Rep. Laurel Libby’s Stand
Defending girls' rights in Maine sports
Today it’s my pleasure to introduce you to a new podcast called Freedom to Learn that I have added to my listening list. It’s hosted by my friend Ginny Gentles, former senior fellow at Independent Women’s Network, who recently joined the Defense of Freedom Institute as their Educational Freedom and Parental Rights Director.
Last week, Ginny interviewed Maine Representative Laurel Libby, who, after posting a photo exposing a male student’s victory in a girls’ track event, was censured by Maine’s Democratic majority and stripped of her voting rights in the legislature. Read more about it here. In their conversation, Rep. Libby discusses Maine’s policies allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports and the profound impact on young women, the policy shifts in Maine, the federal legal battles now underway, and her ongoing fight for the rights of girls, women, and parents.
-Natalya
An edited and condensed episode that highlights Rep. Libby’s courageous stand against discrimination follows below. Listen to the full episode for the complete discussion.
What inspired you to run for office?
Laurel Libby: “My husband and I are both born and raised Mainers. And one day, literally in January of 2019, we looked around and in looking at our beloved state, it was very, very different. And that’s politically very, very different from when we were growing up. And so we took stock and realized that if we wanted to have our state back, we needed to be involved and engaged. For me, that looked like in 2020 running for office and booting out a two-term Democrat incumbent, and now I’m serving my third term.”
At a Women’s History Month event, you spoke about a “new form of erasure” where men declaring themselves women are stripping young women of fair competition. What does that battle look like in Maine?
Laurel Libby: “It’s really remarkable. And it literally is by speaking and saying, ‘I’m a woman,’ that a biological male can declare that, and that is the truth here in Maine. So our Maine Principals Association, based off a law passed in 2021 here in Maine, allows biological males to participate in girls' sports simply if they say, I now identify as a girl. And so we have seen males participating in girls' sports, taking girls’ trophies, taking their spots on podiums. And it really is erasing girls, erasing women when their accomplishments can be negated by a simple statement from a biological male that they are now a girl.”
Did Maine residents know this law was being passed?
Laurel Libby: “They absolutely did not. There were seven folks who testified on that bill to add gender identity as a protected class in the Maine Human Rights Act. One of them, I’m proud to say, was a constituent of mine. But the other six, I believe, were testimonies in support. And it was thought to be a very small technical change. No one realized the dramatic effects that it would have on the laws in our state, but more importantly, on allowing discrimination against Maine women and girls, condoning it even.”
Who pushed for this law?
Laurel Libby: “That 20% that want biological males participating in girls' sports is a minority, a small minority, but it’s a really vocal minority. And they are the folks pushing for these woke policies in states like Maine. And they are very loud and persistent. And this is one of many changes that we’ve seen to state law here in Maine that sounds small, but affects us so dramatically.”
Your viral social media post showed a male athlete placing fifth in boys’ pole vault one year and winning first in girls’ pole vault the next. What happened after you shared that?
Laurel Libby: “I posted side-by-side photos of John winning fifth place in the boys' pole vault last year and then winning first place as Katie this year. And it sent shockwaves through Maine and beyond. And folks realized, I think, fully that this was indeed happening in Maine. And I don’t think we’d had that full of a picture prior. People said, you know, it’s not really a big deal. It’s not happening. The girls aren’t being displaced. And this illustrated really clearly that it was happening. And it reverberated, I think, because a picture’s worth a thousand words.”
Why has this become such a big deal in Maine, given that 80% of Americans agree males shouldn’t compete in female sports, including state leaders like California Governor Gavin Newsom?
Laurel Libby: “I have said a few times, I think if Governor Mills had heard Gavin Newsom say that maybe a week or two earlier, maybe we would have seen different words come out of her mouth rather than ‘see you in court.’ … Governor Mills doubled down and continues to do so, stating that it’s about rule of law when I think we all know it’s really about the issue and about the fact that we are actively, our state, discriminating against women and girls in Maine. And when you listen to Governor Mills or the legislative Democrats talk about this issue, they largely ignore the girls involved.”
What happened to you personally after the post?
Laurel Libby: “A week later, I was censured by the Democrats in the legislature. It was a partisan vote, 75 to 70. … Following my censure, the Speaker of the House declared that I would not be allowed to vote on behalf of my constituents or speak on the floor until I had apologized for my social media post. And so it’s a significant infringement on my First Amendment right of free speech. I have not been able to represent my constituents fully in the State House since February 25th. And they are denied their full democratic representation.”
How can they justify banning you from voting?
Laurel Libby: “My censure is the fourth censure in our history. Interestingly, all four censures have been against Republicans, and the previous three, they immediately apologized. However, I cannot and will not apologize for simply speaking the truth and defending our women and girls against discrimination. And so here we are for the first time in Maine history, a censure has meant a prolonged canceling, silencing of a voice and vote.”
What are your constituents saying?
Laurel Libby: “Certainly they’re frustrated. … They voted me in, and they’re fully capable of voting me out in 2026. That should be their right. If they don’t like what I had to say, that’s their right to vote me out. … They’re frustrated, but they have encouraged me to continue fighting. There are a couple–I would say they fall in that 20%, right?–who think it’s fine that biological males should be taking girls’ place in Maine, and they want me to apologize, but the vast majority have said thank you for speaking up.”
Maine is under federal scrutiny for Title IX and FERPA violations. What’s happening there?
Laurel Libby: “Maine has rightfully been under a microscope since that post first went viral back in February. And the fact is that we are not complying with Title IX. … Given that Governor Mills and the Democrat majority have continued to double down and continue to discriminate against Maine women and girls, unfortunately, the federal government has had to step in to attempt to protect them and restore their rights. And that looks like suing the state of Maine in order to be able to withhold those federal funds.”
Are you aware of policies in Maine where school districts hide information from parents?
Laurel Libby: “Recent studies suggested that about one-third of Maine school districts or a little more have policies that allow for social workers, teachers, etc. to hide information from parents. Several years ago–again, this all comes through the legislature–there was a bill passed while I was in the legislature that would allow social workers to keep secrets from parents in schools. So this is endorsed by the legislature, the Democrat majority of the legislature, to be clear.”
How can people stay updated on this fight?
Laurel Libby: “Folks can follow me both on X and on Facebook and also at my website, StandWithLaurel.com. … This is an incredibly personal battle on behalf of young women who shouldn’t have to fight this. Whether it is one girl that I’ve talked to … that first had to change in front of a boy in a locker room in seventh grade, or the young woman who finished second in the pole vault to this young man in February. They worked so hard and to have their dreams dashed, not just when he won, but literally the minute they walked into that gym and realized that they were going to have to compete against a biological male.”
Join the Fight: Rep. Libby’s unwavering stance is rallying Mainers to speak out for fairness, safety, and truth. Follow her on X, Facebook, or StandWithLaurel.com.
Subscribe: to Freedom to Learn, a crucial platform for understanding threats to fairness and parental rights in education. Follow the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on Freedom to Learn and tune in every Thursday for new episodes.
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