Britain's best-known transgender athlete has claimed the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on the legal definition of a woman has “painted a target” on the back of trans people. Last week, Britain’s top judges unanimously decided that a woman is defined by biological sex, which caused consternation among activists who demonstrated in central London. Campaign group For Women Scotland challenged the Scottish Government over the definition of “women”. They argued it should not extend to transgender women, as that would have far-reaching impacts on equality and single-sex spaces. But Emily Bridges, the cyclist who came out as a transgender woman in 2020, told ITV Sport she will “keep using the spaces I’ve always used” and that the hate against trans people is “manufactured”. She also believes the judgement will stoke “vitriol” among the trans community and that the legal challenge by feminist campaigners “could have been spent so much better” on facilities such as rape centres. Reacting to the court's decision with disbelief, Ms Bridges said: "I felt, like it has painted, like, more of a kind of target on our back. “You go out of the house thinking, ‘Is this the day that someone is going to shout at me, attack me?’” Ms Bridges, 24, joined the Team GB cycling team in 2020 but left to focus on her transition and began hormone therapy in 2021. She sought to rejoin the team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but British Cycling's decision to ban trans women from competing in the female category in 2023 affected her eligibility. Asked about Harry Potter author JK Rowling, who reportedly funded the legal challenge against Scottish officials, Ms Bridges replied: “She’s seen like Messiah by the people who agree with her, similar to how Donald Trump is seen by the MAGA (Make America Great Again) crowd in America.” Following the Supreme Court’s judgement, businesses, public bodies and sporting bodies will be forced to unpick how it might affect their current policies. On whether there is a solution to toilets, Ms Bridges said: “The solution is definitely not men’s toilets, women’s toilets, trans and disabled toilets. Segregation is not the way to go. It’s forcing us into third spaces and out of public life.” Trans women who are excluded from the female categories in sports may be able compete in open categories, but Ms Bridges insists that is not a safe option. “You go through day-to-day life as a woman, you’ve got female on your passport but then you want to do sport and you have to go in the open category, that immediately outs you," she explained. The London Marathon on Wednesday confirmed that transgender women will still be allowed to run in the 26.2-mile race as females, despite the Supreme Court ruling.