‘I’m non-binary and always wanted to be a runner – top surgery made me happier in my body and now I run 15 miles a week’
A non-binary person who said running “never really stuck” until they had top surgery and felt “euphoric” ever since is hoping to inspire others who don’t “quite fit the box” to take up the sport.
Emma Stevenson, 30, a university photography technician who uses the gender neutral pronouns they/them, said it wasn’t until they paid £10,500 to have private top surgery – a procedure which according to the NHS removes the breast tissue while reshaping the chest to align it with the patient’s gender identity – at 27 that their relationship to their body changed and they “began to resonate” with running.
Better known as Em and originally from Oxford but now living in London, they told PA Real Life: “Looking back to pre-top surgery, I never thought that I would have run like this, enjoyed that experience, and found community.
“I think that’s one of the great things about Queer Running Club.
Em said they always felt “different” to their peers, before they came out as bisexual at 18 and then as non-binary in their early 20s. The latter is defined as someone who understands their gender in a way that goes beyond simply identifying as either a man or woman, according to LGBT Foundation.
“There’s lots of steps of coming out,” Em said. “Family and friends were pretty open, so it wasn’t a huge deal.
Over the years, Em said they “tried to pick up running a fair few times” but it “never really stuck”.
They added: “There was always an obstacle in the way and I think it was my relationship with my body that I didn’t really enjoy.
“I also think a lot of the reason why I started running pre-transition was due to body image and wanting to change the way it looked through exercise.
Em said they didn’t think hormones were a good fit for them but they “sat with it for a while” and eventually came to the conclusion that surgery was the “right decision”.
So in March 2021, Em was referred by their GP and joined an NHS waiting list for top surgery.
After years of waiting, Em said they were “lucky enough to be in the financial position” to seek the surgery privately.
Em said: “I had to weigh up the financial cost with my mental and physical health and wellbeing to realise that it is worth doing.
“It was a huge mental load.
Em had their surgery in September 2023 at the age of 27, which they said has been “groundbreaking” for them.
“It’s quite a big surgery so it was quite anxiety-inducing,” they said. “It took me a little while to come to terms with that big change.
“At first it was a shock and seeing a different body felt strange but it was definitely the right decision.
Em said they took six weeks off work but they were in “good spirits” while “waiting for the body to heal”.
They added: “Every day, I could look at myself in the mirror and I wasn’t averting my eyes any more.
“Top surgery was really groundbreaking for me.
Slowly, Em was able to go back to weightlifting at the gym, which they had done since 2021 via a non-binary and trans-inclusive group called Pecs Education.
It was through the co-founder of this group, Kole Fulmine, who is also the founder of Queer Running Club, that Em started running in early 2025.
When it came to the 10km run in July 2025, Em said: “The whole event was really lovely.
“I felt a little bit nervous beforehand just because I hadn’t done anything like that before, but it had really good vibes, good music, and lots of people cheering us on round the track.
“It felt great completing that and there was a whole little festival party afterwards with some drag performers, music, and competitions.”
In December 2025, Em saw an email from Queer Running Club about free spots they had for the Hackney Half Marathon, so they thought: “If there’s any time in my life and my journey, I feel like now’s a good time.”
It’s important for Em to represent their community: “As someone who’s gone through this journey, if I’d heard about someone else who doesn’t quite fit the box or who’s struggled with things similar to me, I think I would have found that really encouraging.
“It’s not all about the people who are running the fastest or are the most dedicated, it’s just about the average person on their own journey, and I think I would have found that really inspiring to read.
“So that’s what I’m hoping to give to someone else.”
To donate to Em’s fundraiser, visit their webpage here: https://sportsgiving.co.uk/sponsor/activity/hackney-half-marathon-2026/em