Written by Jonathan Fisher.
On February 17, 2025, a male high school sophomore from Maine defied a recent executive order from President Donald Trump by competing in—and winning—a girls’ pole-vault event, spotlighting a contentious clash between state policy and federal directive. Trump’s order, signed on February 5, barred males identifying as females from participating in women’s sports, aiming to preserve fairness in competition. Yet, Maine’s education and sports authorities permitted this athlete, previously known as John and now identifying as Katie, to claim victory, reigniting debates over equity, biology, and compliance that resonate with parents and athletes nationwide.
Trump’s Executive Order and Maine’s Defiance
President Trump’s executive action sought to address what he described as an erosion of women’s sports, asserting that “men claiming to be girls have stolen more than 3,500 victories” and infiltrated over 11,000 female-only events. “From now on, women’s sports will be only for women,” he declared, aligning with widespread public sentiment—reflected in a 2023 Gallup poll showing strong support for sex-based divisions. The order mandates that schools and states enforce biological eligibility, threatening federal funding for noncompliance under laws like Title IX, which ensures equal opportunities in education.
Despite this, the Maine Principals’ Association and the Maine Department of Education opted to uphold their existing policies, allowing transgender athletes to compete based on gender identity rather than birth sex. At the Maine Indoor Track Meet on Monday, this stance bore fruit—or consequence—when a Greely High School 10th-grader vaulted 11 feet to secure first place in the girls’ pole-vault competition. Previously a boys’ competitor under the name John, this athlete, now Katie, outstripped female rivals but fell an inch shy of the state record set by Sarah Ouellette in 2024.
For a mother in Portland watching her daughter train tirelessly, this outcome stings. The victor, had he remained in the boys’ division, would have placed 10th—a stark illustration of the physical edge fueling Trump’s order. Maine’s decision to flout it risks not just funding but the integrity of girls’ athletics, critics argue, setting a precedent that could ripple across states.
The Athlete and the Competition Fallout
The Greely sophomore’s performance underscores the controversy. Clearing 11 feet, he surpassed all female competitors in a feat that, while impressive, reignited outrage among observers like Republican State Rep. Laurel Libby. “Another day, another instance of an unremarkable biological male athlete (who couldn’t win against other males) dominating girls’ sports,” she wrote, decrying the Maine Principals’ Association for ignoring federal rules. Libby emphasized the toll on female athletes, noting, “Deserving, biological girls have titles ripped away from them,” a sentiment echoing the frustration of years of hard work undone.
Allen Cornwall, a Scarborough High School coach, had predicted this outcome weeks earlier. He told the Maine Wire that this athlete—formerly John—would likely claim the girls’ conference and state titles, sidelining dedicated female vaulters. “These girls that have been competing for years, working towards this, are just being sidelined, and it’s really disgusting,” he said. His foresight proved accurate, yet the victory came with no state record, a small consolation for those displaced from the podium.
This isn’t an isolated incident in Maine. The state has long permitted transgender participation based on self-identification, a policy now clashing head-on with Trump’s directive. For a student in Bangor aspiring to collegiate track, the message is muddled—train hard, but biology might trump effort if rules bend.
Broader Implications for Maine and Beyond
Maine’s defiance carries weighty stakes. By allowing this male athlete to compete as Katie, the state risks violating Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education—a law Trump’s order leverages to enforce compliance. Federal education funds, critical for schools statewide, hang in the balance, potentially forcing a reckoning if Washington follows through. Beyond dollars, the move challenges the fairness ethos in sports, where physical differences between sexes often dictate outcomes in events like pole vaulting.
The backlash extends past policy to perception. Critics, including Libby and Cornwall, frame this as a betrayal of female athletes—girls who grind daily, only to see victories “stolen” by males with inherent advantages. Nationally, Trump’s order taps into a supermajority view that sports should align with biology, not identity, a stance Maine now bucks at its peril. For coaches and parents, the question looms: will other states follow suit, or will Maine stand as an outlier?
Meanwhile, the athlete at the center—once a middling boys’ competitor—now holds a girls’ title, a win that opponents call hollow. The Maine Wire’s reporting underscores this disparity, noting his 10th-place potential among males versus his dominance here. As investigations loom, the state’s gamble tests not just legal boundaries but the spirit of competition itself.
Our Take
Maine’s choice to defy President Trump’s executive order by letting a male athlete compete in girls’ pole vaulting is a bold stand—but a misguided one. Trump’s ban, rooted in a clear public mandate and Title IX’s equity promise, aims to protect female athletes from biological disparities that skew fair play. Katie’s victory, while a personal triumph, underscores this gap; a 10th-place male finish versus a girls’ gold isn’t progress—it’s a step backward for the girls who lost their shot. Maine’s education leaders risk federal funds and credibility for a policy that prioritizes identity over merit.
Yet, the issue isn’t black-and-white. Transgender athletes deserve inclusion, but not at the expense of dismantling women’s sports—a balance Maine flouts with little regard for consequences. The state’s defiance might galvanize activists, but it alienates the supermajority favoring Trump’s stance, leaving female competitors as collateral damage. Compliance could preserve fairness without erasing compassion; instead, Maine opts for a fight it may not win, trading girls’ dreams for a principle that’s proving shaky in practice.
