The question of whether trans men should be admitted to women’s colleges is a long-standing debate. I won’t try and be so narrow-minded as to assume I’ll be able to convince you to switch your opinion on the subject, however, it is a discussion where it’s important to understand both sides.

Allow me to add that I will be focusing mainly on binary trans men—that is, men assigned female at birth but identify as male and not anywhere else on the spectrum (meaning they are not nonbinary, bigender, etc). Being a cis woman, I obviously do not know the experience of trans men, however, I will attempt to construct both sides of the argument using opinions I have heard from people of all genders, trans and cis alike.

Women’s colleges in the United States have varying trans policies when it comes to men at their schools. Mount Holyoke’s policy is considered the most inclusive for trans men, allowing people of any gender identity to apply except for cis men (men assigned male at birth who identify as men). Other women’s colleges policies essentially accept “people that identify as women”, however, colleges like Wellesley and Bryn Mawr will also allow non-binary people to apply (to see a full list, check here).

So, let’s look at the two sides of the argument—some people believe that binary trans men shouldn’t be allowed at women’s colleges, while others do (of course, there’s also the third subsection in which some people say ‘trans men are just women, so it doesn’t matter!’ and I’m not even going to bother responding to that argument).

Why would trans men want to go to a women’s college? The most resounding answer I got was that women’s colleges were safer. Women can often be seen as understanding, and it would likely be much more comfortable to transition in an environment without cis male students. Also, it was common to hear that when these trans men were applying to these colleges, they hadn’t realized their gender identity; they either identified as non-binary or women. It wasn’t until after they started attending the institutions that they realized they were men. While it is possible that they could transfer after discovering their gender identity, that option isn’t always financially available to everyone (especially if the school is giving them a scholarship).

There are often two different arguments for the kind of prejudice that trans men face before coming out as men. Some people believe that trans men face misogyny before they transition, while other people believe that these men instead face misdirected transphobia. If the initial case is true, then do they not have a right to attend women’s colleges? Women’s colleges were originally a place for women to find an education since they weren’t allowed to attend other learning institutions due to rampant sexism. If trans men did indeed face misogyny growing up, doesn’t it seem like they should be able to attend women’s colleges as well?

Other people disagree for the reason that these are women’s institutions for, well, women (or at least female aligned people). Women’s colleges are spaces for women, and when trans men attend, they are encroaching upon their space. Women still face sexism in day-to-day life, and it seems as though we should at least be allowed to enjoy a safe space without men being part of it (or, at least, part of the student body). If trans men begin to make things about them (i.e. wanting to deter speakers from saying "ladies" during talks at MHC), what is going to happen to this space built for women? Isn't that a little unfair to well, women?

There are a few things that we should all agree upon, whether or not you agree that trans men should be allowed at women’s schools.

First off, trans men should be safe. They should not have to experience transphobia. This goes without saying. Their pronouns and names should be respected. They should be allowed any support that they need. Outright ignoring their identity is cruel and backwards.

Secondly, trans men need to acknowledge that they’re in women’s spaces. You may be allowed to attend, but it’s important that you realize that the community can’t entirely cater to your wishes (this doesn’t include names/pronouns, safety, etc). Women were who the college founded for. This means trans and cis women. Especially trans women, who I feel are often left out of the conversation.

Another thing that is important is that if colleges decide to accept trans men into their school, it should acknowledge it in terms of contact with the outside world. Mount Holyoke still refers to itself as a women’s college (please don’t give me this ‘historically women’s college’ thing. I, like many other students applying to the school, had no idea this was the case. They do not advertise their school as such), even if they accept trans men.

It’s a difficult problem, with no real answer. If a solution was to be found, it would have to balance carefully between issues of misogyny and transphobia. What is important is that everyone feels safe and comfortable at their school.