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Schuyler Bailar already had a lot to look forward to. The 19-year-old was about to start freshman year at Harvard and join the school's prestigious swim team. But thanks to an open-minded coach, he's also about to make history when he steps on campus.

Bailar is transgender, and came out during his gap year between high school and college. That made things complicated for his swimming career, since he got an athletic scholarship to compete on the Harvard women's team. But the Harvard Crimson reports that the school let him switch to the men's team, letting him finally be who he is. That will make him the first ever transgender swimmer in NCAA Division 1 history.

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Initially, Bailar thought about medically transitioning during his gap year, but he knew his swimming career would be in jeopardy. "Initially the decision was, 'Do I swim, or do I quit and transition?'" he told the Crimson. "I really didn't want to give up swimming, but I also didn't know how much longer I could do the living as a girl thing." So he decided to get "top surgery" and still swim on the women's team. But then he got a call from Harvard: The swim team coaches had talked about it and decided to let him switch to the men's team if he wanted. That would let him begin testosterone therapy.

"My mind knew that's what I wanted to do," Bailar told the school newspaper. "The way I put it, I needed my heart to catch up." The decision meant that he would have to sacrifice a promising future in women's swimming; he was a top recruit in women's swimming and was expected to be one of the best in the division. But on the men's team, he's aware that he'll likely not perform as well.

He explained the decision in a YouTube video, and detailed how he'll present as male on campus and while swimming.

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According to the Washington Post, men's coach Kevin Tyrrell told the team and didn't hear a single word of concern. But the NCAA in general has pretty strict rules about transgender athletes. Trans men who are not undergoing testosterone therapy can compete on a men's or women's team, but are restricted to men's teams once they start taking hormones. It's much more confining for trans women. If they're not taking hormones, they're banned from women's teams, and if they are, they still can't compete on women's teams until they've undergone a year of treatments.

Bailar is focusing on his testosterone therapy and is working on getting in shape for the swim season. And he hopes that other transgender athletes can speak up and be open about their identities. "Come out. Be visible. Don't be miserable," Bailar told Swimming World magazine. "The world is changing and you do have options."

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