The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday took the next step in challenging Maine’s rules for transgender athletes, referring its violation finding against the state to the Department of Justice for enforcement in court.
The HHS Office of Civil Rights on March 17 found Maine in violation of Title IX after determining that the Maine Principals’ Association, which oversees high schools sports in the state, and Greely High School in Cumberland had violated the 1972 federal civil rights law by allowing a transgender girl to compete on the Greely girls’ track team.
The office gave the state 10 days to resolve the alleged violations by signing an agreement that would require the state to change its policy around transgender high school athletes and return nearly $187,000 in federal funds.
State officials have refused to comply with the order, saying it would violate the Maine Human Rights Act. In the meantime, six federal agencies have investigated or targeted Maine since last month in an effort to force the state into submission.
Only two transgender girls are currently competing in Maine high schools sports, according to the Maine Principals’ Association, and none at the state’s public universities.
In a post on the social media platform X, the HHS Civil Rights Office said it “will continue to protect women’s sports and keep the promises of Title IX for America’s women and girls.”
