Wellesley College Students Vote To Admit Trans Men And Nonbinary Students

Students at Wellesley College, the elite Massachusetts women's school that counts Hillary Clinton and Madeleine Albright among its alumnae, voted Tuesday night to make transgender men and nonbinary students eligible for admission in a nonbinding ballot initiative. However, the statement released by School President Paula Johnson states that despite the vote, Wellesley does not plan to change its admissions policies, which do not allow transgender men to enroll. The ballot initiative passed as part of the college government election process. The vote comes at a time when the rights of transgender people — and transgender youth in particular — are at the center of national politicized debates about how gender identity and sexual orientation are discussed in schools, and the accessibility of gender-affirming health care, among other related issues.