Attorney General Pam Bondi addressed the Justice Department on Wednesday, revealing the administration’s lawsuit against Maine for its refusal to align with the government’s directive to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. Accompanying her were (from left) Riley Gaines, Representative Laurel Libby, R-Maine, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
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Jose Luis Magana/AP
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Maine for permitting transgender student athletes to participate in girls’ and women’s school sports — a move deemed by the administration as a violation of President Trump’s executive order which aims to restrict that access.
This lawsuit represents the latest chapter in an ongoing conflict between state officials and the administration following Trump’s February directive, which demands that the federal government “restart all funds from educational programs that diminish the fair athletic opportunities for women and girls.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi publicized the lawsuit on Wednesday, asserting that Maine’s actions contravene Title IX, the 1972 legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federal funding schools. The Justice Department argues that Maine has “discriminated against women by neglecting to safeguard women in women’s sports.”
“By favoring gender identity over biological realities, Maine’s policies undermine fair competition for girl athletes, deprive them of equitable athletic opportunities, and raise their risks of physical harm and psychological distress,” the lawsuit contends.
Bondi made the lawsuit announcement at the Justice Department, where she was joined by Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer who has become a prominent critic of transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports.
The lawsuit provides several instances where transgender students partook in girls’ sports in Maine and outperformed their peers. One example noted an individual, referred to as “Student B,” who won a girls’ cross-country race that, under different circumstances, would have positioned them 43rd in the boys’ division.
It remains uncertain how many transgender students are currently engaged in athletics in Maine. The Maine Principals’ Association (MPA), which oversees the state’s athletic competition, states there are only two transgender athletes competing in girls’ high school sports this year. However, the DOJ’s lawsuit mentions at least three transgender athletes.
Maine’s Democratic Governor, Janet Mills, has promised a strong defense against the DOJ’s lawsuit.
“Today marks the latest expected attack in an unprecedented effort to pressure the State of Maine to overlook the Constitution and forsake the rule of law,” Mills stated. “This situation has never been about school sports or the protection of women and girls, as claimed; it is about state rights and maintaining the rule of law against a federal government intent on imposing its will instead of upholding the law.”
Shortly after Trump’s executive order was issued, the MPA declared its commitment to adhere to state law over federal mandates.
“The federal executive order and our Maine state Human Rights Act are in opposition,” MPA Executive Director Mike Burnham noted, stating their intention to “follow state law regarding gender identity.”
Weeks later, Mills defended Maine’s stance during an encounter with Trump at the White House, where he threatened to revoke the state’s federal funding if compliance with the order was not met. Mills responded, “See you in court.”
Since then, the administration has made several attempts to reduce federal funding to Maine. The Department of Education is reportedly moving to suspend the state’s federal funding for K-12 education, while the Department of Agriculture has sought to freeze funds, although a federal judge has momentarily blocked that action.
