Smith College hit with federal complaint over transgender admissions policies
Smith College is under federal investigation after a complaint accused it of violating Title IX by admitting trans-identifying individuals.
Defending Education submitted a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education alleging that Smith’s College admissions and campus policies discriminate against biological women.
Smith College is under fire after a conservative watchdog group filed a federal complaint accusing the all-women’s college of violating Title IX by prioritizing gender identity over sex.
On June 20, Defending Education submitted a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education alleging that Smith’s College admissions and campus policies discriminate against women.
The organization argues that the university’s inclusion of males who identify as females undermines Title IX and violates protections for female-only educational spaces.
Smith College is one of the largest historically women’s colleges in the country and receives federal financial assistance—making it subject to Title IX requirements.
Defending Education’s complaint highlights the school’s admissions policy, which permits applicants who “identify as a woman, cis, trans, and nonbinary,” based solely on self-identification, without requiring medical or legal documentation.
Conversely, the complaint calls out Smith College for denying admission to women who identify as men, describing the practice “an exercise in sex discrimination.”
Smith’s campus facilities and healthcare policies are also under scrutiny.
The college maintains all-gender restrooms and locker rooms. It also provides so-called “trans-affirming” care—which includes hormone therapy through its Health and Wellness Center.
Defending Education has requested a full investigation by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and urged immediate remedial actions to restore legal compliance.
[RELATED: Office for Civil Rights orders UPenn to reinstate female athletic records won by men]
The Department of Education continues enforcement of Title IX provisions.
For example, a recent investigation found that the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) denied equal opportunities to girls by permitting male athletes in female categories.
The department ordered CDE to restore records and awards to female athletes and warned California that failing to comply within 10 days could trigger intervention by the Department of Justice.
“California has failed to adhere to its obligations under federal law,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon told Fox News on Wednesday. “The state must swiftly come into compliance with Title IX or face the consequences that follow.”
Campus Reform has reached out to Smith College and Defending Education for comment. This article will be updated accordingly if responses are received.
