Maine v. Women: The Hypocritical, “Progressive” Push to end Title IX
These states believe that women should not have the federally protected right to equal educational opportunities.
Earlier this week, the Office for Civil Rights launched a Title IX investigation into the Maine Department of Education and Maine School District after Governor Janet Mills declared that the state will not comply with Title IX.
Title IX of the Civil Rights Act ensures equal access to education on the basis of sex. It is a federal law, passed by Congress, by which all states are required to abide. States that do not adhere to Title IX’s prohibition on sex discrimination can lose federal funds tied to education.
The passage of Title IX in 1972 marked a major shift in women’s rights in the United States. After its implementation, women and girls were guaranteed equal treatment in all aspects of education, including sports. Prior to Title IX women’s sports were severely underfunded, if they existed at all. Girls missed out not only all the health and wellness benefits of sports, but also the educational, competitive, and career opportunities that come with athletics. By requiring schools provide equal athletic opportunity to both sexes, Title IX opened up an entire field of women’s sports that are only made possible thanks to the landmark civil rights law.
But now, multiple states are refusing to comply with Title IX — including Maine, California, and Minnesota. These states, among others, believe that women should not have the federally protected right to equal educational opportunities.
That’s not what they’ll tell you though, if you ask. They’ll tell you they are “protecting trans kids,” and that women and girls who demand their rights be reinstated are “right wing.” (Since when has wanting rights for women been “conservative”?).
In Maine, the debate came to a head last week when “Katie” Spencer, a teenage boy, obliterated his female competitors in high school pole vaulting — jumping 8 inches higher than the girl who came in second place. The jump vaulted him and his team to first place, depriving the girls who placed behind him and his team from awards and opportunities they rightfully deserved.
Despite his claimed identity, Spencer has every opportunity under today’s Title IX interpretation to compete on the boy’s team. In fact, he did just two years earlier, placing fifth. No boy is denied an opportunity when forced to compete with boys, but all girls are.
By successfully rebranding the fight away from “women’s rights” and onto “trans rights,” the modern misogynists have obscured the reality of what they are doing. But we need to be clear: Title IX protects women on the basis of sex, not gender identity.
The new administration is escalating. Earlier this month, the Department of Education also launched Title IX investigations against the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), both of which “publicly announced plans to violate federal antidiscrimination laws related to girls’ and women’s sports.”
The updated Title IX interpretation is a result of President Trump’s Executive Orders, Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism And Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government and Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports. Nearly all of Trump’s orders related to gender identity are already facing court challenges, and all of them will face an uphill battle in the states.
WoLF will continue tracking these cases and updating our new Executive Order Stats Chart as decisions come down. Check back regularly for the latest updates on how these critical issues are faring in the courts.
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For over ten years, WoLF has been fighting to protect women’s rights, including Title IX, from the threat of “gender identity.” Our work is made possible thanks to the generous donations of WoLF supporters like you!
