Maine Governor Janet Mills is being honored with a civil rights award after openly defying an executive order from President Trump aimed at protecting female athletes. Her state remains embroiled in lawsuits, and most Mainers disagree with her stance.
Key Facts:
- Gov. Janet Mills of Maine will receive the Human Rights Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization next month.
- The award recognizes her defiance of Trump’s executive order protecting women’s and girls’ sports from male participation.
- The USDA sued Maine for refusing to comply with federal guidelines, resulting in a funding freeze.
- Maine sued the USDA, claiming the freeze harmed children and disabled adults, but dropped the suit after funding was restored.
- Nearly two-thirds of Maine residents oppose biological males competing in women’s sports, according to a University of New Hampshire poll.
The Rest of The Story:
Governor Janet Mills is being celebrated by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights group for her position on transgender athletes in female sports.
The recognition comes after a high-profile legal and political clash with the Trump administration, which included lawsuits and threats of lost funding over her refusal to exclude biological males from girls’ and women’s sports.
In April, the USDA filed suit against Maine for noncompliance with federal mandates protecting equal athletic opportunities for women.
The administration froze funding for school and child nutrition programs as leverage, demanding that the state align with Title IX protections.
Mills fired back with a lawsuit accusing the USDA of harming vulnerable populations.
That suit was dropped when the USDA agreed to restore funding, though other legal challenges remain ongoing.
Despite the controversy, Mills is being praised by left-leaning civil rights advocates for what they call “moral courage.”
The award ceremony will also honor others who have opposed Trump-era policies.
I'm honored to announce that the 42nd annual RFK Human Rights Award will honor @GovJanetMills, former DOJ Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer, and immigration reform activist Jeanette Vizguerra.
From taking a stand against unlawful executive orders and bolstering the moral strength… pic.twitter.com/WmUbPD98wg
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) May 15, 2025
Commentary:
There is nothing courageous about disregarding common sense protections for female athletes.
Governor Janet Mills isn’t a civil rights hero—she’s a politician being rewarded for opposing the sitting President’s efforts to ensure fairness and safety in sports.
Her actions didn’t just defy an executive order; they defied biological reality and the will of her own constituents.
Awarding her for this stance sends a message that ignoring science and law is virtuous if it’s done in the name of progressive ideology.
But most Mainers don’t see it that way.
The recent Pine Tree State Poll makes it clear: 64% of voters believe biological men do not belong in women’s sports.
That’s not a fringe opinion. It’s a strong, bipartisan consensus grounded in fairness and safety.
63% of Maine voters—including 69% of its parents—agree: School sports should be based on biological sex.
Girls deserve fair competition. Time to protect opportunities for our daughters. pic.twitter.com/3Oj8CPuAOJ
— American Parents Coalition (@USAParent) March 27, 2025
Mills’ policy exposes girls and women to physical danger and strips them of the competitive advantage Title IX was designed to protect.
In almost any other context, forcing young girls to share locker rooms and playing fields with biological males would raise serious legal and ethical concerns—possibly even criminal charges.
Local communities are resisting.
Some school districts are choosing to ignore the governor’s stance and protect female athletes on their own.
This grassroots pushback highlights how out of step Mills is with the people she was elected to serve.
Honoring someone for this is grotesque.
It’s not civil rights work—it’s political theater.
And it comes at the cost of real girls being pushed to the sidelines.
The Bottom Line:
Governor Janet Mills is receiving accolades for rejecting a federal order meant to protect female athletes.
Despite widespread opposition within her own state, she is being honored by progressive activists.
The majority of Mainers believe biological men should not compete in women’s sports.
This isn’t about civil rights—it’s about pushing a radical agenda while ignoring the will of the people.
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