A Maine state lawmaker was censured on Tuesday for posting photos of a transgender student-athlete and deadnaming her in protest of the state’s policy allowing trans students to play girls’ school sports.

Republican Rep. Laurel Libby was barred from speaking or voting on the House floor until she formally apologizes. On Tuesday night, she said she had no intention of doing so.

Related

Maine Gov. Janet Mills tells off Donald Trump in heated White House exchange: “See you in court”
Hours later, the state was notified of the first of two investigations launched over violations of Trump’s ban on trans student-athletes.

The resolution censuring her passed in the Maine House of Representatives in 75-70 party-line vote.

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Libby thrust herself into the debate over trans student-athletes last week when she made the post to Facebook, which included photos of the student competing at track events before and after her transition.

The post went viral among Libby’s rightwing MAGA allies, including aggrieved former college swimmer and anti-trans agitator Riley Gaines, who reposted it denouncing Maine’s “disregard” for “President [Donald] Trump’s beautifully written Executive Order” banning trans athletes from women’s and girls’ sports.

Libby’s post came just days before Trump confronted Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) at a governors’ meeting at the White House. After Trump publicly threatened to withhold federal funding from the state over the issue, Mills shot back, “See you in court.”

“Enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” Trump replied acidly.

Following the confrontation, two federal agencies in quick succession launched investigations into Maine’s non-compliance with Trump’s trans ban.

On Friday, the Department of Education’s enforcer, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor, announced an investigation into Maine schools over violations of the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX which bars trans students from accessing facilities and sports teams that match their gender identities.

On Saturday, the Department of Agriculture launched a “compliance review” of the University of Maine, a land grant school, citing “blatant disregard for President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14201, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

And on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a threatening letter to Mills warning she would be sued if the state didn’t comply with the order.

“Maine should be on notice,” Bondi wrote. “I hope it does not come to this. The Department of Justice does not want to have to sue states or state entities, or to seek termination of their federal grants.”

Prior to the censure vote, Libby spent the week defending her post and basking in the attention it has generated.

On Wednesday, she said she had no intention of removing the post despite a request from Maine House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D).

“This is an issue that is pertinent to all Mainers, but especially Maine girls, who should be able to expect a level playing field and, right now, they don’t have that,” Libby said in an interview with the Portland Press Herald. “It’s absolutely unfair to female athletes who work hard every day to compete in their respective sports and who have to compete against male athletes.”

Prior to the censure vote, Speaker Fecteau criticized Libby for using children for her own political gain.

“Politicians have long abided by the standard of not using children to score political points,” Fecteau said in a statement. “All kids, including transgender students, deserve better than to be used as political fodder for internet bullies. Kids should be able to focus on being kids. They shouldn’t have to worry about a politician sharing images of them online without their consent.”

Last spring, the Maine Principals’ Association updated its policies to align with the Maine Human Rights Act, allowing trans student-athletes to participate in women’s and girls’ sports in the state’s schools. The new policy allows them to compete either on the team that aligns with their sex assigned at birth or the one aligned with their gender identity, but not both. How to handle those requests is left up to schools.

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