Emma Farnan’s wonderfully uplifting story is a perfect one to share during this TRANSGENDER AWARENESS WEEK.   The 27 year old is the first transgender professional rugby player and plays for Premier Rugby Sevens, the professional league based in North America with men’s and women’s teams, 

Off the pitch, Emma is working towards her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering at the University of Notre Dame, where she first learned to play rugby. She is a native of Bay Shore, N.Y., on Long Island. Premier Rugby Sevens and all of its athletes follow the transgender policy put forth by USA Rugby, which sanctions PR7s as the highest level of domestic seven-a-side rugby.