In 2016, International Olympic Committee ruled that transgender athletes could compete without undergoing surgery. This ruling opened doors for swimmers like Schuyler Bailar.
Schuyler Bailar is an American swimmer, and the first openly transgender NCAA Division I swimmer. He is also the first publicly documented NCAA D1 transgender man to compete as a man in any sport. He was recruited by Harvard University and swims on the Harvard Men's Swimming and Diving team under coach Kevin Tyrrell and as member of the Harvard Class of 2019. Bailar was originally recruited in 2013 as a member of the women's team by Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving head coach Stephanie Morawski. After transitioning during a gap year, Bailar was also offered a spot on the men’s team by coach Tyrrell, allowing Bailar the choice of either team. He elected to swim on the men’s team.
Bailar is an energetic advocate for LGBTQ rights and inclusion. He has assisted with and is featured in the USA Swimming cultural inclusion guides for both LGBTQ and Asian American athletes. He is also a member of the NCAA Common Ground initiative, a group of selected athletes, coaches and sports constituents who work to promote inclusion in NCAA activities. Bailar's primary activism is on the speaking circuit, appearing at schools, corporations and non-profits. Bailar was awarded the SMYAL Community Advocate Award for 2016 for his work as "a vocal advocate for LGBT rights."The 60 Minutes profile of Schuyler entitled "Switching Teams" was nominated for the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. On June 28th, 2017 Bailar was profiled by the International Olympic Committee in a series entitled IDENTIFY for his activism in promoting gender inclusion in sports. Bailar was featured as a member of the 2017 Out Magazine OUT 100 and in another first, was the only LGBT athlete included in the elite listing for 2017.
