Bailar swam all four years at Harvard and is the author of Obie Is Man Enough and creator of the LaneChanger.com gender literacy learning series.

Transgender and non-binary athletes, especially transgender female athletes, are under attack by politicians at all levels of government, as well as in the media. 2021 officially surpassed 2015 as the worst year for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in recent history, with 27 anti-LGBTQ bills enacted. This year is on track to surpass 2021 in anti-transgender legislation filed, with more than 75 bills that directly target transgender girls and women in sports and would prevent them from playing on the team that aligns with their gender identity.

These attacks on transgender youth generally, and transgender athletes specifically, are fueled by discrimination, not facts. These bills represent a cruel effort to further stigmatize and discriminate against LGBTQ+ people across the country, specifically transgender youth who simply want to live as their true selves and grow into who they are.

In addition to Bailar, numerous athletes at both the amateur and professional level have spoken out in support of their transgender teammates and competitors. This includes, Women’s World Cup champion soccer player Megan Rapinoe, tennis icon Billie Jean King, Stanford swimmer Brooke Forde, NBA star Dwyane Wade, Canadian soccer phenom Erin McLeod, WNBA star Napheesa Collier, and many more. Additionally, sports organizations like the Ivy League, the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), and others have spoken out publicly to defend trans people’s presence in sports.

For more information, please visit hrc.org/transgender, HRC’s Transgender and Non-Binary People FAQ, HRC’s Brief Guide to Getting Transgender Coverage Right and HRC’s guide to Get the Facts about Transgender & Non-Binary Athletes.