Why how we talk about gender matters

WAMU 88.5 | By Amanda Williams, Lauren Hamilton

Published October 16, 2023 at 2:24 PM EDT

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 25: Schuyler Bailar during speaks on stage during Youth Pride at Rumsey Playfield, Central Park on June 25, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images)

Back in 2015, Schuyler Bailar made headlines for being the first openly transgender athlete to compete on a Division 1 NCAA sports team.

Now, he’s an advocate for transgender inclusion. His new book is called “He/She/They: How We Talk About Gender and Why It Matters.”

In the years since Schuyler raced as a member of the Harvard men’s swim team, the battle over transgender inclusion in sports has become more contentious.

Since 2020, 18 states have passed laws restricting participationin sportsfor trans women and girls and five other states passed laws applying to all transathletes, according to an ESPN analysis.

Why does the way we talk about gender matter? Schuyler answers your questions and more.