309. Emma Gee, LGBTQ+ Advocate
Ali on the Run Show
Ali Feller
4.9 • 3.7K Ratings
🗓️ 24 November 2020
⏱️ 67 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
"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.
SPONSOR: AfterShokz — Visit ontherun.aftershokz.com for 15% off wireless headphones.
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)
What we mention on this episode:
Nikki Hiltz on Episode 294 of the Ali on the Run Show
Nikki Hiltz on Episode 188 of the Ali on the Run Show
Nikki Hiltz on Episode 170 of the Ali on the Run Show
"I am the only out LGBTQ athlete at BYU," by Emma Gee for OutSports
Follow Emma:
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- Twitter @aliontherun1
- Support on Patreon
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This episode of The Alley on the Run Show is brought to you by Aftershocks. |
| 0:04.3 | Go to ontherun.aftershocks.com to save 15% on all wireless headphones. |
| 0:15.0 | Welcome to The Alley on the Run Show. I'm your host Allie Felor and every week I talk with |
| 0:19.8 | inspiring people who lead interesting lives on the run and beyond. And while running is the thing |
| 0:25.6 | that brings us all together on these episodes we cover more than what happens on the run. |
| 0:30.9 | We learn the wise behind the runs. The decisions people have made to get where they are today |
| 0:36.0 | and how getting sweaty has factored in. My guest today is Emma Ghee. We talked about Emma |
| 0:42.8 | a few weeks ago when Nikki Hiltz was on the show Emma is Nikki's girlfriend. So it only seemed |
| 0:48.8 | fitting to get Emma herself on the show. She's an incredible runner and she's got a really |
| 0:54.0 | special and inspiring story. Emma grew up in Colorado. She and her parents and her siblings. |
| 1:00.2 | She's one of five. They grew up in a religious household as members of the Church of Jesus Christ |
| 1:05.4 | of Latter-day Saints. They went to church for three hours every Sunday and when it came time for |
| 1:10.4 | Emma to go to college she chose to attend Brigham Young University in Utah which is the university |
| 1:16.0 | owned by the Mormon Church. 99% of students who attend are Mormon and they abide by the school's |
| 1:21.6 | strict honor code which Emma will explain in this episode. In 2018 Emma made headlines by |
| 1:27.5 | becoming the first Division I athlete in BYU's 143-year history to be publicly out. She came out as |
| 1:36.4 | bisexual first to her athletic administrator then to her team and her coach and to her family |
| 1:43.1 | and then she came out very publicly in a piece she wrote for out sports. Emma was willing to be |
| 1:48.6 | really vulnerable in this conversation. I am so grateful for that. She's currently a fifth-year |
| 1:53.6 | senior track and cross-country runner at Temple University after graduating from BYU last spring |
| 1:59.5 | and she specializes in the 3000-meter steeple chase. Emma is a proud member of the LGBTQ |
| 2:06.4 | plus community. I appreciate her story. I appreciate her willingness to share it with all of us |
... |
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