Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) spoke out against the governor of her state’s position on allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports.
Collins said she disagreed and that allowing biological males to claim they are female and compete against girls in athletic competitions is not “safe and fair” and runs counter to the ideals of Title IX. The state has come into the spotlight on this issue due to Gov. Janet Mills’s (D-ME) belief that biological boys should be allowed to compete in girl’s sports and the governor’s refusal to abide by President Donald Trump’s “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order.
“I believe that the State of Maine is under scrutiny because of the state law that allows biological males to play in girls’ sports,” Collins said in a statement to Fox News. “And that is contrary, not just to the President’s executive order, but what I believe is the very spirit and intent of Title IX, which was to provide sports and other athletic activities to girls in a safe and fair way.”
Collins elaborated, explaining that transgender people deserve to be treated with “respect and dignity” but also stressed the importance of the ideals behind Title IX and that women deserve a safe space for fair and equal athletic competition. The senator from Maine then emphasized that biological boys do not belong in girls’ sports.
“It is critically important to treat people who are transgender with respect and dignity,” Collins said. “But that does not change the fact that Title IX, which was passed in 1972, has greatly expanded opportunities for girls and young women to participate in organized sports at the high school and college levels.”
She also discussed how Title IX was instrumental in forming safe and fair athletic competitions for girls. Collins highlighted that these opportunities, and the resources allocated for them, were not on the “basis of gender identity.”
“It did so, in part, by mandating equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex – not on the basis of gender identity,” Collins added. “Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX. That is why I do not believe that transgender athletes should compete in girls’ and women’s athletics.”
MAINE SCHOOLS REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH TRANSGENDER SPORTS ORDER AFTER TRUMP-MILLS DRAMA
After Maine refused to comply with the president’s directive, the state was referred to the Justice Department on Friday by the Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Civil Rights for “noncompliance with Title IX.”
“I will continue to advocate for Maine to receive its fair share of federal funding, something I have done successfully so far, but I support the original intent behind Title IX,” Collins said.
