QUESTION

My big fear with coming out is judgment and how the world will see me and think of me differently. How did you become more confident with yourself?

Answer

Building confidence is key. For me that meant understanding my self-worth , recognizing that my queer identity is valid and important, and educating myself about the queer community in general. It took time, but as I became more sure of myself, I was more prepared to come out and be less swayed by other people’s judgment. Because I knew who I was and what I deserved, no one could tell me anything different.

Emma Gee & Nikki Hiltz
She/Her & They/Them

Emma Gee is a queer professional track athlete specializing in the 3000 meter steeplechase & currently training for the 2024 Track & Field Olympic Trials. She was the first LGBTQ+ athlete to come out publicly at BYU and actively works to challenge anti-queer policies at religious institutions through her Queer Athlete Podcast and as co-race director of the Pride 5K.

Nikki Hiltz is a trans nonbinary professional track athlete, and is the first openly non-binary runner to win a USA Track and Field championship title. The middle-distance specialist is a 4 time USATF National Champion, a seven-time NCAA All-American, World Championship finalist, Pan American Games gold medalist, World Indoor Silver Medalist and American Record Holder.