I get a lot of questions because of my choice to attend Simmons College. People always ask me what it’s like going to an all-women’s school. Every time, I gently correct them because I don’t go to an all-women’s school.
I go to a women-centered institution known for their inclusive gender policies.
It usually takes a while for people to get it and, honestly, I don’t blame them. Articles all over the Internet reference Simmons as an “all-girls” institution. Students and bloggers reminisce about their experiences attending a women-only school. It used to be that most of Simmons’ advertising featured only she/her/hers pronouns and images of women. Looking at this school from the outside, it looked pretty uniform.
It’s true: the undergraduate population at Simmons College is mostly women. I identify as a cisgender woman, meaning I identify with the gender I was assigned at birth. At Simmons, there are countless events on safety, professional development and more all geared towards succeeding in a patriarchal culture. It is absolutely empowering learning in an environment where women are celebrated. But do you know what is even more empowering? Attending a school that celebrates various gender identities. Simmons welcomes transgender women, transgender men and genderqueer and gender non-conforming individuals. The only person who cannot attend the Simmons undergraduate program is a person who was assigned male at birth and identifies as male.
Simmons is not the only previously all-female college to change their admission policies in regards to gender. Simmons was the third college in the Unites States, behind Mills College and Mount Holyoke College, to make the shift. In the fall of 2014, the Boston Globe ran an article about our new admission policy. Since these changes, Simmons has made noticeable efforts to use gender-neutral pronouns on the website and other outlets. They have also installed more gender-neutral bathrooms and offer types of medical insurance that include transgender health benefits.
Referring to Simmons, and similar colleges, as all-female schools erases and misgenders many people at the college. Using this generalization is not only disrespectful, it is inaccurate. This school is making a difference for me not just because of the women-centered environment, but because of the supportive and inclusive policies Simmons has in place. I learn so much about gender identity and expression every day. This world is not just made up of men and women, or even trans men and trans women. Gender is fluid. Gender is who you are and what you decide. We are assigned gender like we are assigned a costume, and it either fits or it doesn’t. Though the society we live in continues to insist on a gender binary world, that is not the reality. Gender is a spectrum. In many ways, Simmons acknowledges and celebrates this. What is really important to me is learning in an inclusive and supportive environment where all gender identities and expressions are welcomed.
So, let’s get this real clear: there are men and gender-nonconforming people at Simmons. I don’t go to an all-women college. I value my Simmons education for much more than female empowerment. I have learned the importance of acknowledging someone’s gender identity. I mean, when you boil it down, it's just respect. We all want to be acknowledged for who we are, and this is no different.
I am grateful to live in a community that values respect.
