Transgender swimmer at Yale loses after switching from women's to men's team
Yale University swimmer Iszac Henig wrote a recent op-ed in The New York Times describing her experience competing as a man, in which she is ‘not as successful’ as she was ‘on the women’s team.’
When Henig still competed on the women’s team, she defeated transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in the 100-yard and 400-yard freestyle races.
Yale University senior Iszac Henig, a transgender male, wrote a recent op-ed in The New York Times describing her winning track record on the women’s team and her losing one on the men’s.
Henig, who joined the men’s team after transitioning with “a new name and pronouns and a double mastectomy,” wrote, “I wasn’t the slowest guy in any of my events, but I’m not as successful in the sport as I was on the women’s team.”
“Competing and being challenged is the best part,” she continued. “It’s a different kind of fulfillment. And it’s pretty great to feel comfortable in the locker room every day.”
While discussing her experience on the women’s team, Henig said, “I ended up having the best swim season of my life that year on the women’s team and went mostly undefeated. I won my first individual Ivy League title in the 50 free and, at my first N.C.A.A. championship meet, placed fifth in the 100 free, earning All-America honors.”
When Henig still competed on the women’s team, she defeated Lia Thomas. Thomas, as Campus Reform has reported, received criticism for joining NCAA Women’s Swimming after transitioning from male to female and winning with record-setting swim times in the process.
Henig beat Thomas in the women’s 100-yard and 400-yard freestyle races, according to The Daily Mail.
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Henig wrote about the difficulty deciding between staying on the women’s team while “existing as a man” and joining the men’s team as a less competitive collegiate swimmer.
“The ‘let’s go, ladies!’ cheers, the sign saying ‘WOMEN’ as I entered the locker room, a slipped pronoun here and there and the itching wrongness of the women’s swimsuit I wore to race: They added up,” Henig said.
Campus Reform contacted Yale, Henig, and Thomas for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
