Women's college students vote to accept trans-identified and non-binary persons

Students of Massachusetts' Wellesley College, a private women's liberal arts school, have voted in a "nonbinding" referendum to accept applicants who identify as transgender men or nonbinary. According to the results of the vote, all applicants should be considered besides males who identify as men. 

The vote, of which the results were reported on Wednesday by CNN, was prompted by school President Paula A. Johnson, who on March 6 published a statement to students to let them know they would have the "opportunity to vote on a ballot question approved by College Government regarding the College's admission policy and our use of gendered language in all official communication."

On Wellesley's website, it states that they currently accept applications from those who "live as women and consistently identify as women," a definition that includes biological males who identify as transgender women, as well as those who identify as nonbinary but "were assigned female at birth and who feel they belong in our community of women."

Johnson made clear that the results of the vote are "nonbinding and will not impact any of the policies or practices of the College or of student organizations at Wellesley," but aims to gauge students' "views" on the school's gender policy.