Some people are just built different. Not only have these men dealt with dysphoria and criticism on a national stage, they have put their bodies through intensive training so they can be the best athletes possible. In this post we will showcase accomplishments by some of the top athletes from our community:
Swimming
Schuyler Bailar - Schuyler Bailar had a stellar start to his swimming career. At age 10, he competed in the Junior Olympics and ranked in the top 20 for 15-year-old breaststroke swimmers in the United States. In college, Bailar became the first openly transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Bailar was warmly accepted by the men’s swim team, where he competed for four years.
Iszac Henig - Henig is an emerging force in collegiate swimming and a compelling figure in transgender sports. As a student-athlete at Yale University, Henig competed in a Division I NCAA women’s swimming championship. His performances have been stellar, earning him several top finishes and helping his team to secure crucial points. Henig has begun taking hormones in his senior year of college and switched to the men’s team.
Track & Field
Chris Mosier - Chris Mosier is a groundbreaking athlete who over the course of his career, made Team USA six times and became a hall of fame triathlete, All-American duathlete, and two-time National Champion. Mosier earned a spot with the men’s Team USA sprint duathlon for the 2016 World Championship, making him the first openly trans man to join a U.S. national team.
Balian Buschbaum - Balian is a German pole vaulter. After retiring from his sports career due to a persistent injury, he came out as transgender and began his transition. He has since become an outspoken advocate for transgender rights.
Keelin Godsey - Godsey is an accomplished American hammer and weight thrower. He competed in women’s hammer throw events before coming out as trans in 2005, making him one of the first openly transgender athletes in track and field. He has twice earned All-American honors and also holds the NCAA women’s hammer throw record, a testament to his skill and dedication. Notably, Godsey has competed in the U.S. Olympic trials multiple times, once before transitioning and once after, exemplifying his enduring athletic prowess.
Andreas Krieger - Andreas Krieger, a former shot putter for East Germany, has a complex and poignant story. Born Heidi Krieger, he was unknowingly subjected to East Germany’s state-sponsored doping program in the 1980s, which involved administering high doses of anabolic steroids without his knowledge or consent. He gained noticeable masculine attributes, and decided to transition. While he said he felt dysphoria prior to the steroid, he felt the decision whether to transition was taken from him.
Zdeněk Koubek - Koubek stands as an emblematic figure in the history of transgender athletes, having been a highly accomplished runner. Originally from Czechoslovakia, Koubek set records in women’s middle-distance running before undergoing gender transition in 1981. Despite facing significant social and institutional challenges, Koubek continued to compete, navigating the evolving landscape of sport and gender with determination and courage. His athletic journey underscores the resilience often required of transgender athletes, reminding us of the significance of inclusivity in sports.
Wrestling
Mack Beggs - In high school, Mack Beggs made headlines when he became a Texas state wrestling champion. Despite controversy because he was required to compete in the girls’ league, Beggs consistently advocated for himself and other trans athletes. He delayed taking hormones until the end of his high school career.
Hockey
Harrison Browne - Retired professional ice hockey player Harrison Browne made history as the first openly transgender player in North American professional sports. He finished his career in the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) before taking hormones, and later served as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community within sports.
Boxing
Patricio Manuel - Manuel is an American professional boxer who became the first transgender man to fight in a professional boxing match in the United States. He won his debut match in December 2018.
Thomas Page McBee - McBee holds the distinction of being the first transgender man to box at Madison Square Garden. He explores his journey to that point award-winning memoir, “Amateur: A True Story About What Makes a Man.”
Martial Arts
Jordan Jackson - Jackson, a talented martial artist, has been making waves in the competitive world of combat sports. As a trans man, his journey in martial arts is a testament to perseverance and resilience. Jackson has accumulated numerous victories in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitions, earning him a well-deserved reputation as a fierce competitor.
Fencing
Bobbie Hirsch - Hirsch, a 19-year-old transgender male athlete, has been a notable member of the Wayne State University men’s fencing team after transitioning from the women’s team. Having fenced for eight years, starting when he was 11, his sophomore year was marked by a more profound personal experience after making the switch. Hirsch’s performance “was so clearly lightened up and happier and joyful,” according to his mother, Lauren Hirsch. Despite facing legislative challenges and the evolving landscape of transgender rights in sports, Hirsch’s transition was made easier by his supportive coach, Slava Zingerman, and the athletic staff. He qualified for the NCAA Midwest Regionals and placed 14th in foil, and he continues to inspire other athletes and students through his courage and determination.
Basketball
Kye Allums - Allums, a former basketball player for George Washington University, was the first openly trans Division I college athlete. Allums’ transition was a defining moment in college sports and he continues to inspire as a public speaker and LGBTQ+ advocate
Bodybuilding
Shay Price - Price, who transitioned in his mid-twenties, didn’t let his transgender identity deter him from his bodybuilding passion. In fact, he has used it as a platform to advocate for trans visibility and inclusivity in sports. Price has garnered numerous accolades and was recognized as the World’s Strongest Trans Man in a competition held by the United States Powerlifting Association.
Dog Sledding
Quince Mountain - Mountain is an inspiring figure in the realm of winter sports, distinguishing himself as the first openly transgender man to participate in the renowned Iditarod sled dog race. Based in the northern wilderness of Wisconsin, Mountain and his wife manage a dog sledding kennel, “Brisco’s Lead Dog Log.” Despite the demanding conditions of the sport, Mountain has excelled, utilizing his unique background and commitment to teamwork to foster a thriving community for both humans and sled dogs alike. His participation in the Iditarod brought attention to the courage and determination of trans athletes, while also affirming the importance of inclusivity in all sports.