The first transgender candidate to run as MP for Labour has said being elected would be a significant step for diversity in the House of Commons.
Emily Brothers is set to run for parliament in Sutton and Cheam as a Labour candidate.
In her first TV interview, she told London Live she felt it was important to be honest about her background.
“There is a lot of distrust in politicians and I felt it was important for me to come out and say ‘basically I have a transgender background, I am a gay woman, this is part of my life experience’.
“I think it is a kind of strength, the kind of experiences that I campaigning for, in terms of equality and fairness in Sutton and Cheam and beyond.”
Ms Brothers is a prominent speaker and campaigner on disability issues. She is also the former head of policy at the Equality and Human Rights Commision and a former President of the National Federation of the Blind.
If elected, she will not only be the UK’s first openly transgender MP but also the first blind woman in the House of Commons.
She told Claudia-Liza Armah on Headline London that reaction has been positive to her "coming out" even though it had been “nerve wracking”.
She added that Labour party leader Ed Miliband is unaware of her background but said she believes Labour is a ‘very inclusive’ party and that she is confident he will be supportive.
