JACKSON THOMPSON: Maine girls speak out about facing trans athlete as state grapples with issue

Two Maine high school junior athletes, Reagan Wilson and Morgan Clark, are voicing concerns about competing against transgender athletes, citing “crushing disappointment” and lost opportunities. Their attorney is filing a federal Title IX complaint against state and local education entities. Meanwhile, organizers are pushing for a statewide referendum to base sports eligibility on sex recorded at birth.

• Two Maine high school girls, Reagan Wilson and Morgan Clark, have spoken out against competing against transgender athletes.
• They described experiencing “crushing disappointment” and a loss of equal opportunity in sports.
• An attorney for the girls is filing a federal Title IX civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.
• The complaint targets the Maine Department of Education, Maine Principals’ Association, and school districts in Windham and South Portland.
• Organizers are also working to get a referendum on the ballot to base sports eligibility on sex recorded at birth.
• Maine’s existing policies, defended by state officials and the MPA, cite the Maine Human Rights Act and allow transgender students to compete based on gender identity or birth sex.
• The U.S. Education Department previously found Maine in Title IX noncompliance regarding transgender participation in girls’ sports.