Maine Rep. Laurel Libby has been largely outspoken about the issue of transgender athletes competing against biological females, to the point where she was censured by the state House.
That move was harshly criticized by the Boston Globe’s editorial board this week.
In a story by its editorial board headlined “Maine Democrats should stop making Laurel Libby a free speech martyr,” the outlet said that the voters, “not the House leadership,” should decide whether to “disqualify her.”
Libby was censured earlier this month by Maine’s Democratic majority and Speaker Ryan Fecteau for a social media post identifying an underage trans athlete. The censure has prevented her from carrying out other legislative actions to serve her constituents.
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Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby is sounding the alarm over the state’s defiance of President Donald Trump’s Executive Order demanding an end to biological males competing in women’s sports. (Getty/Maine House of Representatives)
“There is no need to continue making a free speech martyr of Libby. A basic respect for democracy argues for letting the voters in her district, not the House leadership, be the ones to decide whether her actions disqualify her . . . ,” the story reads.
“It was unnecessary for Libby to make that argument by singling out an individual – especially when that individual is a minor who had no role in making the rules that Libby opposes. But it was completely legitimate for her to express a view on what is inarguably a controversial political question . . . , ” the piece continued. “A censure is one thing when it’s just a symbolic statement of disapproval. But preventing an elected representative from voting should be a last resort for very serious misbehavior, and no legislature should make that decision lightly.”
Libby filed a lawsuit earlier this month, which seeks to have her voting and speaking rights restored. She was originally told she would have her rights restored if she apologized for the post. However, she has said she will not apologize but has said she is willing to drop it if her censure is dropped. She has said she is willing to drop her lawsuit if the censure is dropped.
Libby’s state of Maine, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agreed to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports after much public back and forth.
The University of Maine System (USM), a network of eight public universities in Maine, was subject to a temporary pause in funding from the USDA last week during an ongoing battle between the state and the federal government over trans inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports. The funding was reinstated just days later.
U.S. President Donald Trump, joined by women athletes, signs the “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order in the East Room at the White House on February 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
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The USDA now claims the UMS is in full compliance with Trump’s executive order.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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