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The gate at Smith College where a group of students is planning a protest on April 24 over the college Office of Admissions policy to exclude transgender students from enrolling at the all-women's college.

(The Republican [file])

NORTHAMPTON — Students are planning a protest at Smith College in Northampton over the prestigious women's school policy to exclude transgender females from enrolling.

The policy, which drew national press and heated criticism upon its announcement in 2013, will again be under fire by demonstrators on April 24. All participants in the scheduled demonstration will be required by student organizers to undergo a briefing on the policy ahead of time in order to present "a united front," according to a notice announcing the protest.

The controversy began in March 2013 when Calliope Wong, a male-to-female transgender girl, reported that her her application and admittance fee were returned by Smith College because she is not legally recognized as female in her home state of Connecticut. The rejection letter from Smith, which she posted online, outlined the college's position on the issue of transgender students.

The letter read in part:

The situation persuaded students supporting Wong and all potential transgender students to collect signatures on a petition asking Smith college to change its policy. And although approximately 4,000 signatures were passed on to the administration, the policy to exclude transgender students at the all-female school is still in place.

For more information, visit the Smith Q&A website or send an email to organizer Sarah Fraas.