Establishment Republicans have been a thorn in Trump’s side. They almost always make his life more difficult.
But this RINO Senator just gave President Trump the shock of his life.
Maine Senator Sparks Debate Over Transgender Athletes in Girls’ Sports
On Monday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), deemed by many as a RINO (Republican In Name Only), took a firm stand on a contentious issue shaking up the world of athletics: whether transgender athletes should participate in girls’ and women’s sports.
In a statement gathered by Fox News Digital, Collins didn’t hold back, calling a Maine state law that permits biological males to compete against girls and women a direct contradiction to the heart of Title IX. Collins’ view stands as one of the more rare times she agrees with President Donald Trump.
“I believe that the State of Maine is under scrutiny because of the state law that allows biological males to play in girls’ sports. And that is contrary, not just to the President’s executive order, but what I believe is the very spirit and intent of Title IX, which was to provide sports and other athletic activities to girls in a safe and fair way,” Collins stated.
She emphasized that Title IX, enacted in 1972, was designed to open doors for girls and young women in sports by ensuring equal access to resources and facilities based on s*x—not gender identity.
Collins went on to stress the balance she seeks: “It is critically important to treat people who are transgender with respect and dignity. But that does not change the fact that Title IX… has greatly expanded opportunities for girls and young women to participate in organized sports at the high school and college levels.”
For Collins, keeping competition safe and fair is a cornerstone of Title IX’s success, which is why she opposes transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s events.
This stance comes amid Maine’s refusal to follow President Donald Trump’s executive order aimed at barring biological males from girls’ and women’s sports. Last Friday, the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Civil Rights flagged Maine’s “noncompliance with Title IX” and handed the matter over to the Justice Department.
Collins, however, isn’t backing down from her advocacy for federal funding for Maine, a cause she says she’s championed successfully. Still, she remains committed to what she sees as Title IX’s original purpose.
Maine school officials, meanwhile, doubled down on their position Monday, citing state law as their guide. “The Maine Principals’ Association is bound by the law, including the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA), which our participation policy reflects,” they wrote. “We are unable to sign any resolution agreement that would mandate we create a new policy that would violate the law and MHRA.”
They added, “As such, we have not signed and will not sign the resolution agreement sent by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.” Since they weren’t directly named in a separate Federal Department of Education agreement, they argue they’re off the hook for a response.
Maine School Administrative District 51 echoed this sentiment, pointing to the Maine Human Rights Act while emphasizing their commitment to a “safe, caring and ethical learning environment where each person will be treated with respect and fairness.”
In a letter, they thanked students for their resilience and staff for their dedication, noting that no policies have shifted yet and urging continued support for all students.
The Maine Human Rights Act, updated four years ago to include gender identity as a protected class, explicitly frames denying someone equal sports participation as educational discrimination.
Following this change, the Maine Principals’ Association adjusted its rules last year to let athletes compete according to their identified gender.
Public opinion, however, seems to lean the other way. A University of New Hampshire poll released Thursday found that 64% of Maine residents think transgender athletes “definitely should not” or “probably should not” join girls’ and women’s sports, while just 29% support their participation.
As the debate heats up, Maine Gov. Janet Mills, Attorney General Aaron Frey, and the state’s Education Department have stayed silent, leaving questions unanswered and tensions simmering in the Pine Tree State.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
