Maine Town Divided Over Transgender Child in Girls’ Basketball
A Community in Conflict: The St. George Basketball Controversy
In a small coastal Maine community, what began as a routine youth basketball season has erupted into a heated debate that reflects larger national tensions over transgender rights in sports. At the center of the controversy is an 8-year-old child who was assigned male at birth but identifies as a girl and joined a recreational girls’ basketball team. The situation has transformed the typically quiet town of St. George into a battleground of opposing viewpoints on gender identity, children’s rights, and parental authority.
“Initially, we were concerned,” said Katy Miller, whose daughter played on the basketball team. “We talked to our daughters and got a read from them on how they felt. We were all in agreement that we were just not on board with this.” Miller and other parents brought their concerns to a Town of St. George Select Board meeting on November 10th, hoping to prevent the transgender child from competing with the girls. Their core concerns centered around both competitive fairness and privacy issues, particularly regarding changing facilities. “Girls want to feel safe. They want to have safe spaces,” Miller explained. “They did not want to change in front of a biological boy, and I don’t blame them.”
The meeting drew passionate arguments from community members on both sides of the issue. Supporters of the transgender child pointed out that at such a young age, there are minimal physical advantages in basketball. They advocated for inclusion and acceptance, arguing that excluding the child would be harmful and discriminatory. Colin Hurd, an attorney from the Maine Human Rights Commission, clarified the legal landscape, stating that under Maine law, it is illegal for a municipality to deny services based on gender identity. This includes recreational activities like basketball and access to bathrooms and locker rooms that align with a person’s gender identity. However, Hurd acknowledged that exceptions exist when a transgender person’s participation might pose “a genuine risk of health and safety.”
After considerable debate, the select board voted 3-2 in favor of allowing the transgender child to play on the girls’ team. This decision led the opposing parents to create a private basketball league for their daughters, which has resulted in additional travel, expenses, and scheduling difficulties. “It has taken a toll,” Miller admitted. “I have received a lot of pushback, but for me, it’s more important all day long to protect these girls, especially my daughter.” The controversy has escalated beyond civil discourse, with Miller reporting threatening behavior directed at parents who opposed the decision. “There’s been a police presence at the meetings. It’s been very tense,” she said, adding that she’s received messages on social media saying she “shouldn’t be a mother” and would be “better off dead.”
The situation in St. George reflects a growing national debate about transgender participation in sports. Republican State Representative Laurel Libby, who has advocated for the concerned parents, told Fox News Digital, “The vast majority of Mainers don’t support biological males in girls sports. Most folks support biological reality.” She argued that while this view was less popular several years ago, public opinion has shifted. “American people and Maine people have swung the other direction and said, ‘absolutely not, boys should not be in girls sports and spaces.'” Libby characterized the push for transgender inclusion in sports as a position of “the very radical left,” calling it “a crazy hill to die on.”
Select board member Steve Cartright, who voted in favor of the transgender child’s participation, offered a contrasting perspective. “I am sorry that local parents are not more tolerant of children who identify with a gender different from their birth anatomy,” he said. “I think we need to support a school, community, and society that includes all children, and doesn’t exclude or punish them for their gender identity.” Cartright suggested that adults “fear change” and expressed concern about “hate speech” and “prejudice” in the broader political landscape. As the controversy continues, with parents planning to address the school board next, the small town of St. George finds itself at the intersection of deeply held personal beliefs, evolving social norms, and complex questions about how communities balance the needs and rights of all children in their care.
