Sweet Briar College, a small women’s liberal arts school in Virginia, recently instituted a new admissions policy that has sparked significant controversy. The college, which has faced financial difficulties and near closure in recent years, now requires applicants to confirm that their sex assigned at birth is female and that they consistently live and identify as women. This policy, which aligns with the legally binding will of the college’s founder from 1900, has drawn criticism from both students and faculty, who argue that it is out of touch with modern understandings of gender and inclusivity.
The leadership of Sweet Briar justifies the policy by referencing the original intentions of Indiana Fletcher Williams, the college’s founder. According to the administration, Williams’ will stipulates that the college be “a place of girls and young women,” a phrase they interpret in its historical context. However, this originalist interpretation has been challenged, especially given that the will also explicitly excluded non-white students, a practice the college was forced to abandon after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Critics argue that holding onto such archaic definitions, particularly in the context of gender, is both discriminatory and harmful.
The backlash within the Sweet Briar community has been swift. The faculty senate voted overwhelmingly to call for the policy’s rescission, while the student government association condemned the decision as “alienating” and reflective of a broader rise in transphobia. Students who identify as nonbinary or who have transgender friends and family members feel particularly alienated, questioning the college’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment. The policy’s potential to repel applicants in an already shrinking pool of candidates is also a significant concern, with some warning that this could lead to further financial difficulties for the institution.
The situation at Sweet Briar College highlights a broader tension within women’s colleges across the United States. While some institutions have embraced a more inclusive definition of womanhood, others, like Sweet Briar, cling to traditional notions that many see as outdated. This struggle is emblematic of the ongoing fight for transgender rights and recognition within educational spaces, with policies like Sweet Briar’s seen as a step backward in the quest for equality and acceptance.
While the college’s leadership may view this policy as a way to preserve its tradition, the decision could have far-reaching consequences. Not only does it risk alienating potential students, but it also places the college at odds with a growing movement toward greater inclusivity in higher education. As the debate over what it means to be a woman continues to evolve, institutions like Sweet Briar College will need to decide whether they will move forward with the times or remain anchored in the past.
