Trump Administration Targets Smith College Over Trans Women Admissions in Latest Title IX Assault

The Trump administration is escalating its war on transgender rights by investigating Smith College, a prestigious all-women’s institution in Massachusetts, over its policy of admitting transgender women. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights announced it will determine whether Smith violated Title IX by “admitting biological men” and granting them access to women-only dormitories, bathrooms, locker rooms, and athletic teams.

Smith College, founded in 1871 as a sanctuary for women’s education, has been a pioneer in trans inclusion since 2015, when it updated its admissions policy to welcome trans women. This change came after pressure from students and advocates, and followed a high-profile case in 2013 when trans applicant Rose Wong was rejected due to her gender identity. Other elite women’s colleges like Barnard and Wellesley also adopted similar inclusive policies that year.

The investigation fits a clear pattern of the Trump administration weaponizing Title IX, a law originally designed to combat sex discrimination, to attack trans rights. Last year, Trump signed an executive order banning trans girls and women from competing in female sports, prompting the NCAA to adopt a policy restricting women’s sports participation to those assigned female at birth. The Education Department further rolled back Obama- and Biden-era protections by narrowing the definition of sex discrimination to exclude gender identity.

By targeting Smith College, the administration is not only undermining transgender students’ rights but also threatening the autonomy of women’s colleges that have chosen to embrace gender inclusivity. This investigation is an alarming example of how federal power is being used to enforce discriminatory policies under the guise of protecting “biological sex,” putting vulnerable communities at risk and eroding decades of progress toward equality.

We will continue to monitor this investigation closely as it unfolds, exposing the administration’s relentless assault on civil rights and democratic norms.