Swimming as a trans person

It depends a lot on where you're located, but look to see if there are any LGBTQ club teams around where you live. The one local to me, Minnesota Ice, looks to have several private team practices a week, and they specifically state up front that they welcome trans people (and everyone else, too). Moreover, they bring a huge contingent to the local masters' meets and do well in the competitions, too.

If you're lucky enough to live in an area with a LGBTQ team, definitely try that route. Check out places like https://www.igla.org/ or https://www.gaygames.org/ and see if there's anything local to you.

Highly suggest you read this. It lays out the process, and the stance of USASwimming, your club, and the bounds in which you may compete. Everyone's opinions otherwise in this thread are frankly irrelevant.

https://www.usaswimming.org/docs/default-source/governance/governance-lsc-website/rules_policies/usa-swimming-policy-19.pdf

I'm not sure about competing, but as far as training goes my local pool specifically has LGBTQ+ only nights every Sunday sometimes more. It's specifically aimed at trans folks who want a space to wear whatever swimwear they want without judgement, but it's open to all queer people. I'm nonbinary but I present as fairly traditionally afab so idk if my experience is comparable, but a friend of mine who's a trans guy says he's felt very comfortable there as well.

So maybe a pool near you had something similar? From there hopefully whatever club trains at that pool would be similarly open minded. Competition is a little more thorny. There is absolutely a good faith conversation to be had about how people should compete depending on if they've gone through male puberty or not. Unfortunately it's become such a culture war thing that rather than actually have a discussion about it people have decided outright banning is the way to go.

A decent coach should be able to help you navigate this, just be sure to find someone who's willing to advocate on your behalf. I'm sorry this sport seems to be dragging its feet on updating things to account for trans swimmers, I have to keep hoping we're heading in the right direction though and that 10 years from now there'll be some policies in place that allow everyone to compete and enjoy the sport

I unfortunately don't have any concrete advice, but I wish you luck <3 I'm not trans myself, but the anti-LGBT+ sentiment I observed from some coaches/higher-ups at my previous club is part of the reason I no longer swim there. Do you have a supportive friend that'd be open to tagging along with you ? someone to cheer you on at meets and grab a bite with you after practice here and there? It wouldn't solve the anti-trans swimmers/regulations problem, but it could relieve the isolation you might be feeling in the meantime.

I wish OP the best on their journey and hope they keep swimming

Y'all I just wanna say they are not amab a lot of people in the comments are thinking that they are but op is indeed afab just clearing things up for you

If you're transitioning from male to female, continue swimming and competing as a male and vice versa. That way you'll eliminate the controversy that has been plaguing the sports industry for the past few years and you still get to enjoy what you do. This also means you're legally allowed to compete in bigger events with no issues

(that was the fastest downvote I've ever received in my time on Reddit, guess someone didn't like what they were reading or didn't get the answer they wanted/expected. No hate, just trying to be helpful here)

I'm sorry you're facing this. I don't have advice, but it's unfair people can't get over themselves and be welcoming.

Not related but my local YMCA is adding a new locker room for me families abd non binary.

It's an open center with a few benches surrounded by about 10 family size rooms to change. I can't remember but I think the lockers are in the common area.

I've been wondering when gyms would start doing this and it looks like the YMCA is spearheading it. It's not built yet but the plans are public.

My Y has a pool.

I don't know, it's not an easy subject. I do have a trans friend and what I know is that she's always in a struggle when it comes to acceptance. 

The bullshit is a lot. Swimming has not historically been kind to queer people, or really anyone who’s different. But if you love it, and if it is still a net benefit to your mental health, keep going. Make sure you have the support and allies you need outside the pool to keep your confidence up. Find inspo in trailblazers like Schuyler Bailar, who is very awesome and has documented his journey publicly (and still killed in the pool after medically transitioning and swimming men’s). Remember that what you’re doing makes you a trailblazer too and your presence in the pool will make it easier for other genderqueer folx to follow. You can do this.

Lots of people have already chimed in and said queer swim teams or IGLA etc. In my experience those are all very welcoming but usually geared towards adults and you’ve commented that you are underage. 

