A conservative group that wants to restrict transgender students' access to sports and school bathrooms is circulating a petition at polling places in Maine today. If they collect enough signatures, the measure could be on next year's ballot.
The proposed referendum would require students to play on sports teams and use locker rooms and bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex at birth.
The group Protect Girls Sports will need about 68,000 signatures by February to make it on to Maine’s 2026 ballot.
It is the latest attempt to change Maine’s law, after several bills introduced last legislative session failed to amend the Maine Human Rights Act and ban transgender students from participating in sports teams aligned with their gender identities.
"Maine's Democrat legislature and governor has refused to comply with Title IX and has forced the hand of Mainers to take upon the task," said Kristina Parker, the communications director of the Maine Republican Party.
Parker said the Maine GOP supports the citizen initiative.
"Many claim that only a handful of trans athletes doesn't matter, however there are thousands of female athletes who desire equal and uniform standards. It affects all of us. We want everyone to be safe and be able to play a fair game," Parker said.
Maine has faced ongoing pressure by the Trump administration to comply with the president's executive order banning transgender athletes from competing on girls' sports teams. Earlier this year, the Trump administration accused Maine of violating anti-discrimination law and the state is involved in an ongoing lawsuit from the U.S. Department of Justice for alleged Title IX violations.
EqualityMaine Executive Director Gia Drew said this initiative is another example of a national political agenda that is using kids.
"This initiative seeks to legalize discrimination against transgender students, a protected class here in Maine, who play sports and prevents trans students access to bathrooms and locker room facilities that best match their gender identity," Drew said. "It would overturn decades of settled Maine law — law that has been tested in both the courts, including the Maine Supreme Court, and in the legislature on numerous occasions."
EqualityMaine is encouraging voters not to sign the petition.
"There are significant challenges to ensuring our public schools are funded and prepare young people to become productive adults in a wonderfully diverse global world, but singling out a marginalized group of children is beyond reproach and not part of the solution," Drew said. "In fact doing so makes schools less welcoming and safe for all kids."
At least six school districts in Maine have banned trans students from girls sports and locker rooms in defiance of the Maine Human Rights Act.
