Policies on transgender admissions at women’s colleges
May 30, 2015, 7:43 AM
In this Thursday, May 28, 2015 photo, banners hang from a building at Barnard College in New York. Barnard, like other women's colleges, has always admitted only students born as women, but the class of 2020 may be different. Soon Barnard's trustees vote on whether to officially admit transgender students _ trans women, trans men or those not identifying with either gender _ following new policies announced at several other women’s colleges. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)n
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Barnard College’s Board of Trustees is expected to vote next week on a formal policy governing admission of transgender students. The vote at the Manhattan campus follows those at a number of women’s colleges across the country over the past year. The policies, which all acknowledge changing norms regarding gender, differ in their breadth. Here’s a look at some of them:
BRYN MAWR COLLEGE
In February, Bryn Mawr announced it would consider eligible for admission transgender women, intersex individuals who do not identify as male, individuals assigned female at birth who have not taken medical or legal steps to identify as male, and individuals assigned female at birth who do not identify as either female or male.
MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE
In September, Mount Holyoke announced it would consider for admission transgender women, transgender men, those born female who do not identify with either gender, those born female but not identifying as male or female, and those born male who identify as “other” but that identity includes female. Not considered for admission: those born male who identify as male.
SMITH COLLEGE
In May, Smith announced it would consider eligible transgender women but not transgender men, nor individuals who don’t identify as either female or male. Those who become trans men while at Smith have full support and can graduate.
MILLS COLLEGE
Last August, Mills became the first women’s college in the United States to accept applications from transgender women and those applicants “assigned female at birth who do not fit on the gender binary.”
WELLESLEY COLLEGE
In March, Wellesley announced it would consider “any applicant who lives as a woman and consistently identifies as a woman.” The policy excludes trans men but includes those assigned female at birth who are “non-binary” and, like at Smith, those who transition while at Wellesley can stay and graduate.
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