Vogue includes transgender cyclist on list of 'Powerhouse Women' of 2023 for 'fighting for inclusion for herself'

Vogue, a popular fashion magazine founded in 1892, recently included a male on its list of powerful and influential women who have shaped society in 2023.

The list was titled "The Vogue 25: Discover The Powerhouse Women Who Made This Year’s Line-Up."

"Vogue honours the women defining – and redefining – Britain in 2023," the list detailed.

The list included politicians, authors, and models, but for some reason a male athlete was plugged into the spotlight as well.

Cyclist Zach Bridges, who now goes by Emily, was included in the list due to having competed against women after coming out as transgender in October 2020 at 19 years old.

"Professional cyclist Emily Bridges never wanted to be a campaigner. Before May this year, she only had one goal: competing for Great Britain at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Then the British Cycling Federation banned transgender athletes from the sport," Vogue wrote.

"Now, the Welsh 22-year-old is fighting for inclusion for herself and other transgender sportspeople. 'It’s very scary at the moment, but I genuinely believe that we will win,' says Bridges of the battle, which has seen her face 'death threats.'"

The magazine noted that Bridges has been donating muscle samples to a university research team to "see, once and for all, if transgender athletes do have the 'unfair advantage' some claim."

While working toward qualifying to compete in the female category, he competed in a men's race and placed 43rd out of 45 at the Loughborough Cycling Festival.

In 2023, the cyclist complained about transgender "genocide" and called Florida Governor Ron DeSantis a "fascist."

“When the government is expressing admiration towards Ron Desenantis’ [sic] fascist state which kidnaps children, and is itching to pass legislation to ban us from public life, this is a violent act,” Bridges wrote on Instagram on May 26, 2023, Breitbart reported.

“British Cycling are supporting this, they are furthering a genocide against us,” he continued. “Bans from sport is how it starts, look at what is going on in America. It starts with sports bans, then youth and general healthcare and then bans from public life through bathroom bans.”

The cyclist was not actually banned from competing, but rather from competing against women. British cycling introduced a new "open" category in May 2023, in response to the controversy.

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