The US Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into Smith College, a prominent women's college in Massachusetts, over its policy of admitting transgender women. The probe, announced on Monday, alleges the college may be violating Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education, by allowing 'biological males into women's intimate spaces' such as dorms, bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams.
The department's Office for Civil Rights argues that Title IX's exemption for single-sex colleges applies only to 'biological sex difference, not subjective gender identity'. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey stated: 'An all-women's college loses all meaning if it is admitting biological males.' Smith College's admissions policy currently accepts 'any applicants who self-identify as women', including cisgender, transgender and nonbinary women.
The investigation follows a complaint filed in June 2025 by Defending Education, a rightwing group that targets diversity policies in schools. The group's complaint argued that Smith 'admits natal men who identify as women but does not admit natal women who identify as men', which it described as 'another exercise in sex discrimination'. Smith College said it has received notice of the investigation and is 'fully committed to its institutional values, including compliance with civil rights laws'.
This action is part of a broader Trump administration push against transgender rights, including efforts to ban transgender athletes from women's sports and restrict access to gender-affirming care. Smith College, founded in 1875, counts numerous first ladies and civic leaders among its alumni. In 2015, the college affirmed its policy of admitting transgender women after a year-long study, stating that 'concepts of female identity have evolved' since its founding.
