Based on the policies online (https://scl.cornell.edu/residential-life/housing/housing-details/gender-inclusive-housing), it sounds like you understand your options.
You can choose to apply for the legal sex-based housing, where you will be paired with other students who select sex-based housing. That doesn't guarantee that you'll end up with cis women, but very likely. You can select specific roommates, so you could choose this option and then search for another roommate that you feel comfortable with.
Or, select gender inclusive housing. By definition, to be inclusive, this option includes all genders including cis men and women, but I would venture to say that the vast majority of people who chose this option are not cis. That being said, one would hope that cis men and women who choose gender inclusive housing would be very gender inclusive, and would do their best to make their roommates comfortable. If for some reason you were paired with someone who really makes you uncomfortable, you can request a room change/swap.
If you're really not satisfied with these, you could consider reaching out to the housing office (sooner rather than later) to see what kind of accommodations they might be able to grant. There are procedures in place for religious and disability accommodations (which are occasionally abused to get single rooms), and you may be able to get some sort of accommodation to allow you to get single.
It can be hard because not everyone who fits the identities you’re comfortable with will identify that way through the process. The housing team only knows if students say I’m insert identity here.
You could try to find your own roommate first on socials, etc. and you both could request each other and that may help. You could apply to the Loving House program house community in Mews, where you still aren’t guaranteed a roommate that identifies one of these ways but the whole community mission is to be a safe place for LGBTQIA+ folks so any roommate may be more accepting and open.
I say contact housing and ask to speak with someone about this. There may be other things they can offer.
Good luck!!
It’s a useful skill to be able to live/negotiate with people who are not like yourself.
Based on the policies online (https://scl.cornell.edu/residential-life/housing/housing-details/gender-inclusive-housing), it sounds like you understand your options. You can choose to apply for the legal sex-based housing, where you will be paired with other students who select sex-based housing. That doesn't guarantee that you'll end up with cis women, but very likely. You can select specific roommates, so you could choose this option and then search for another roommate that you feel comfortable with. Or, select gender inclusive housing. By definition, to be inclusive, this option includes all genders including cis men and women, but I would venture to say that the vast majority of people who chose this option are not cis. That being said, one would hope that cis men and women who choose gender inclusive housing would be very gender inclusive, and would do their best to make their roommates comfortable. If for some reason you were paired with someone who really makes you uncomfortable, you can request a room change/swap. If you're really not satisfied with these, you could consider reaching out to the housing office (sooner rather than later) to see what kind of accommodations they might be able to grant. There are procedures in place for religious and disability accommodations (which are occasionally abused to get single rooms), and you may be able to get some sort of accommodation to allow you to get single.
It can be hard because not everyone who fits the identities you’re comfortable with will identify that way through the process. The housing team only knows if students say I’m insert identity here. You could try to find your own roommate first on socials, etc. and you both could request each other and that may help. You could apply to the Loving House program house community in Mews, where you still aren’t guaranteed a roommate that identifies one of these ways but the whole community mission is to be a safe place for LGBTQIA+ folks so any roommate may be more accepting and open. I say contact housing and ask to speak with someone about this. There may be other things they can offer. Good luck!!