At Wellesley College, Students Vote to Admit Trans Men

[Celerity]

Students supported a nonbinding referendum on Tuesday that calls for opening admission to all nonbinary and transgender applicants. Opponents say the school’s mission is to educate women.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/us/wellesley-college-trans-nonbinary.html

https://archive.is/HOH9t



Wellesley College proudly proclaims itself as a place for “women who will make a difference in the world.” It boasts a long line of celebrated alumnae, including Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Nora Ephron.

On Tuesday, its students supported a referendum that had polarized the campus and went straight to the heart of Wellesley’s identity as a women’s college. The referendum, which was nonbinding, called for opening admission to all nonbinary and transgender applicants, including trans men. Currently, the college allows admission to anyone who lives and consistently identifies as a woman.

The referendum also called for making the college’s communications more gender inclusive — for example, using the word “students” or “alumni” instead of “women.” The vote was in some ways definitional: What is the mission of a women’s college?

Supporters said that women’s colleges had always been safe havens for people facing gender discrimination, and that with trans people under attack across the country, all transgender and nonbinary applicants must be able to apply to Wellesley. Opponents of the referendum said that if trans men or nonbinary students were admitted, Wellesley would become effectively coed.

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[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. The trans-men inclusion makes it interesting, philosophically

And I'm all about the philosophy on stuff like this.

So let me ask ... why let trans-men into the school if it's supposedly a woman's college?

(I'm not against it to be clear, I just enjoy the debate on these sorts of questions )

[Celerity]

2. It does seem, on its face, to contradict the premiss that trans women ARE women, full stop.

Following that line of logic, trans men ARE men, full stop.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

4. You've nailed why I say it's interesting ...

I'll let others opine on the subject if they choose, I just think it's interesting to ponder.

Also I'm often not the best with my answers on stuff like this, I've slowly come to realize.

[James48]

3. It was clear in the article.

The writer wrote: “ Supporters said that women’s colleges had always been safe havens for people facing gender discrimination, and that with trans people under attack across the country, all transgender and nonbinary applicants must be able to apply to Wellesley.”

I think that’s very clear in its reasoning. It’s about a safe place for those experiencing gender discrimination. Trans-men and trans-women both face gender discrimination equal to or greater than the gender discrimination inherent in our society. Why not allow a safe place to study, discrimination free. I think it’s a good thing.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. I'll just say that waving off glaring dichotomies is not one my stronger suits (nt)

[Earth-shine]

10. The buddha said, "Walk the middle ground" (when faced with glaring dichotomy).

[Celerity]

7. What if a cis gay male applies under the 'I am experiencing gender discrimination' construct?

They say that if they were female gendered and not male, then their orientation towards men would be considered 'normal' by greater society.

They also say that Wellesley is now allowing trans men (who ARE men, under the trans construct) whose orientation is for other men (and thus are gay men, the same as the applicant), so that makes them (the cis gay male applicant) eligible for admission.

Btw, I am just playing devil's advocate with that example in order to more fully understand the boundaries/guardrails of the policy.

[haele]

11. Trans men could get pregnant while still undergoing transition.

Or even after, depending on whether or not they get a hysterectomy as part of their transition. I've worked with two trans men, one of them inadvertently got pregnant and had a child just as he began his transition, his brother's family took the baby in, and he considered the child his niece.

Trans men might potentially be less "threatening" gender wise to other women than even a still intact trans woman might be to a more sensitive female looking for a gender-safe environment.

If the students of Wellesley are fine with trans men being included, good on them.

Haele

[WhiskeyGrinder]

6. God, the NYT is OBSESSED with trans people.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

8. gop is more obsessed

[W_HAMILTON]

9. Which means the NYT is obsessed, since they are led around by the nose...

...by whatever Republicans are outraged at that day.