ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the methodologies we used when inspiring change at these institutions, focusing on the question of “who is left out?” When addressing who could be at women’s colleges, we also asked who was already there yet remained unnoticed. Trans Student Educational Resources worked with transgender students who had transitioned during their college years to help transform the educational environment for existing and incoming students. We collaborated with these students among other scholars, activists, and staff members to create the first-ever model policy for women’s college admissions on trans students. This policy not only highlights the importance of establishing trans-supportive education systems but also ensures that these systems sustainably educate people on transgender issues rather than having inclusive measures in writing only. The chapter additionally highlights one failure of this project: attempting to investigate internal admissions policies. During an effort to obtain concrete admissions policies from all 40+ women’s colleges in the U.S., we were met with indifference from admissions officers who refused to take our calls due to the controversy of the topic.
