Maine lawmakers escalated tensions in the ongoing debate over fairness in women’s sports by voting to censure Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby for a social media post exposing the state’s policies on transgender athletes. Libby had shared a public image of a transgender-identifying high school boy winning first place in the girls’ pole vaulting event at Maine’s Class B state championship. The win contributed to the athlete’s high school securing the overall championship title.
Democrats pushed for the censure, claiming Libby’s post included an image of a minor and arguing that such exposure warranted punishment. However, Libby defended her actions, pointing out that the photos were already publicly available and that her real offense, in the eyes of Maine’s Democratic majority, was bringing attention to the issue itself. When Libby attempted to explain her stance on the House floor, she was repeatedly interrupted by Democratic lawmakers who sought to shut down her defense.
In a statement following the censure vote, Libby did not back down. “The Maine Democrat Majority has just moved to censure me, for speaking out against their failure to protect Maine girls and keep biological males out of girls’ sports,” she wrote on X. She further vowed that she would not be silenced, nor would she allow the voices of female athletes to be suppressed.
.@GovJanetMills's campaign to cancel both girls' sports *and* anyone who speaks out against her radical agenda continues…
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— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 26, 2025
Libby has been an outspoken advocate for maintaining biological distinctions in competitive sports, warning that policies allowing male athletes to compete against girls create an uneven playing field. “I will not be bullied into rejecting basic common sense: biological males have no place in girls’ sports. Period,” she posted. When the Democratic-controlled legislature prevented her from delivering her full remarks in defense of her position, she posted them online for the public to read.
Our girls deserve so much better than the "leadership" that @GovJanetMills and the Maine Democrat Majority are currently offering.
I will not be bullied into rejecting basic common sense: biological males have *no place* in girls' sports. Period.
— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 26, 2025
Meanwhile, Maine’s Department of Education and the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) have doubled down on their transgender athlete policies, refusing to reconsider their stance despite mounting opposition. Their position aligns with the broader push in progressive states to enforce gender ideology in schools, often at the expense of female athletes and parental concerns.
The debate has now drawn national attention. Former President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order barring biological males from competing in female sports during his administration, has announced that he will withhold federal funding from Maine over its defiance. Additionally, the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture have launched Title IX investigations into the state’s policies, adding further scrutiny to the matter.
