In June, UNC Asheville quietly changed its housing policy — and transgender students are already being forced out of dorms they were previously approved to live in.

The university didn’t cite safety. It didn’t cite behavior. It cited “policy compliance” — and told students like Georgia Hair they’d need to prove their gender identity or move out. The result? Students are being stripped of housing because they’re trans, nonbinary, or don’t want to hand over private records to a public university that’s bowing to political pressure.

UNC Asheville now requires transgender students to submit legal documentation to remain in rooms aligned with their gender identity — a policy that was not in place when housing was assigned. Some students, like Georgia, are now being told to leave campus housing altogether, despite being in full compliance just weeks earlier.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about safety or fairness. It’s about fear. UNC Asheville officials admitted they are scrambling to comply with pressure from the Trump administration and UNC System to avoid losing public funds. But no student should lose their housing — or be forced to prove their identity — to protect a university’s budget.

Housing discrimination puts lives at risk. It isolates students, disrupts their education, and sends a chilling message that their identity makes them a problem to be managed — not a student to be supported.

We are calling on Chancellor Kimberly van Noort and the UNC Asheville Board of Trustees to immediately reinstate affected housing assignments, create a clear and inclusive housing policy, and commit to protecting LGBTQ+ students from future harm — even when funding is at stake.

Sign and share if you believe no student should lose their home for being who they are. Let’s make sure UNC Asheville hears this loud and clear: trans students belong here — and they deserve better.