A Self Reclaimed: On Monday, Schuyler Bailar Will Weigh in on the Bathroom Debate

While this blog is often about myself, I will on occasion talk about other selves who, like me, are interrogating, adapting, or reclaiming their identities. One such “self” is, in the words of Ellen Degeneris, “the sensational Schuyler Bailar,” who is a member of Harvard University’s Men’s Swim Team and also the first openly transgender male to compete on an NCAA Division 1 men’s team in any sport. This coming Monday, Schuyler will participate in the bathroom debate during the Diane Rehm Show.
Last month I coincidentally met Schuyler’s mother, Terry Hong, at a poetry reading at the University of Utah. At the dinner before the reading, I sat between my BFF Susan Anderson and Terry. Terry is a writer and renowned reviewer of multicultural books. Her perceptive reviews are collected at BookDragon, a media initiative of the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center (APAC). In addition to having carved out her career over many years, Terry has recently become known as a remarkable mother of two sons. Schuyler, her oldest, transitioned from female to male after high school. Below I post Ellen’s video interview with him, which will introduce you to him and his loving, supportive family. I also have an important related announcement: this coming Monday morning, May 16th, Schuyler is going to be one of four panelists on the Diane Rehm Show (9 am in Utah) to talk about the “bathroom debates” currently playing out in our country. Once you have watched the Ellen video The Sensational Schuyler Bailar, you may also want to watch Schuyler and his family’s appearance on 60 Minutes .