All-female Catholic college will admit male students who 'identify as women,' claiming it's 'in line with best practices'

An all-female Catholic college in Notre Dame, Indiana, announced that it will begin admitting male students who "identify as women" starting in the fall of 2024, according to a recent email obtained by the Observer and the Daily Signal.

President of Saint Mary's College Katie Conboy sent a letter to students and faculty Tuesday explaining that the Catholic college would enroll undergraduate applicants "whose sex is female or who consistently live and identify as women."

The policy change was approved by the Board of Trustees earlier this year, reported the Observer, a student-run newspaper serving Indiana's Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and Holy Cross. Conboy's email noted that the board "fully supports" the new policy decision.

"This confidence from our Board underscores their commitment that as an employer, Saint Mary's must stand firm in its position as an inclusive community leader, and that as educators, we should continue to create an environment where all women belong and thrive," Conboy stated in the recent email to students and staff.

Conboy previously created a President's Task Force for Gender Identity and Expression to provide recommendations for housing considerations and education on behalf of the community.

"We are by no means the first Catholic women's college to adopt a policy with this scope," Conboy wrote. "In drafting the language for this update, I have relied on the guidance of the Executive Team and others to ensure that our message is not only in line with best practices for today's college students, but that it also encompasses our commitment to operate as a Catholic women's college."

Saint Mary's non-discrimination policy states that the college aims to "empower women" and remains "inherently tied to the vision and values of our founders and sponsors, the Sisters of the Holy Cross."

"Essential to this mission is fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive campus experience," the policy continues.

In a post on X, Saint Mary's alumna Clare Anne Ath called the move "blasphemous" and "a complete rejection of the Church and it's [sic] teachings on gender and sexuality."

Former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines told the Daily Signal that Saint Mary's had "abandoned women" with its new policy.

"It would be comical if there weren't real consequences women have to endure. Men would not put up with this mistreatment and gaslighting for a second. It's time women take back our spaces, our opportunities, and our language," she added.

Saint Mary's did not respond to a request for comment from the Observer.

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