Mount Holyoke College, which self-describes as an all-women's school, is now instructing professors and faculty to stop calling their students “women” because it may offend someone who doesn’t identify as a woman.
At an all-women's school.
To help professors avoid offending a girl who doesn’t think she’s a girl at this girls-only institution, the college published a guide to “Supporting Trans and Non-Binary Students,” which gives teachers tips on how to keep from “misgendering” someone in their classroom.
“When discussing the student body, say ‘Mount Holyoke students’ rather than ‘Mount Holyoke women,’” the guide instructs. “Avoid making statements like ‘We’re all women here...’, or referring to ‘...the two genders...’”
“Use gender neutral language whenever possible, but certainly in your syllabus and other general written communication,” the school continues.
“If you do introductions for the whole class, suggest that students say their names, pronouns, and something related to your course. Don’t assume you can tell what pronouns someone uses based on their appearance,” the guide explains.
Hilariously, Mount Holyoke violates its own non-binary rules by openly touting itself as a “women’s college” that has “led the way in women’s education,” according to the school’s website.
In fact, the school's own description explains that the college was founded as a response to all-male Ivy League colleges back in the day when higher education institutions were segregated by gender.
“Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Mount Holyoke College is a highly selective, nondenominational, residential, research liberal arts college for women,” the website reads. “Mount Holyoke is renowned for educating women leaders, from medical pioneers to Pulitzer Prize–winning playwrights.”
Geez. Way to be offensive, Mount Holyoke.