How Yale Swimming’s Iszac Henig Approaches Mental Health as a Trans Man

We sat down with Yale swimming’s Iszac Henig, who wrote for the New York Times about his experience during the pandemic and, two years later, his decision to join the Yale men’s team. Henig speaks about being a subject of media attention during the 2021 – 2022 season as he raced his way to a podium finish at the 2022 Ivy League Championships and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

Henig also discussed how he approaches mental health as a trans man, goal setting as a competitive swimmer, and what he has planned after graduating and completing his swimming career later this year.

Music: Otis McDonald
www.otismacmusic.com

Opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the interviewed guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the hosts, SwimSwam Partners, LLC and/or SwimSwam advertising partners.

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Gummy Shark
1 year ago

Trans kids are people too!

Gulliver’s Swimming Travels
1 year ago

I appreciate Ben Dornan.

Joel Lin
Reply to  Gulliver’s Swimming Travels
1 year ago

Informative, professional & thoughtful. Very well done.

Ghost
1 year ago

Ben, well done interview. I am completely naive on this topic and both you and Isaac enlightened me. Professional interview on a “controversial” topic.

Joel Lin
1 year ago

Costs nothing to just sit one out, Chief.

Werner Swimzog
1 year ago

Does he compete in a full body suit still? Over the top?

iLikePsych
Reply to  Werner Swimzog
1 year ago

He does not.

Werner Swimzog
Reply to  iLikePsych
1 year ago

Thanks! It was an honest question. I see pics of him in a full suit and it made me wonder.

Demarrit Steenbergen
Reply to  Werner Swimzog
1 year ago

That was last year before he began hrt but after the mastectomy and was still competing with women if I remember correctly

96Swim
Reply to  Werner Swimzog
1 year ago

He just competed at the Harvard-Yale-Princeton tri meet this weekend. Wore what the other men competing wore. Was competitive. Not winning events, but not last place. If you didn’t know he was a trans man, you would never have noticed.

MIKE IN DALLAS
1 year ago

Sooner or later, I think NCAA will have to see that FINA dominates the world of swimming and work to implement their regulations concerning athletes who transition and how to sustain a level field of competition for all competitors.