Sen Collins wants Trump-Maine conflict to be 'resolved' as trans athlete battle continues
The battle between the Trump administration and the state of Maine is approaching two months amid the Pine Tree State continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological females.
Maine officials on Monday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in response to the agency's decision to freeze funding to the state for its refusal to reverse its transgender athlete participation policy in schools.
The state has been under federal pressure in recent months to protect female athletes from trans inclusion after several controversial incidents involving trans athletes and an ongoing feud between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, though, understands both sides of the coin, and wants it all to end.
"The conflict between how the State of Maine and the Administration interpret Title IX needs to be resolved," Collins began in an X post on Friday. "I agree with the federal government's position that biological males should not compete in girls and women's athletics. Policies to the contrary violate the original intent behind Title IX.
"People who are transgender deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX mandated equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX. While I will continue to advocate strongly for federal funding for Maine, I disagree with the state's position and instead support the original intent behind Title IX."
The Department of Education has also launched an investigation into the state due to the issue.
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) referred the Maine Department of Education (MDOE) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday for continuing to allow trans athletes to compete in girls' sports.
It's the second DOJ referral the state's educational institutions have faced in the past month over the issue, after the Department of Health and Human Services referred MDOE, the Maine Principals' Association and Greely High School on March 28.
After Trump signed an executive order to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports on Feb. 5, Maine was one of the many states that openly defied the order.
The state's divide on trans inclusion was then brought to light when Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby identified a trans athlete in a social media post who won a girls' pole vault competition for Greely High School that month. Libby was subsequently censured by the state legislature.
Libby filed a lawsuit last month, which seeks to have her voting and speaking rights restored. She was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. Libby has said she will not apologize, but has said she is willing to drop the suit if her censure is dropped.
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