The state of Maine is facing a major backlash from the federal government over its policy on trans athletes in schools.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it is pausing and reviewing federal funding to the state because Maine refuses to ban trans athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
What’s Behind the Dispute?
The controversy started when President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February, calling for a ban on trans athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.
Maine refused to comply, prompting Trump to vow to cut federal funding to the state. Now, the USDA has made good on that promise, with Secretary Brooks Rollins saying that Maine must agree to protect female athletes from trans inclusion before funding is restored.
The Consequences of Non-Compliance
The USDA has launched a full review of grants awarded to the Maine Department of Education, with many of these grants appearing to be “wasteful, redundant, or otherwise against the priorities of the Trump Administration.”
The department will not stand for what it sees as a “bloated bureaucracy” and will instead focus on a “farmer-first” approach without a “leftist social agenda.”
A National Conversation
The issue of trans athletes in schools has sparked a national conversation, with many arguing that it’s unfair for biological males to compete against females.
Maine GOP state Rep. Laurel Libby has been a key figure in bringing attention to the issue, and has filed a lawsuit after being censured by the Maine House Democrat majority for identifying a trans athlete who competed in a girls’ pole vault competition.
What Do Maine Residents Think?
A survey by the American Parents Coalition found that 63% of registered Maine voters believe that school sports participation should be based on biological sex, and 66% agree that it’s “only fair to restrict women’s sports to biological women.”
The poll also found that 60% of residents would support a ballot measure limiting participation in women’s and girls’ sports to biological females.
More Sanctions on the Way?
The U.S. Department of Education has sent a letter to the Maine Department of Education, advising a final deadline of April 11 to address the issue or risk a second referral to the Department of Justice.
This could lead to even more sanctions and funding cuts for the state. The situation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how Maine will respond to the federal government’s demands.
