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Trump sues Maine over transgender athletes in schools amid funding threats Trump sues Maine over transgender athletes in schools amid funding threats
(32 minutes later)
Justice department lawsuit escalates a battle over Title IX as Maine vows to fight federal funding cuts in courtJustice department lawsuit escalates a battle over Title IX as Maine vows to fight federal funding cuts in court
The Trump administration sued Maine on Wednesday for allowing transgender girls to compete in school sports, dramatically escalating a confrontation that has already seen threats to cut the state’s education and school lunch funding.The Trump administration sued Maine on Wednesday for allowing transgender girls to compete in school sports, dramatically escalating a confrontation that has already seen threats to cut the state’s education and school lunch funding.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the lawsuit flanked by Riley Gaines, the former collegiate swimmer turned conservative commentator who has become the public face in opposition to transgender athletes. The attorney general, Pam Bondi, announced the lawsuit flanked by Riley Gaines, the former collegiate swimmer turned conservative commentator who has become the public face in opposition to transgender athletes.
“The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi said in a Wednesday morning press conference. “This is also about these young women’s personal safety.”“The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi said in a Wednesday morning press conference. “This is also about these young women’s personal safety.”
Bondi outlined plans to stop Maine’s policy through a court order, strip titles from transgender athletes to give them to cisgender female competitors, and potentially claw back federal funding the state had received.Bondi outlined plans to stop Maine’s policy through a court order, strip titles from transgender athletes to give them to cisgender female competitors, and potentially claw back federal funding the state had received.
When a reporter asked if Bondi’s office was preparing to target other states, the attorney general said that California and Minnesota “are the top two that should be on notice”.
Despite the administration’s aggressive stance, the NCAA president, Charlie Baker, said in January that fewer than 10 of the 510,000 collegiate athletes nationwide publicly identify as transgender.Despite the administration’s aggressive stance, the NCAA president, Charlie Baker, said in January that fewer than 10 of the 510,000 collegiate athletes nationwide publicly identify as transgender.
The legal action follows a tense White House encounter months earlier when Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, directly challenged Donald Trump over the issue after attempting to make an example out of her in front of other governors.The legal action follows a tense White House encounter months earlier when Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, directly challenged Donald Trump over the issue after attempting to make an example out of her in front of other governors.
Mills said: “We’ll see you in court.”Mills said: “We’ll see you in court.”
Trump administration officials claim Maine violates Title IX by not barring transgender girls from female sports teams. Maine has flatly rejected this interpretation, refusing to sign a settlement that would implement those restrictions.Trump administration officials claim Maine violates Title IX by not barring transgender girls from female sports teams. Maine has flatly rejected this interpretation, refusing to sign a settlement that would implement those restrictions.
“We are at an impasse,” Maine’s assistant attorney general Sarah Forster wrote in an 11 April letter. “Nothing in Title IX prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on girls’ and women’s sports teams.” “We are at an impasse,” Maine’s assistant attorney general, Sarah Forster, wrote in an 11 April letter. “Nothing in Title IX prohibits schools from allowing transgender girls and women to participate on girls’ and women’s sports teams.”
The administration has already attempted to withhold Maine’s entire $250m K-12 education budget and freeze school lunch funding – a move temporarily blocked by a federal judge after Maine filed its own lawsuit. The administration has already attempted to withhold the federal governments entire $250m contribution to Maine’s K-12 education budget and freeze school lunch funding – a move temporarily blocked by a federal judge after Maine filed its own lawsuit.
The dispute comes as part of a wider federal crackdown. In February, Trump signed an executive order barring transgender participants from women’s sports. The Guardian learned soon after that the state department has instructed officials to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to enter the US for competitions – with instructions to impose permanent visa bans on those deemed to misrepresent their birth sex.The dispute comes as part of a wider federal crackdown. In February, Trump signed an executive order barring transgender participants from women’s sports. The Guardian learned soon after that the state department has instructed officials to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to enter the US for competitions – with instructions to impose permanent visa bans on those deemed to misrepresent their birth sex.
A bill to rewrite Title IX to define sex as matching genetics from birth that would have sweeping effects on transgender athletes in sports had passed the House in a nearly party-line vote in January, but would need Democratic support to advance through the Senate.A bill to rewrite Title IX to define sex as matching genetics from birth that would have sweeping effects on transgender athletes in sports had passed the House in a nearly party-line vote in January, but would need Democratic support to advance through the Senate.