Maine Ballot Adds Debate Over Transgender Athletes in School Sports

In Maine, a new referendum will let voters decide whether girls’ school sports teams must stay separate from boys and transgender athletes. Organizers gathered over 71, 000 signatures, more than the required 67, 682, so the proposal is set for the November ballot. If it passes, schools would have to keep distinct male, female, and co‑ed teams, with separate locker rooms and bathrooms. A girl could join a boys’ team only if no girls’ team exists. The motion has backing from some Republicans, including Senator Susan Collins and billionaire Richard Uihlein. It follows a 2023 lawsuit by the Trump‑era Attorney General Pam Bondi, who argued that Maine’s policies put girls at risk by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. Bondi cited three cases where trans athletes placed high in events, claiming this benefited their schools’ overall standings. The lawsuit also aimed to enforce a 2025 executive order that barred transgender athletes from women’s sports.

Maine’s state law, the Human Rights Act, protects against discrimination on many grounds, including gender identity. Despite this, the Trump administration launched a federal pressure campaign against Maine, targeting state education agencies and several schools. Federal judges in Maine recently denied the administration’s request for recusal, keeping the legal battles alive. The referendum will be finalized by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows before it reaches voters. If no appeal is filed within ten days, the decision will go to the Legislature, which can approve it or send it directly to voters.

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