Zoe Mckey, Staff Writer
Sweet Briar College in Virginia has adopted a new admissions policy barring transgender women, citing a strict interpretation of the will of its founder, Indiana Fletcher Williams, which mandates the school as a place for “girls and young women.” The college’s leadership justifies this decision by interpreting the will according to its original 1900 context, which they argue limits the institution to cisgender women. The move has sparked significant criticism from faculty and students, who fear that the policy will damage the college’s reputation and reduce its already limited applicant pool, particularly at a time when women’s colleges are struggling to survive.
The college’s decision is part of a broader national debate over the inclusion of transgender individuals in single-sex institutions. Critics argue that the policy not only alienates potential students but also contradicts the evolving understanding of gender. Despite the backlash, including the resignation of a board member, Sweet Briar’s leadership maintains that the policy is essential to preserving the college’s traditional single-sex education model. However, the policy’s impact on the college’s future, both financially and socially, remains uncertain.
