US Government Files Lawsuit Against Maine Over Transgender Athlete Policy

The US Department of Justice has initiated a legal battle against the state of Maine, challenging its refusal to enforce a ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports, a direct consequence of an executive order signed by former President Trump.

The Trump administration is suing the state of Maine for its refusal to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. This legal action has intensified the ongoing conflict between Maine's Governor Janet Mills and former President Donald Trump, with threats from Trump to withdraw federal funding from the state's education sector as a backdrop. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Wednesday, "The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports," underscoring concerns about personal safety for young women.

Maine Governor Mills countered that the matter is not merely about school sports or the protection of women and girls, alleging that the federal government is "imposing its will" on state decisions. Central to this dispute is Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination within educational programs. In February, Trump signed an executive order asserting that the law should be interpreted as barring transgender women and girls from participating in female sports. The federal government contends that Maine's education department is in violation of this statute.

During a press conference, Bondi indicated that the administration aims to revoke titles granted to transgender athletes and hinted at the possibility of retroactively withdrawing federal funds due to non-compliance. This lawsuit follows shortly after Trump attempted to eliminate all federal financial aid for Maine’s public schools and school lunch programs, a response to a public disagreement with Mills during a meeting of U.S. governors on February 21. In that encounter, Trump had threatened funding cuts if Mills did not comply with his order banning transgender women from competing in women's sports, provoking her to respond, "We'll see you in court."

Mills characterized the federal government's actions as unlawful and politically motivated, noting that the state's residents, including vulnerable populations such as school children, fishermen, and parents, are paying the price. Currently, her office has confirmed that just two transgender athletes are competing in Maine’s public schools, in a state where less than 1% of the population over the age of 13 is identified as transgender, according to research from the UCLA Williams Institute. This lawsuit marks another step in a series of steps taken by Trump to reverse transgender rights policies established under the Biden administration. Following the executive order, the NCAA has also implemented a ban on transgender women competing in women's sports. Meanwhile, the UK Supreme Court ruled on the same day as the lawsuit announcement, stating that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, while maintaining legal protections against discrimination for transgender individuals.