Controversy ensues after Emily Bridges is announced by Vogue as the only sportswoman who is ranked top 25 on the annual powerhouse list of the fashion bible.
- Aug 25, 2023
AceShowbiz - Vogue landed at the centre of controversy after the only sportswoman in its list of the world's top 25 "powerhouse" women was transgender cyclist Emily Bridges. The 21-year-old athlete has rallied against a British Cycling ban on trans competitors taking part in the female category of the sport, leading to her being featured in the league table in the magazine's September issue.
Other women in the rankings include pop singer Raye, 25, BBC breakfast host Naga Munchetty, 48, 55-year-old Kylie Minogue, and Queen Camilla, 75.
Among the critics of the lack of other sportswomen in the fashion Bible's list were campaigner and former Olympian runner Maya Yamauchi - the 50-year-old British long-distance track and road running athlete who currently holds the third fastest time by a British woman over the marathon, behind former world-record holder, Paula Radcliffe.
She said on social media, "Right now there are numerous fabulous female athletes in Budapest competing at the World Athletics Champs. In other sports too, thousands of fabulous female athletes British Vogue could have chosen."
Fiona McAnena, director of Fair Play for Women, told the Daily Telegraph, "Emily Bridges is not yet a successful international cyclist so it's hard to see why Bridges is there. Katarina Johnson-Thompson became the World Champion in the heptathlon - she is a world champion in a really tough event. She should be in there, not Bridges."
British Cycling's ruling that bans transgender women from racing in the female category was made in May and has caused uproar among trans activists but a wave of support among gender critical activists. At the time of the decision, Emily branded the move as "genocide" against trans athletes.
The full "Vogue 25" list:
- Raye - Singer
- Patricia Scotland - Commonwealth secretary-general
- Kylie Minogue - Singer
- Raine Allen-Miller - Director
- Naga Munchetty - TV host
- Louise Casey - House of Lords member
- Sandra Igwe - Maternal health advocate
- Carol Vorderman - Former 'Countdown' host
- Victoria Jenkins - Fashion designer
- Jodie Comer - Actress
- Sarah Burton - Fashion designer
- Eva Langret - Director, Frieze London
- Kruti Patel Goyal - Depop CEO
- Alice Oseman - Author
- Cora Corre - Model
- Queen Camilla
- Alva Claire - Model
- Heather Hallett - Chair, UK Covid-19 Inquiry
- Tori Tsui - Activist and writer
- Marcia Kilgore - Beauty Pie founder
- Penny Mordaunt - MP
- Emily Bridges - Cyclist
- Indhu Rubasingham - Theatre director
- Lila Moss - Model
- Emefa Cole - Jewellery designer
