The Top 10 Trans-Friendly Colleges and Universities

With improvements made across the country, for the first time ever, Campus Pride can assemble a list of the most welcoming places for trans students to go to college.

BY Genny Beemyn and Shane Windmeyer

August 15 2012 5:00 AM ET

Ithaca College
Ithaca, N.Y.
Campus Pride Index LGBT-Friendly Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
Gender Identity/Expression Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

Although its LGBT center is only a decade old, Ithaca College (IC) has quickly become one of the best small colleges for trans people. Since most students live on campus, housing is a critical concern, and Ithaca College offers both an LGBT residence hall community and a gender-inclusive housing option. But IC has also instituted a special housing process, whereby a trans student can indicate the best living situation for them, and the college will seek to accommodate their request. “We want to make sure our trans and genderqueer students are able to fully access all the housing opportunities that all our students have, and avail themselves of all Ithaca College has to offer,” states Lis Maurer, the director of the college’s LGBT center. IC has further distinguished itself by establishing a speech pathology clinic in 2011 to assist both MTF and FTM trans people who are transitioning to have their voices sound more like other people of their gender. The clinic is free to staff, faculty, and students.