Bryn Mawr College Changes Admissions Guidelines to Welcome Transgender Women

Bryn Mawr College | Photo via Facebook.

Bryn Mawr college announced yesterday that it will alter its admissions guidelines to be more welcoming to transgender women and intersex and gender non-conforming people.

The decision came following a Change.org petition written by alums and current students that called for the school’s admissions policies to be more outwardly accepting of transgender women. It stated:

Avoiding a well-defined policy does not allow for greater inclusivity in admissions; on the contrary, it creates unnecessary and discouraging roadblocks for trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students applying to Bryn Mawr. The Bryn Mawr community deserves a clear, intentional, and well-articulated admissions policy protecting all prospective students, including trans, nonbinary, and intersex students, and especially trans women. In addition to a comprehensive admissions policy, we need campus protections and support for trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming students and applicants. Without these basic changes, Bryn Mawr cannot claim to be a women’s college or an advocate for gender equality.

So this week, “after months of study and consultation,” the Board of Trustees of Bryn Mawr College voted to accept the recommendation. More from the press release:

Specifically, the board-accepted recommendation strongly affirms the College’s mission — to educate women to be future leaders — and in this mission context more clearly articulates the eligible undergraduate applicant pool. In addition to those applicants who were assigned female at birth, the applicant pool will be inclusive of transwomen and of intersex individuals who live and identify as women at the time of application. Intersex individuals who do not identify as male are also eligible for admission. Those assigned female at birth who have taken medical or legal steps to identify as male are not eligible for admission.

In cases where an applicant’s gender identity is not clearly reflected in their application materials, the College may request additional information, which could include verifiable legal or medical steps taken to affirm gender. In evaluating such additional information, the College fully intends to be as flexible and inclusive as possible.

Read the entire release here.