Schuyler Bailar of Harvard University made headlines when he became the first openly transgender male athlete to compete in a NCAA Division 1 men's sport.
As a female swimmer, Schuyler Bailar won countless races through high school, with All-American times both junior and senior year.
The college freshman, who was originally recruited to the women's swim team and now competes for the men's team, chronicles his physical and emotional transition on social media.
"I know I made the right decision. But I think sometimes... I'm like 'Oh, I really wish I could compete as a girl. Because I want to win that race."
At first, Bailar thought of swimming in the women’s team while living as a male student in the said campus. She knew that living a double life would be a hard task and a dangerous one at that, but she had no choice—until Harvard women’s swimming coach Stephanie Morawski encouraged Bailar to make the life-changing decision.
Bailar underwent a double mastectomy to remove his breasts -- the first step in his journey.
"I never knew I'd be able to unlearn parts of my body and what they meant – unlearn my breasts, teach myself and my body a new meaning, a real me. But it was possible," Schuyler wrote on Instagram after his surgery.
The decision was agonizing, but it had to be done, says Morawski. "Schuyler had to do a lot of thinking about what mattered most... was it breaking records or was it being happy," Morawski says.
Harvard men’s coach Kevin Tyrrell welcomed Schuyler to his team, as did his swimmers.
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