Federal investigation into Smith College probes whether transgender students can attend women’s schools – challenging the evolving mission of women’s education

The Smith College investigation marks the first time the Trump administration is considering whether trans students should gain admission to certain schools.

By: Alex C. Lange, Colorado State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: May 6, 2026

Words: 1,281

Last Updated: 2 months, 3 weeks ago

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By Alex C. Lange, Colorado State University

Within the past decade, most women’s colleges in the United States – including Smith College, a liberal arts college in Northampton, Massachusetts – have expanded their admissions policies, allowing transgender students to also attend. Many of these policies allow transgender women to apply, while policies for transgender men and nonbinary students vary more widely.

The Trump administration announced on May 4, 2026, that it is investigating Smith …

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