The Harvard University swimmer, who was assigned female at birth, is the first openly transgender athlete to compete in any sport on any NCAA Division 1 men’s team. Bailar was originally recruited as a member of the Harvard Women’s Swimming and Diving team. After transitioning during a gap year, Bailar was also offered a spot on the men’s team by coach Tyrrell, allowing Bailar the choice of either team; he elected to swim on the men’s team. Bailar is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ rights, inclusion, and representation. He has assisted with and is featured in the USA Swimming cultural inclusion guides for both LGBTQ and Asian American athletes. Most recently, Bailar was featured as one of Out Magazine’s 2017 OUT 100.