Maine House of Representatives Votes to Censure Rep. Laurel Libby Over Transgender Athlete Post
The Maine House of Representatives voted on Tuesday night to censure Rep. Laurel Libby for a social media post in which she highlighted a transgender high school athlete winning a girls’ competition. The censure resolution, passed by the Democratic majority led by Speaker Ryan Fecteau, received a vote of 75-70. As a result, Libby has been stripped of her speaking and voting privileges until she issues an apology.
Libby, however, has made it clear that she does not intend to apologize for her post. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, she stated that she will continue to speak up for the rights of Maine girls. After the censure was announced, Libby was given time to consider issuing an apology, but she declined, insisting that she would not be silenced.
Libby’s controversial post, made on Sunday, brought attention to a transgender track and field athlete who had won a girls’ pole vault competition in Maine after competing as a boy the previous year. The censure focused on the fact that Libby posted a photo of a minor and revealed the minor’s name. However, Libby argues that the individual had already been publicly recognized, with photos of them available on social media and even posted by their school.
During the censure vote, House Majority Leader Matt Moonen condemned Libby for breaking the trust placed in her as an elected official. On the other hand, House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham pointed out that the state legislature’s ethics code does not address online posts made by members.
Libby had prepared a seven-page speech advocating for the protection of girls’ and women’s sports from transgender inclusion but was repeatedly silenced throughout the night when attempting to deliver it. She later posted a video of the speech on Facebook after the hearing.
The consequences of the censure extend beyond Libby’s personal situation. Her inability to vote and speak in the Maine House means that Maine Republicans and Libby’s constituents will lose representation on various issues, including a bill she proposed to expand mental health resources for residents. Additionally, the upcoming biannual budget vote will proceed without Libby’s participation.
Libby’s post not only sparked local controversy but also attracted national attention to Maine’s policy on transgender inclusion in sports. After Maine announced it would not comply with President Trump’s “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order, Trump threatened to cut funding to the state. In response, Maine Governor Janet Mills threatened legal action against the Trump administration if federal funding was withheld.
The debate over transgender athletes in girls’ sports has gained widespread attention, leading to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education into potential Title IX violations. Concerns over safety have prompted police protection for the high school attended by the transgender athlete identified in Libby’s Facebook post.
A recent survey conducted by The New York Times/Ipsos found that the majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, do not believe transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women’s sports. Libby believes that the push by Democratic lawmakers to protect transgender inclusion in girls’ sports is a miscalculation, as it goes against the views of the majority of Maine residents.
Despite the censure, Libby feels supported by her Republican colleagues and believes that the actions of the Democrats will ultimately backfire. She predicts that they will come to regret their stance on this issue.
As the controversy continues, it remains to be seen how this debate will shape the future of transgender inclusion in sports and the political landscape in Maine and beyond.
