Most people seem to be getting on board with the idea that girls' and women's sports should be for, well, girls and women. The state of Maine, however, isn't playing along. And, apparently, the state's politicians are taking it so far that anyone who does dare stand up for biological women who do not want to compete against men must be silenced.
Rep. Laurel Libby, a Republican who represents the Maine's 64th district, has served in the State House of Representatives since 2020, but currently, she's unable to vote or speak on the House floor unless she issues an apology. Her specific crime? Pointing out that a high school boy named John-turned-Katie won the girl's pole-vaulting state championship in Maine. The year before, he participated as a boy pole vaulter and came in fifth place. Here's what she posted on X that apparently upset colleagues in the House:
Meet John, who now goes by Katie.
— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 18, 2025
John won the girl's pole-vaulting state championship in Maine, after the state deliberately ignored current federal rules and allowed him to compete. pic.twitter.com/aROUERYdR5
Two years ago, John placed FIFTH in boys’ pole vaulting.
— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 18, 2025
Yet, this year (when competing against girls) this unfair win propelled his school's girls' team to win the overall state championship. pic.twitter.com/n0G1FB5cg9
UPDATE: We've learned that *just ONE year ago* John was competing in boy's pole vault. That's when he had his fifth place finish.
— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 19, 2025
So all of this has transpired in the last year, with the full blessing of the Maine Principals' Association.
On Tuesday night, the House voted 75-70 to censure Libby for the posts. After the vote, Speaker Ryan Fecteau told her they'd take a break while she thought about her apology. But Libby has not apologized and has appeared on numerous TV shows and podcasts stating that she never will. "I told him, 'We do not need to take ease,' as I was going to continue speaking up for Maine girls," she told Fox News Digital.
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.
— Rep. Laurel Libby (@laurel_libby) February 26, 2025
Let me be clear: I will not be silenced and I will not allow the voices of Maine girls to be silenced. pic.twitter.com/Zdy2usGuo6
She added, "It's a remarkable double standard, as there are public photos of this individual in many places, on social media and even some posted by his school, and so yes, this post went viral, but this was an individual who participated in a public event, who publicly stood on a podium and accepted a championship medal that rightfully belonged to the girls standing on the second-place spot."
Fox also reports that "Libby came to the house floor with a prepared seven-page speech on the importance of protecting girls' and women's sports from trans inclusion. However, throughout the night, her microphone was consistently turned off when she was trying to deliver that speech." She says she was unable to even complete her first sentence on the topic.
It sounds to me like liberal Democrats in Maine are just playing games that will ultimately punish their constituents. Making it so that Libby can't speak or vote only hurts the people she represents. Obviously, they keep voting her into office for a reason, but now, she won't even be able to help push through a bill on expanding "access to mental health resources" that she herself proposed, something that could benefit the entire state. And, of course, they're just punishing all the girls who want to play sports without losing to people who are biologically designed to be bigger, faster, and stronger.
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Libby's situation has received plenty of national attention over the last 24 hours, and she's earned the support of several prominent men and women throughout the country. Activist Riley Gaines even compared the House's actions to life in Afghanistan:
A female representative in Maine lost her ability to vote and speak on the house floor for defending girls and women.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 26, 2025
No, this didn't happen in Afghanistan. It happened in America.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R - Texas) pointed out the obvious: Democrats hate democracy.
This is not normal.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 26, 2025
Today’s Democrats hate democracy. https://t.co/OBVwJU27Ys
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) is also backing her up.
I’ve got your six @laurel_libby.
— Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) February 26, 2025
Hold the line! https://t.co/iTnb4jW7Ni
Best of all, Libby has the federal government behind her. Maine's governor, Janet Mills, has stated that she's not going to comply with Donald Trump's executive order on keeping biological males out of girls' sports and even got into a heated exchange with the president recently.
Heated exchange between President Trump and Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) over executive order banning transgender women in sports
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 21, 2025
President Trump: "Are you not going to comply with that?"@GovJanetMills: "I'm complying with state and federal laws."
Trump: "We are the federal law.… pic.twitter.com/O7my5uN45W
Attorney General Pam Bondi is also putting the state on notice and says that the Department of Justice will not tolerate this behavior.
NEW: DOJ's Pam Bondi tells Maine, California, and Minnesota to comply with federal laws protecting girls sports.
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) February 25, 2025
"This Department of Justice will defend women and does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law." pic.twitter.com/ZCmRhlvGKr
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