender, to transition. It's vital that we give people the maximum possible love and support in making those decisions.

"But these are complex issues and I don't think they can be solved with one swift, easy piece of legislation. It takes a lot of thought to get this right."

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Bridges, speaking to ITV, called for "empathy" when deciding whether trans women should be able to compete in women's sports.

She warned "patriarchal structures that govern cycling and society in general" had "pushing me into the closet, that I could not be myself."

"I empathise with where you're coming from. I empathise with why you feel potentially threatened by my inclusion; you might feel like the patriarchal structures that govern cycling and society in general, it's another thing that's being pushed on you and it's another thing you've got to fight against," she said.

"But those same structures those same attitudes are the same things that pushed me down, pushed me into the closet, that I couldn't be myself. So, I would ask if you can empathise with me, because I can empathise with you?

"I don't know if this will change anybody's mind but that's the message I give you."

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Bridges also slammed British Cycling, which suspended its transgender policy earlier this year meaning athletes cannot switch their racing licence from male to female.

Bridges blamed "public pressure" for the move but said she has "heard nothing from them".

"They said that they'd be in touch about the procedure, about how they were going to make the new policy. But I haven't heard anything. 

"So, either they're not doing anything or they're not doing what they said in their email to me and including me in making a policy," she said.