Going beyond “Bennie” and “Johnnie”: prioritizing inclusivity for all students

The “Johnnie and Bennie identities” — when you think about these concepts, what comes to mind?

While there tends to be a debate about exactly what these identities look like, traditionally, the fundamental divide between the two has been clear — Bennies are women, and Johnnies are men.

These labels may have transgender or nonbinary students wondering: Where do we fit?

As the institution shifts toward merging interests and joint administrations, the lines between these Johnnie/Bennie identities have already become blurred.

Perhaps this provides an opportunity not to abolish the separate characteristics that many people find empowering about these identities but expand them to include members of our community who may feel left behind.

Students who identify as nonbinary or transgender have many different experiences on our campuses — both positive and negative — but for some, the issues that arise from strictly separated campus identities are more evident.

CSB senior Em Karsten, who identifies as nonbinary, likened the experience of being consistently referred to as a Bennie at a “women’s college” to a splinter — something that is bothersome, but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

However, recent national events may make this “splinter” a bit more noticeable.

On President Donald Trump’s first day in office in January, he signed an executive order declaring that the U.S. government will only recognize two sexes, describing this action as a directive against “gender ideology extremism.”

This order and others like it have already produced ripple effects throughout the nation.

Last week the State department announced it would no longer be issuing passports with an “X” marker for sex and would only use male or female designations based on assignment at birth, and enforcement of an executive order that sets the stage to ban transgender people from serving in the military is already being fought out in federal court.

CSB senior Thomas Meier, who identifies as nonbinary and transgender, felt worried about the national decisions even while being on a small, private campus.

They provided another example of the concerns some students are feeling, citing last week, when the National Park Service removed the word “queer” and the letter “T” (from the previously used acronym of LGBTQ+) from their website where they explain the significance of the Stonewall Uprising.

While many of these orders currently have more active impacts on a federal level, we should not assume that the results won’t also be felt at private institutions like CSB+SJU, especially when we have transgender and non-binary students currently on campus.

Considering the national context, being inclusive of all community members is not just “neighborly” — it’s essential.

As an institution driven by Benedictine values like hospitality and respect for persons, we can and should consider these values when listening to the experiences and lives of nonbinary and transgender students on our campuses.

Part of this pursuit requires transparency, especially in relation to the university’s admissions policies for nonbinary, genderfluid and transgender students.

A news article in this week’s edition of The Record covers the missing information on the CSB+SJU website relating to how admissions processes are handled with transgender, genderfluid and nonbinary students, and the resulting reaction from individuals and organizations like QPLUS.

While administration members mention that these broken links will be restored and the policy remains regardless, the implications of not being able to access these policies can be more significant considering the current conversations surrounding gender identity on a national level.

Following the website and public image rebrand this past November, there is an opportunity to make this information even more robust and accessible so the CSB+SJU policy toward admitting transgender and nonbinary students is without question.

Visibility is important. When this policy already exists and the original transgender student protocol has been approved for almost a decade, some urgency in correcting this oversight would make it readily available for any prospective or current students who want to see it.

The next step, then, is to think about how our campus culture can consider the voices of those who may not feel seen with the Bennie/Johnnie lines drawn in the sand.

We are all valued members of the CSB+SJU community, regardless of gender identity, and we should practice what we preach when it comes to the ever-present Benedictine values.

Let’s be clear — no one is saying that the long-standing concept of Bennies and Johnnies that so many students care deeply about needs to be diminished, but we should also evaluate how we define ourselves as a complete, modern CSB+SJU community, with or without labels.

Many alumni will tell you that what makes CSB+SJU special is the capacity for togetherness and connection, and this applies to everyone.

Your personal interpretation of what it is to be a Bennie or a Johnnie is entirely up to you, but the overall CSB+SJU identity can and should be one of dignity and belonging for all.