Have you tried reaching out to your national swim federation? They might be able to connect you to people that are or have been in a similar situation. You are not the first or the only person going through this. On the other hand you might just get a canned response. My gut was to just reach out to somebody like Lia Thomas but I doubt she’ll have much of an online presence because of, well you know.  

Also try not to care too much about downvotes and negativity here. This sub hardly gets any moderation. Topics like these get influxes of non-swimmers and fresh accounts…

Nothing smart to add here, but just wanted to add another voice of support. I'm sorry you're facing this nonsense. You should of course be allowed to compete in your sport in your own gender.

Also, to those who think trans women swimmers have a huge advantage over cis women swimmers, I would recommend you look at the race results. Last time I did, I think the best trans woman in the world was maybe 6th best? So aside from all the other points, it's worth remembering that we're not arguing about who gets to be the best woman swimmer the world. We're arguing about who gets to be maybe 7th rather than 6th. To me, that doesn't seem more important than kicking a whole subsection of women out of the sport they love because you think they might win.

I’m sorry people were such giant gaping assholes on this post. When you get older, you’ll have some options for queer Masters swim most likely and can compete in competition (IGLA, etc).

Your movement forward really depends on what you want transition to look like. There are AFAB nonbinary athletes in other sports like soccer (Quinn) or running (Nikki Hiltz) that are just in the women’s category because they aren’t taking any hormones. Schuyler Bailar is a trans man who is a swimmer and started taking hormones and switched to the men’s team in college. Iszac Henig is another college swimmer who also switched to the men’s team when he started taking hormones.

I casually lap swim, I don’t complete, but I’m also a nonbinary person (transmasculine) and I follow all of this because I know it’s difficult to not be one’s authentic self. Basically, if you want to keep swimming, you’ll have a chance to switch over if you choose to take hormones. It’s happened before and will happen again—but it’s still kind of new.

In the meantime, you’re being a pioneer. What I would do in your situation for now is find swimwear that is comfortable for you, talk to your coach, and try to get announcers to use the correct name and pronouns for you at meets (hopefully a coach can help you advocate for that). But keep on going as you are on the women’s team for now as you explore your options. And just be open/honest with your teammates. Some people suck, but a lot of folks just want to support their teammates and friends.

What National Governing Body (NGB) oversees your competition? USA Swimming, USMS, NCAA and USOC all have criteria for trans inclusion.

While policies are in place, they don’t address the bias and discrimination you face, nor the psychological impact of body dysphoria and such.

It’s an unenviable position to be in.

I have zero competitive swimming experience, so I can’t provide any advice or insight there on how to handle it. But I will say this— and I will get downvoted to hell for this because this community has a huge transphobia problem— you deserve to compete with the gender you feel comfortable with. I’m so sorry that you are experiencing discrimination for this.

(From an agender lifeguard instructor)

i'm afraid you aren't going to get many helpful responses here, this subreddit can be really awful to trans people. i just want to say that i really hope you continue swimming. <3

I don't have specific advice, but just wanted to give some sort of encouragement. It's always extremely challenging to be riding the wave of societal change. There have been many people before you that society wasn't close to being ready to accept or change for and they never got to be remotely close to being able to be who they wanted to be and compete how the wanted to compete. You and other trans people are in the beginning time of this wave of societal change and that's amazing but it's also incredibly challenging. You are helping shape the future for those who come after you and that is such an amazing thing to be a part of although it's really hard to go through. I see society like a bit like a slow freight train - it takes a very long time to change direction and at the front of the train the change in direction may have started to be made but for it to get to the end of this long slow train takes time and it can feel despairing as it feels like no change has been made. I myself can feel that it is a complex issue because as there are so many factors at play, and peoples very valid live experiences and histories of hard won advances to take into consideration. But society does need to come up with solutions that are inclusive of a wide range of people because these things are only going to increase in complexity with advances in technology, brain and body modifications, AI and more. Sports is going to have to change a whole lot and I hope it only becomes richer and more satisfying because of it. You are at the beginning of this and it takes a lot of courage if you wish you rise to the challenge. You can be part of creating the future that is more inclusive for all, not at the expense of others because that isn't sustainable in the long run, but truly inclusive changes. Making room for all kinds of people. I myself am trying to be a change maker in my own industries for people who are different from the 'norm' too and it's definitely not an easy thing to do. I'm grateful that I live at a time where these changes are more possible to begin, and I feel for all those before me that could not have done what I can do now. For all those who could never be themselves even around their loved ones. Small steps can be frustrating but are equally so important. I look back to other minority change makers throughout history for strength and courage. I can't promise the changes will be made within the time of your swimming career but you can help pave the way for a better more inclusive future.

