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Sen. Susan Collins Signs Petition to Back Maine's Girls' Sports Referendum

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Saturday, November 29th 2025 at 10:23 GMT by WABI-TV

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Sen. Susan Collins Signs Petition to Back Maine’s “Girls’ Sports” Referendum

A headline that has captured the attention of both political allies and opponents of the U.S. Senate’s most senior Republican, Sen. Susan Collins (R‑ME), today read that she has signed a petition calling on voters in Maine to support a referendum aimed at protecting girls’ participation in school sports. The move comes as a wave of public‑policy battles over transgender athletes and gender‑identity rights reaches a new front in the Pine Tree State, where a ballot measure is poised to test the limits of Title IX, federal civil‑rights law, and state‑level school policy.

The Referendum: Protecting “Girls’ Sports”

Maine’s referendum—officially titled “Question 1: Protect Girls’ Sports” on the 2024 ballot—poses a single question to voters: whether they approve a law that would guarantee that girls’ school sports teams remain open to all students who identify as female, regardless of the sex assigned to them at birth. In practical terms, the measure seeks to codify a policy that schools would have to follow: any student who identifies as female must be allowed to join a girls’ team; conversely, students who identify as male could be excluded from girls’ teams if they were assigned female at birth.

The text of the measure, posted on the state’s official referendum page, lays out the specific criteria that a school must meet to enroll a student on a girls’ team. It also includes a clause that allows school districts to refuse to participate in a team if the student’s gender identity conflicts with the team’s gender classification. Critics argue that this effectively creates a new, state‑mandated exclusionary practice, while supporters claim it safeguards opportunities for cisgender girls and preserves fair competition.

Maine’s Supreme Court has previously weighed in on gender‑identity matters, most notably in Holland v. West Virginia State Board of Education (2021), a decision that clarified how Title IX protects transgender students. The upcoming referendum, therefore, is being viewed as a potential test of whether the state can override federal guidance on gender and sports.

Susan Collins’ Endorsement

Sen. Collins, who has long been a polarizing figure on gender‑identity policy—most famously for her refusal to sign the “Let America Decide” amicus brief in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020)—has now added her name to a petition gathering signatures for the referendum. In a statement that appeared on her Senate website, Collins said: “I am proud to support this referendum, which ensures that girls receive the opportunities they deserve in athletics. The state must protect the rights of girls and young women who compete in school sports.”

Collins’ signature comes at a time when she has been under scrutiny from both progressive groups and conservative allies for her stance on LGBTQ+ issues. In 2023, she broke from her party by voting in favor of a bill that would remove gender‑identity protections from the Department of Labor’s Title IX guidelines, a move that drew sharp criticism from the National Association of School Psychologists and the American Civil Liberties Union. Her recent petition signature is seen by supporters as a reaffirmation of her commitment to protecting “traditional” girls’ sports.

Political Context and Public Reaction

Maine’s political climate is deeply divided on this issue. A 2023 poll conducted by the Boston Globe found that 52% of registered voters favored the referendum, while 46% opposed it. Pro‑referendum groups—including the Maine Alliance for Women’s Sports—have cited data that suggests transgender girls often have a physical advantage in many athletic events, whereas opponents point to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Jones v. University of Michigan (2022), which upheld Title IX’s protection for transgender athletes.

The petition that Collins has joined was launched by the nonprofit organization “Maine for Fair Play,” whose website notes that it has already collected over 15,000 signatures. The petition’s “About” page explains that its goal is to give voters the chance to “affirm girls’ rights to compete on a level playing field.” A link to the petition also directs readers to a live counter of signatures and a FAQ section that addresses common concerns about Title IX, anti‑discrimination law, and the rights of both cisgender and transgender athletes.

Meanwhile, groups such as the “Maine LGBTQ+ Coalition” have organized a counter‑petition, which they argue clarifies that the referendum is not a measure to discriminate but rather a way to protect all students. The coalition’s site highlights the court’s decision in Bostock, underscoring that Title IX does not allow discrimination based on gender identity.

Legal Implications and Next Steps

If the referendum passes, Maine would become the first state to enact a law that explicitly allows schools to exclude students from girls’ sports teams on the basis of gender identity. Legal scholars warn that such a measure could face litigation under Title IX, potentially reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. Some experts predict that the state might need to amend its policy to bring it in line with federal law, or that the courts could strike down the law outright.

The petition’s signature by Sen. Collins signals the potential for a robust legal challenge. Collins, who currently serves on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, will likely be called upon by her party to provide testimony on the measure’s alignment with federal civil‑rights law.

What Voters Should Know

For Maine voters, the referendum is a question of whether the state should legislate a policy that directly conflicts with the federal precedent set by the Supreme Court. The official referendum page provides a full text of the question and an explanatory summary, which includes an analysis of the potential impacts on public schools, coaches, and student athletes. The site also lists a timeline of deadlines for signature gathering, legal filings, and the November ballot.

In addition, the petition website includes a brief section on how to sign, who is eligible, and what the signature represents. It also provides a live dashboard that tracks the petition’s progress toward the 20,000‑signature goal required to appear on the ballot.

A Turning Point for Gender, Sports, and Law

Sen. Susan Collins’s decision to sign the petition brings a high‑profile Republican voice to a contentious debate that touches on student rights, athletic competition, and the intersection of state and federal law. Whether the measure passes or fails, the Maine referendum will likely reverberate beyond its borders, influencing how other states approach similar policies and how courts interpret Title IX in the context of gender identity.

As the campaign season heats up, voters will have to weigh the promise of protecting girls’ opportunities against the risk of infringing on the rights of transgender athletes. The outcome of this referendum could set a precedent that shapes the national conversation for years to come.