On April 16, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine, challenging its policy that allows transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports. The lawsuit claims that Maine’s policy violates federal Title IX regulations, which prohibit discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activities. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is spearheading the legal action, argued that the policy undermines the fairness of women’s sports by permitting transgender athletes to compete in categories that give them a perceived competitive advantage.
This legal action follows ongoing tension between the Trump administration and Maine’s Democratic Governor, Janet Mills. Governor Mills has expressed her intention to fight the lawsuit, defending the rights of transgender individuals to compete in sports in alignment with their gender identity. She has emphasized that the state will not back down on its commitment to inclusivity and fairness for all students.
The administration’s stance is in line with President Trump’s executive order restricting the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, which aims to preserve what it views as “fair competition” for biological female athletes. Attorney General Bondi has hinted that similar lawsuits may be filed against other states, such as Minnesota and California, that have adopted policies allowing transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports.
This lawsuit is the latest development in the ongoing debate over the inclusion of transgender individuals in competitive sports, a topic that continues to divide opinion across the United States.
