Maine high schools allow men to play on girls’ teams. Gov. Janet Mills said “we won’t be threatened by the president’s threat.”
President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills orally quarreled transgender participation in sports during a White House event on Friday.
Trump has accused her state of allowing her to violate the policy, repeating his executive order that bars men from competing as women.
He said during the work session that Maine would be better off complying with executive orders or that he had not received federal funding. The exchange occurred at the National Association of Governors’ Annual Winter Meeting.
Mills replied: “We will follow the law, sir. We will see you in court.”
The exchange ended with Trump saying, “I don’t think I’ll be elected to politics, so enjoy your life after the governor.”
The discrepancy began the day before at a Republican Governors Association dinner where Trump made similar remarks.
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“I hate to tell you this, but we’re not going to give you federal money. They still want men to play with women’s sports, so they do. I can’t believe they are. So we’re not going to provide them with federal funding.
Trump did not identify the K-12 school district or university accused of violating his policies.
The president noted that the NCAA has already pledged to ban men from competing as women.
Mills issued a statement on Friday in response to Trump’s comments.
“If the President unilaterally tries to take away the benefits of federal funds to children in Maine’s schools, my administration and the Attorney General will be able to revive all the rights to restore that fund and the academic opportunities it offers. And they will take necessary legal action,” she said. “Maine is not threatened by the president’s threat.”
“Transgender students are eligible to participate according to birth sex or gender identity, but not both. For example, transgender students assigned a man at birth can play field hockey in the fall But in the winter you can’t try it on boys’ basketball teams (assuming they continue to identify as girls),’ the policy says.
The policy also states that “non-binary students can choose the gender team that feels most comfortable participating.”
“Maine (the school management force) is expected to comply with the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA), a protected class in employment, housing, public accommodation, education and credit expansion. Discrimination is prohibited based on: protected classes include race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disorder, religion, age, and identification. “The MHRA also prohibits retaliation to assert MHRA protected rights.”
