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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 6 september
American Living:

Women’s colleges more welcoming to transgender students

outside scrutiny. At Mills, 8 opposed the admissions
percent of more than 700 change, saying it under-
undergraduates identify as mines the institutional mis-
trans women. sion to empower women.
“I think that’s something Leaders at some schools
they don’t want to draw counter that women’s col-
to their students,” Martin leges were founded to
said. “Ultimately the at- educate those who have
tention is drawn to them, been marginalized be-
and that can be negative cause of their gender.
attention.”Colleges of all “That’s always been the
types have faced increas- historic role of women’s
ing pressure to meet the colleges,” Martin said. “The
needs of trans men and definition of gender and
women, who make up an gender identity has broad-
estimated 0.7 percent of ened, and yet it’s still very
the nation’s youths. Some much that mission.”
schools have responded Some schools have resisted
by offering gender-neutral widening their gender poli-
bathrooms and medical cies. At Hollins University, a
insurance that covers hor- private school of about 800
In this Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 photo, Ninotska Love, who has been accepted at Wellesley mone treatments, or by let- in Virginia, trans women
College, opens the door to her dorm room at the school in Wellesley, Mass. A growing number of ting students pick their gen- can be accepted only if
women’s colleges are welcoming transgender women on campus after refusing to admit them for der pronouns . they have completed a le-
years. Two trans women, including Ninotska, attending Wellesley this fall are believed to be the
first at the school since it decided to start allowing trans women in 2015. Still, alumnae of some gal and surgical transition
(AP Photo/Steven Senne) women’s colleges have from male to femaleq
By COLLIN BINKLEY leges have moved to allow
Associated Press trans women since 2014, at,
WELLESLEY, Mass. (AP) — starting with Mills College in
Until last year, Ninotska Oakland, California. Join-
Love would have been ing Wellesley in 2015 were
barred from attending Smith, Bryn Mawr and Bar-
Wellesley College. She’s an nard colleges, the last of
accomplished student who the so-called Seven Sisters
has persevered through women’s colleges to make
hardship, but under long- the change. Advocates
standing rules, the college say others have likely done
would have rejected her. so without advertising it.
Now the rules have “I think it’s a step forward,
changed. This week, Love one that’s long overdue,”
will become one of the said Genny Beemyn, direc-
first transgender women tor of the Stonewall Center
to attend Wellesley in the at the University of Massa-
school’s 147-year history. chusetts at Amherst, a re-
“For me to be accepted to source group for lesbian,
one of the best colleges for gay, bisexual and trans-
women in the nation, it is a gender people. “If they say
big validation of the person they’re women, then say-
that I have become. At first ing that they can’t attend
I couldn’t believe it,” said is denying their identities
Love, 28, who was born and marginalizing them.”
in Ecuador but fled to the Just how many trans wom-
U.S. in 2009 after being kid- en are attending women’s
napped and threatened colleges remains unknown.
because of her gender Many schools that now ac-
identity. “I’m so thankful to cept them won’t say how
be here.” many they enroll, if any,
Her arrival on campus citing privacy concerns.
reflects a quiet but mo- Schools including Smith
mentous shift that’s taking and Mount Holyoke colleg-
place at a wave of wom- es say they don’t track the
en’s colleges that have be- gender identities of their
gun allowing trans women. students.
But even as many schools Chicora Martin, vice presi-
embrace shifting views on dent of student life and
gender, some have been dean of students at Mills
reluctant to change amid College, said some fear
lingering differences over backlash from alumni or
the role of women’s col- donors who don’t support
leges. the change, and they want
At least eight women’s col- to protect students from