WATCH: A man can be woman of the year, students argue

Campus Reform Reporter Alexa Schwerha visited George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia to ask students if men should be considered for this year’s “Women of the Year” honorees.

USA Today recently released its selections for the 2022 “Women of the Year.” The honor is bestowed to “strong and resilient women who have been champions of change across the country” who lead and inspire “as they promote and fight for equity, and give others a place to seek help and find hope.”

Among the notable names of this year’s selection include Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, Vice President Kamala Harris, and philanthropist Melinda Gates. 

However, the award caused controversy when Assistant Secretary of Health Rachel Levine, a biological man, was distinguished as a “National Honoree.”

According to students at George Mason, this is a glass-ceiling moment for the transgender community.

”Statistically speaking, there will always be far more cis-gender women than there will be transgender women,” one student responded. “Having the one every now and then will not hurt anybody.”

Across the board, students were very insistent that “trans women are women.”

”I’d still count him as a female,” one student told Campus Reform.

Another student stated that one shouldn’t have to be born a woman “to be woman of the year.”

Taking the topic one step further, students also stated that they would be okay with replacing gendered awards and categories in favor of gender-neutral options.

According to one student, this option would be “less problematic.”

Moreso, one student alleged that scrapping the use of gender division would “be fair to everyone.”

”We’re just now starting to get that inclusion, and so the more inclusion we can have for transgender women is just great,” one student said.

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