Everyone by now likely knows about the situation going on in Greely, the one that has put Maine front and center in the national scene, causing an incredible amount of controversy. A post on X by Representative Laurel Libby, highlighting a transgender athlete winning a track and field competition, led to President Donald Trump threatening to withdraw federal funds from the state. It is not a new issue, as there was another instance of a transgender athlete competing in girls’ track in Maine last year, and there was controversy in my own home state of Connecticut a few years ago over transgender sprinters. This is not an issue for the federal government to be up in arms about and it is certainly not an issue that warrants the federal government removing funds from the state. There are many reasons why.
First, it’s just plain moronic to take an issue that has affected a small handful of people and punish the entire state of Maine over it. Do the people in Bangor, Waterville or Caribou deserve to lose their critically-important federal funding over an issue that really has to do with the Maine Principals Association, rather than any specific school board? People who already aren’t getting enough funding for roads, school supplies, healthcare, etc., just get that taken away. This is plain wrong. Regardless of how you feel about the issue, this is being blown way out of proportion. No one has lost out on any money. No one has been physically injured. Is it unfair? Probably, but this is not a big enough issue to take away funding in this way. It’s only causing a bigger issue and inflaming pre-existing tensions.
With Track & Field specifically, the argument is usually made that athletes are losing out on potential recruiting opportunities and potential scholarship money should they continue to pursue their sport at the collegiate level. As a Track & Field athlete at the University of Maine, I can say that this claim is by and large untrue. It helps to win a state championship, but that is not what coaches look for. Anyone can win a state championship if they are in a weak division or class. It all depends on the competition. Coaches look for marks. In the pole vault, the event at the Maine Class B State Championship which has caused all the controversy, other athletes have no direct influence on another’s performance. Coaches aren’t going to be necessarily impressed with a Maine Class B win, but with specific marks the athlete can hit.
Overall, this is really a non-issue that has been blown completely out of proportion. There is no reason to be taking federal funding away from the state of Maine. It’s just a way to score some cheap political points and make it seem like the government is actually accomplishing something.
