(LifeSiteNews) — Maine has approved a citizen-initiated November ballot measure to ban gender-confused males from playing on girls’ sports teams and occupying girls’ private spaces.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, announced this week that the grassroots group, Protect Girls Sports in Maine (PGSM), had gathered a sufficient number of signatures to be included on the state ballot later this year.
More than 80,000 Mainers signed PGSM’s petition for the measure.
“The truth is, males are currently in female sports, taking female trophies, and invading female safe spaces (like locker rooms and bathrooms). This is not a far away concept; it is happening right here in Maine,” explains PGSM’s website.
“Concerned parents have brought these issues to their school boards, but the Maine Principals’ Association and State Legislature have failed to act. It’s now time that we – as citizens of this great state – decide for ourselves what we want for our kids,” declared the organization.
PGSM head Leyland Streiff lauded his group’s achievement, saying that the citizens of Maine “will get to do what the MPA (the Maine Principals’ Association) and State Legislature have failed to do.”
“And they’ll get to do it through the most democratic process possible — a simple majority vote will designate competitive sports and private facilities in our schools by sex,” he said in a statement. “This is inclusive, fair and safe — everyone gets to play sports; not one single person is banned.”
According to Streiff, Maine’s leadership is “out of touch with what voters want” and explained that PGSM’s proposal is a “common-sense” approach to dealing with the recent explosion of males who identify as transgender seeking to participate in girls’ competitive sports.
“Maine is far too progressive to allow Sex-based discrimination to continue,” said Streiff. “If a female wants a female-only space or opportunity, she must be afforded that under the law. Anything else is discrimination, and frankly regressive.”
The petition argues that the state needs to ensure that sports participation and private facilities in schools be designated by sex, not by so-called “gender identity.” As such, only students identified as female at birth would be permitted to use girls’ locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms.
The measure has been endorsed by the Republican Party of Maine, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), and former Gov. Paul LePage (R).
If successful, the measure would also force the state to align with directives from the Trump White House.
Since the early days of his second term in office, President Trump and liberal Governor Janet Mills have clashed over “transgender” males being allowed to compete in girls’ school sports in the Pine Tree State.
