Iszac Henig, an Ivy League All-American swimmer, made a notable transition from the women’s team to the men’s team at Yale University, The Daily Wire reports.
In November, Henig placed 79th out of 83 male swimmers, despite previously earning accolades as a junior on the women’s team.
In an op-ed for the New York Times, Henig wrote: “I Chose to Compete as My True, Trans Self. I Win Less, but I Live More.”
Despite the drop in success, Henig emphasized the importance of living authentically and feeling comfortable in the locker room as a man.
Henig, who hails from Menlo Park, California, was a highly skilled swimmer in high school and even tried out for the 2016 Olympics before undergoing a double mastectomy and identifying as a man.
As a sophomore on the women’s team at Yale, Henig was the top performer.
In contrast, Lia Thomas, a University of Pennsylvania swimmer, faced criticism from teammates and rivals for having an unfair advantage after transitioning from male to female and breaking records on the women’s team.
Henig and Thomas previously competed against each other, with Henig coming out on top in both the 100- and 400-yard freestyle events.
In the New York Times column, Henig described experiencing discomfort in the women’s locker room and realizing that “the real reason I felt so off was my sense of being in the wrong locker room.”
Henig took the 2020-2021 academic year off to maintain NCAA eligibility and begin the transition process.
Upon returning to Yale, Henig was given the option of competing on the men’s or women’s team and ultimately decided to join the men’s team for the 2022-23 season.
Despite not being as successful as before, Henig stated: “I’m trying to connect with my teammates in new ways, to cheer loudly, to focus more on the excitement of the sport. Competing and being challenged is the best part. It’s a different kind of fulfillment. And it’s pretty great to feel comfortable in the locker room every day.”
