Trump's week in review: From funding freezes to Holy Week celebrations
3. DOJ announces lawsuit against Maine over trans-identified males in women’s sports
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi held a press conference on Wednesday announcing that the U.S. Department of Justice had filed a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education. Bondi cited the action as necessary because “the state of Maine is discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women’s sports.”
Bondi’s comments refer to the fact that Maine allows trans-identified male athletes to compete in women’s sports, which she described as “a violation of Title IX.” Title IX requires institutions that receive federal funding to provide equal opportunities for women and girls in education, including in sports.
“The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi vowed. “This is about sports. This is also about these young women’s personal safety.”
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Bondi noted that this is not the first action the Trump administration has taken in an effort to ensure Maine follows federal law. She specifically brought up how the Trump administration had “stripped grants from Maine through other departments,” referring to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s funding freeze “for certain administrative and technological functions in schools” over the state’s policies allowing trans-identified males in women’s sports.
Bondi outlined examples of trans-identified male athletes dominating in women’s sports — one of the most common concerns cited by critics of policies allowing trans-identified athletes to participate in competitive sports based on their self-declared gender identity instead of their actual sex.
She added, “These boys are allowed to go in women’s restrooms, they are allowed to go in the women’s dressing rooms and get fully naked and change … clothes in front of these young women.”
Bondi listed the judicial remedies the DOJ was seeking as an injunction to ensure Maine complies with Title IX and “to have the titles returned to the young women who rightfully won these sports,” referring to the female athletes who would have won athletic competitions if male athlete hadn't been allowed to compete against them.
The press conference also featured remarks by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, who discussed the Department of Education’s investigation into Title IX violations committed by Maine. She maintained that the findings that Maine violated Title IX prompted the department to refer the state to the DOJ.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
