By NewsPlanet Staff
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It's an old debate in a new venue: whether male-to-female transsexuals should be included in women-only institutions. In this case, the institution is Cambridge University's venerable Newnham College, which was established in 1871 specifically to be a women-only college and is Cambridge's only women's college today. Distinguished astrophysicist Dr. Rachel Padman became a Fellow of Newnham
in October, but many other faculty have only just become aware that Padman underwent sex reassignment surgery in 1982 and, due to British law, is still legally male. Padman is well-liked by her students and her colleagues, and even by pioneering feminist Germaine Greer, the Fellow who appears to be most vocally upset about Padman's status. Greer maintains that Padman should never have been admitted as a Fellow in the first place because of Newnham's statutes. In fact, Padman herself expressed concern to the college administration at the time she was first invited to join. Greer said, "Dr. Padman's past was kept secret from us on the governing body. We were told by people outside the college making fun of Newnham and frankly we feel we have been made monkeys of." She believes that, "We have to be true to the spirit of the original bequest to the college as a women's college for women." Greer seriously considered resigning her Fellowship in protest, but is probably going to convene an emergency meeting of the college's governing body instead. She's suggested that one resolution might be to change policy to admit males to the school, a move last considered in 1990 when it was narrowly defeated -- and one which Padman herself opposes. Padman said, "Newnham is the only college I would like to be associated with because of its special status. I like women and I like the idea of an all-women environment. If there is another vote, I would want to keep Newnham single-sex. I think the admission of men would lead to a diminution of opportunities for women in Cambridge and I want to keep the college's special status." Padman also said, "If I thought there were any significant number of women in the college who were, despite what I perceived, unhappy about me being there because of my past, then I would resign. Obviously I don't want to go because it would be losing something I love." Newnham Principal Onora O'Neill calls Padman's sex reassignment "ancient history" that "is not secret, covert or unknown among colleagues." She believes that any question as to the legitimacy of Padman's appointment is for lawyers to determine.
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