I’m really sorry you’re having to deal with this. It’s disappointing that the community is making it difficult for you to participate and enjoy competing.

This might not be super helpful, but are you mostly competing in pool events? Have you considered open water racing? It doesn’t solve your problem entirely, but it might be worth looking for a club that hosts races that have different policies or outlooks. It unfortunately will probably be time consuming doing all that research, but I’ve found the open water community to be more laid back. Some races I’ve done just did general timing for the event, while some broke it down into specific categories. Just an idea. I hope you find something that works for you!

It's a mess afaiu and is gonna take some time to sort.

You either swallow the hot iron ball and swim with those you don't identify with, or deal with an arkload of shit.

OP—can you clear up the issue of what gender you are please?

Until there’s a separate category (which I’m not sure if that would still solve it?) I think you should focus and look to teammates or coaches for support. The support of people hiding behind a screen, although reassuring and nice, won’t carry through to your actual experience unfortunately. For you being AFAB, I don’t think anyone will actually care what gender you compete under and some of what you’re feeling could even be a bias. If you were AMAB, I think it’d be a different story, which is understandable imo. But if there is still little support, someone might have to educate me as to why the categories can’t be viewed/based on biological sex instead of gender?

Have you tried looking into US Masters Swimming (if based in the US)? And also your local club’s policies on trans athletes when it comes to competition? Gender-based and sex-based discrimination should be illegal in theory depending on location, but of course, in practice, things are all over. Relays are also an option when it comes to mixed-gender sporting events. Contacting your city’s or neighborhood’s local LGBTQ+ center might help with some resources as well. If at school, try contacting your campus’ LGBTQ+ Center.

I’d say don’t care about what others think and enjoy the sport, but of course, it’s easier said than done. Make sure to have a good mental health support system in place too to navigate the critiques of the people who judge others.

I don’t have experience with competition and can’t even begin to fathom the daily struggles of being trans in our society, but most clubs and classes I’ve been a part of when it comes to sports as an adult have been mixed-gender. Heck, even some of the instructors for advanced swimming courses have been trans and genderqueer, and no one in classes has ever batted an eye because a person’s gender identity is their own business anyways. You just have to find an accepting community. All the best!

FINA adopted a new regulation this year. Look it up. You can be whatever you want yo be - your time is your time.

Transition & go stealth. Thats really the only option if you want to be treated as your true gender / sex.

I don’t see why anyone would care if you’re trans. The only reason I can see for others having a problem is if you are trying to compete in a sporting category that’s not the gender you were assigned at birth. Aside from that I don’t see how or why people would care.

I don’t have any advice, but I am interested in hearing a trans persons take on the Lea Thomas situation.

As a movement you should aim towards trans only games, for men and women seperately. Trans people shouldnt compete in the normal games since it is just not fair.

Come to Eugene, we won’t judge you.

If you're a woman competing against men, no one will care. If you're a man competing against women, everyone will care, and rightly so. You should be competing against your biological counterparts.

Competition aspect will be sorted out over decades in a patchwork of conflicting policies. If they let you now then go swim, if not then you can’t. Scream from every mountaintop and convince the world of the correctness of your position if so. It is what it is.

please don’t go into the water with open wounds (colon)

Vagina=Woman

Penis= Man

Knowing some common sense will help you get along just fine with other swimmers. Nobody wants to compete against the literal opposite sex in a meet event unless if it strictly says "mixed"