309. Emma Gee, LGBTQ+ Advocate

"All the pain and all the isolation I have felt — it was all worth it for a moment like this."

Last year, runner and steeplechaser Emma Gee made history when she became the first openly out LGBTQ+ athlete at Utah's Brigham Young University — the university owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. On this episode, Emma powerfully and honestly shares her story. She talks about growing up in a religious family — she's one of five children — in Colorado, and explains why she decided to attend BYU. She explains the school's honor code and how it affected her as a bisexual student on campus. And she shares her coming out story, including what it was like to be the first D1 athlete in BYU's 143-year history to be publicly out, and what it was like coming out to her friends, her teammates, her coach, and her family.

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What you'll get on this episode:

Emma talks about growing up in Colorado as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (7:20)
All about the Brigham Young University Honor Code (9:30)
Emma talks about exploring her sexuality and the realization that she was bisexual (11:50)
Emma shares her coming out story (17:30)
The impact coming out had on Emma's running (23:00)
Emma talks about coming out to her family and to her coach and teammates (24:30)
On sharing her story for Out Sports (31:55)
How Emma's bishop reacted to her coming out (41:00)
All about that kissing photo (50:00)
Emma talks about her book! (57:15)