Supreme Court Overturns Censure of Maine Rep. Laurel Libby Over Trans Athlete Post

Washington — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby could not be punished for a social media post identifying a transgender athlete. Libby, a Republican representing House District 90, had been censured by her colleagues for a post that criticized the inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports.

Libby shared her post on Facebook in February, which named and included photos of a transgender athlete who won a girls’ pole vault competition at a state championship. After her post, the Maine House voted to censure her, with the resolution stating her actions could lead to harm for the athlete.

Maine Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau, a Democrat, told Libby that the censure would be revoked if she apologized. Libby refused and decided to challenge the censure through legal avenues, including a lawsuit filed in federal court.

Initially, federal Judge Melissa DuBose dismissed her case, stating that it was outside her jurisdiction after all Maine judges declined to handle it. Libby’s appeal to the First Circuit Court was also denied, prompting her to seek relief from the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court granted her emergency appeal on Tuesday, allowing Libby to regain her voting rights in the legislature. However, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing that the intervention may undermine the legislative process.

Libby has received support from various groups, including the U.S. Department of Justice, which filed an amicus brief backing her case. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised Libby on social media, saying that they aim to protect girls’ sports from what they call ‘radical gender ideology.’

Opponents of her stance have pointed out that Maine’s policies allow transgender students to compete based on their gender identity, raising questions about the implications of Libby’s post. The state continues to face legal challenges regarding its educational policies due to issues surrounding gender identity.