Published on November 24, 2023, 12:52 am

Saint Mary’s College based in Notre Dame, Indiana, plans to accept men who identify as women from the fall of 2024. The president of the institution, Katie Conboy, shared this decision through an email to the faculty which stated that they will consider undergraduate applicants whose sex assigned at birth is female or those who consistently live and identify as women. The news was reported initially by The Observer, a student newspaper at Notre Dame.

The college is still working out detailed practices that will stem from this policy change. Conboy has assembled a “President’s Task Force for Gender Identity and Expression,” tasked with collecting information and best practices from other Catholic colleges and women’s colleges. They will provide their recommendations on student housing considerations.

“We are by no means the first Catholic women’s college to adopt a policy with this scope,” Conboy acknowledged in her communication. “In crafting the language for this update, I relied on insights from the Executive Team and others to ensure our message aligns not only with today’s best practices for college students but also embodies our commitment to operate as a Catholic women’s college.”

The decision has garnered criticism from advocates striving to safeguard women’s spaces. As Riley Gaines, advisor with Independent Women’s Voice noted, “In their pursuit of empowerment for women, St. Mary’s has deserted them. Such radical changes have significant repercussions that wouldn’t be tolerated if meted out towards men.”

Claire Bettag, a junior at Saint Mary’s stated bluntly – “St. Mary’s College is no longer distinctly Catholic or notably serving women.” She called for accountability through legal measures for what she termed is a ‘fraudulent misrepresentation’, expressing concerns over privacy rights of female students.

Saint Mary’s alumna Clare Ann Ath echoed similar sentiments opining that the decision signifies again that Saint Mary’s College has failed to uphold an authentic Christian worldview rooted in one’s biological gender identity staying unchanged. She expressed deep concerns over promoting what she termed as a ‘radical ideology.’

The including non-discrimination policy of the college reinforces its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity. It maintains that while the college remains focused on empowering women through education, respecting each individual’s identity remains a cornerstone of its mission.

Conboy also quoted Pope Francis emphasizing love and acceptance for those differing from ourselves: “Love compels us to seek the best for their lives,’ regardless of physical or moral appearances…”

Respecting such dignity in line with becoming an inclusive community is what this revised non-discrimination clause intends to advance according to Conboy. The controversy still rages on as Saint Mary’s reportedly had turned down the formation of a Turning Point USA chapter at the campus previously, supposedly because Turning Point USA’s stance on biological sex did not align with their mission.

Balancing the demand and rights of an evolving society while retaining core values rooted in faith has emerged as a significant challenge for institutions like Saint Mary’s. A tradition that stood unchallenged for decades is now forced to reconcile with modern interpretations of gender identity. The journey ahead will surely be closely watched by everyone interested in real news opened up through trusted news sources offering insights based on Christian worldview.