Abby Barras

Abby gained her PhD from the University of Brighton in 2021, where she was based in the School of Applied Social Science.

Her PhD focused on the lived experiences of transgender and non-binary people in everyday sport and physical exercise in the UK. This research was motivated by a lack of existing qualitative research in this area, which asks trans and non-binary people about their participatory experiences. Placing trans voices at the centre of this research was crucial, in order to reduce barriers to inclusion and improved participation in sport for all.

Abby works for the UK charity Mermaids as their Researcher, and is an Associate Member at the Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender (University of Brighton).

Abby holds a Masters degree in Gender Studies (with distinction) from the University of Sussex, and her other research interests include gender, sport, feminism, health inequalities and the body. She is also sea swimmer.