By John Mack Freeman
This week, Smith College officially decided that they would accept trans students. Although trans students have been considered since 2013 after they denied applicant Calliope Wong, the policy has been under review. The all-women’s school has come under frequent fire in recent years for denying trans students acceptance to the institution. An announcement made this week states the school will consider any student that identifies as female. This makes Smith the seventh prominent women’s school to accept trans-identified students. An FAQ about the new policy can be found here.
Additionally, Iowa Western Community College has announced that they will begin offering a community-style housing area specifically for LGBT students with a focus on transgender and intersex students. Via LGBTQ Nation:
“This community is meant for students who want to live with others who are committed to gender inclusion and equity,” a statement from Iowa Western reads. “This community is created for students who do not wish to live in a facility that aligns with a binary view (male/female) of gender identities or who may not feel comfortable in a traditionally gendered environment.”
About 40 students have already expressed an interest in the new Pride Q*mmunity cluster, with about 11 students already choosing the option on their housing applications, Luiken said. The housing application update went live within the last couple weeks. Luiken stresses that no student will be assigned to the cluster who doesn’t request placement.
Other schools, such as the University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, also plan to offer gender-inclusive housing options in near future.
