America’s only all-male historically black college announced on Saturday that it would admit transgender men for the 2020 school year – but many noticed that the school was banning transitioning female students in the process.
Morehouse College in Atlanta announced that the school’s board of trustees approved the ‘Gender Identity Admissions and Matriculation Policy’ on Saturday.
‘The Morehouse College Board of Trustees has approved a Gender Identity Policy that will allow individuals who self-identify as men, regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth, to be considered for admission in the nation’s only historically black school for men,’ the policy reads, according to a release from the school.
Morehouse College in Atlanta announced that the school’s board of trustees approved the ‘Gender Identity Admissions and Matriculation Policy’ on Saturday
The policy ‘will allow individuals who self-identify as men, regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth, to be considered for admission’
The new policy applies to students seeking enrollment into the school by the Fall 2020 semester and does not apply to students who applied for beforehand.
Morehouse aims to now look into creating diversity and inclusion programs to best facilitate and support the policy.
‘In a rapidly changing world that includes a better understanding of gender identity, we’re proud to expand our admissions policy to consider trans men who want to be part of an institution that has produced some of the greatest leaders in social justice, politics, business, and the arts for more than 150 years,’ said Terrance Dixon, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Morehouse
It took the school 15 months of community engagement to best develop the policy and is said to have been a collaborative effort between faculty, staff, students and alumni that were all a part of a task force created by President of Morehouse College, Dr. David A. Thomas.
‘In a rapidly changing world that includes a better understanding of gender identity, we’re proud to expand our admissions policy to consider trans men who want to be part of an institution that has produced some of the greatest leaders in social justice, politics, business, and the arts for more than 150 years,’ said Terrance Dixon, Vice President for Enrollment Management at Morehouse.
He added: The ratification of this policy affirms the College’s commitment to develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service.’
Students who are admitted under the new policy – along with all students going forward – are ‘expected to self-identify as men throughout their education at Morehouse.’
The school takes it a step further and states that it will continue to reinforce ‘masculine pronouns’ in its own material.
‘Morehouse will continue to use masculine pronouns, the language of brotherhood, and other gendered language that reflects its mission as an institution designed to develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service,’ the policy reads.
Students who are admitted under the new policy – along with all students going forward – are ‘expected to self-identify as men throughout their education at Morehouse’
‘Morehouse will continue to use masculine pronouns, the language of brotherhood, and other gendered language that reflects its mission as an institution designed to develop men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service,’ the policy states
But the policy does assert that students who transition from men to women are no longer eligible to attend the school. Those seeking to remain at the school have to be exempt via a three-person committee that’s appointed by the President and involves a written appeal by that student.
‘In the event that the impacted student disagrees with the decision of the committee, the student may make a final appeal to the President of Morehouse,’ the policy states.
It continues: ‘Trans women, or individuals who identify as women regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth, will not be considered for admission.’
Many on social media took issue with the added measures of the policy, stating that it was clearly ‘transmisogynoir’ or oppression of black trans women and trans feminine people.
Many on social media took issue with the added measures of the policy, stating that it was clearly ‘transmisogynoir’ or oppression of black trans women and trans feminine people
User Tyra Alexis, an alum of Spelman College – a historically black all-female that is seen as the sister school of the college – posted their disdain with how the two schools have handled LGBTQIA folk in the past
‘I encourage y’all to read Morehouse’s new Trans policy CAREFULLY. This ain’t it,’ said one alum of the school. ‘Any student who who transitions from M to F or begins to self-identify as a woman/femme while at Morehouse will no longer be eligible to matriculate at Morehouse College.’
The sentiment was shared by another ‘LGBTQ’ identified alum who stated: ‘The problem is that anyone who self identifies as a woman / femme or transitions from M to F while a student at the institution will no longer be eligible to finish at Morehouse College. It’s Trans misogynoir.’
User Tyra Alexis, an alum of Spelman College – a historically black all-female that is seen as the sister school of the college – posted their disdain with how the two schools have handled LGBTQIA folk in the past.
‘Morehouse can hardly handle (and support) feminine-presenting queer students. i’m eager see a more thorough + specific plan to ensure trans men’s well-being before this policy is implemented,’ Alexis said in one tweet.
A transgender woman who formerly attended the school asked if her student debt could also be expelled
In another, the Spelman alum said: ‘and, expelling a student for transitioning as a trans woman would only expose them to more physical + emotional harm. if this were to happen mid-semester, how would a trans woman—who is likely to experience violence in all forms—survive before transferring to a different school?’
‘I hope Morehouse is well equipped to facilitate and advocate for trans students,’ asserted Mel Smith. ‘We already know how that shit goes.’
A transgender woman who formerly attended the school asked if her student debt could also be expelled.
‘Oh yeah, by the way – fairly open secret that i attended morehouse for a bit. left because i ran out of money,’ she said. ‘I’ve watched the s***y evolution of their trans student policy. i reckon i’m not shocked that they don’t work w/spelman, because why make life easier for trans women.’
A transsexual woman currently attending the school – Tatiana Rafael – told Buzzfeed News that she believed the policy to be discriminatory towards trans women students.
A transsexual woman currently attending the school – Tatiana Rafael – said that she believed the policy to be discriminatory towards trans women student. Rafael has been ‘grandfathered in’ to graduate at the school
She asserted that she had been ‘grandfathered in’ before the policy was implemented and has secured graduation for herself.
‘[I will] make history as the first fully transitioned woman in the school’s 152-year history and the first female on the student record since the 1930s to earn a degree,’ she said.
Rafael was dismayed by the prohibiting of trans women to enroll to the school following her.
‘Morehouse is missing a crucial opportunity to become more inclusive by purposefully excluding trans female students,’ she added.
The schools is home to notable alumni like Martin Luther King Jr, Samuel L. Jackson and Spike Lee.