Maine attorney general says 'there are no concerns of safety' by letting trans athletes play in girls' sports
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey addressed the lawsuit filed against his state by the U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday over the state's stance regarding transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.
In an interview with CNN, Frey defended his state's continued support for trans inclusion, insisting that "there are no issues of safety" for letting biological males compete with girls.
"We've been working though to understand what, if any problem, exists with the participation. If some of the harms that are being alleged really are of some concern and what we've identified, there really are no concerns of safety," Frey said.
Frey also said there are "no concerns" about trans athletes who are "just choosing" to compete in the girls' category.
"There are no concerns about individuals who are just choosing which gender they want to give themselves in order to participate. So that too is really after a lot to work on whether or not there's any issue here that warrants this intrusion by the federal government on what's going on in Maine schools," Frey said.
National awareness of trans athletes in Maine was ignited when state Rep. Laurel Libby identified a pole vault jumper who won a girls' competition for Greely High School after competing in the boys' category in previous seasons.
Safety concerns over trans inclusion in girls' and women's sports were heightened nationally after former high school volleyball player Payton McNabb suffered a concussion, brain bleed and permanent whiplash after getting struck in the face with a volleyball hit by a trans athlete.
Still, Frey insists that safety and competitive concerns are not on the radar of the Democratic officials in Maine, claiming they are only currently aware of two trans athletes competing in girls' sports in the state.
"There is just a small number of trans students who are participating in sports, that two number is all that we've come up with," Frey said. He also suggested that Maine is following both state and federal law by allowing trans inclusion in girls' sports.
"Our position is that Title IX, consistent with the Maine Human Rights Act, so both federal and state law, supports that trans girls will be able to participate in high school sports consistent with their gender identity," Frey said. "So my contention is Maine is following Title IX, Maine is following the Maine Human Rights Act."
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
Bondi said they were seeking an injunction and have titles returned to the girls who "rightfully" won competitions in which trans athletes participated in. The Justice Department accused the state of "openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls," according to a complaint obtained by Fox News.
"By prioritizing gender identity over biological reality, Maine's policies deprive girl athletes of fair competition, deny them equal athletic opportunities, and expose them to heightened risks of physical injury and psychological harm," the complaint added.
The complaint also said the U.S. will seek "judgment granting declaratory injunctive, and damages relief for Defendant's violations of Title IX and the federal funding contracts it signed promising to comply with Title IX and its implementing regulations."
Maine Gov. Janet Mills released a statement later on Wednesday in response to the lawsuit.
"Today is the latest, expected salvo in an unprecedented campaign to pressure the State of Maine to ignore the Constitution and abandon the rule of law. This matter has never been about school sports or the protection of women and girls, as has been claimed, it is about states rights and defending the rule of law against a federal government bent on imposing its will, instead of upholding the law. Federal Judge Woodcock's ruling of last Friday awarding the state a temporary restraining order reinforces our position that the federal government has been acting unlawfully," the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, a school district in Maine is moving to comply with Trump instead of the state over the issue. The MSAD #70 School Board voted unanimously on Monday night to comply with Title IX, and Superintendent Tyler Putnam told Fox News Digital that he will amend the district's policies to prevent trans athletes from competing in girls' sports.
Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
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