Maine sues USDA after funding freeze amid dispute over transgender athletes
Maine sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a recent funding freeze. The state’s attorney general is seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the freeze while the court considers the case.
The lawsuit involves arguments over whether the state’s stance on transgender athletes violates Title IX and whether the USDA has the authority to withhold federal funds intended for essential programs like school feeding and services for disabled adults.
A court decision on the temporary restraining order will determine whether the funding freeze will remain in effect while the legal battle continues.
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Maine isn’t backing down on the issue of transgender athletes participating in female sports. On Monday, April 7, the state sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a recent funding freeze.
In the lawsuit, filed by the attorney general of Maine, Aaron Frey, he said schools are required by Title IX and the equal protection clause to allow biological males to play on women’s sports teams. He argued that the federal government is withholding federal funds that go towards keeping children fed in schools, after-school programs and programs for disabled adults.
The complaint names Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who sent a letter to Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills on April 2 announcing the freeze and alleging that the state violated Title IX in educational programming.
What did Rollins say in her letter?
Rollins initially said the freeze would not affect food-providing programs but would target “certain administrative and technological functions in schools.”
“This pause does not impact federal feeding programs or direct assistance to Mainers; if a child was fed today, they will be fed tomorrow,” Rollins stated in the letter.
The lawsuit claims the Maine Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Program lost access to several sources of federal funding on April 3.
“Under the banner of keeping children safe, the Trump Administration is illegally withholding grant funds that go to keeping children fed,” Frey said in a statement. “This is just another example where no law or consequence appears to restrain the administration as it seeks capitulation to its lawlessness. The President and his cabinet secretaries do not make the law and they are not above the law, and this action is necessary to remind the President that Maine will not be bullied into violating the law.”
Dept. of Education sends ‘final warning’ to Maine over transgender athletes
The Maine Department of Education has received a “final warning” from the U.S. Department of Education. The warning demands Maine to comply with President Trump’s executive order banning biological males from girls’ sports, with a new deadline of April 11.
Maine officials from the state Education Department, Maine Principals’ Association and a high school have refused to sign the agreement, citing the Maine Human Rights Act.
Sen. Susan Collins supports the Trump administration’s stance, arguing that Title IX should prioritize sex over gender identity to maintain fair competition in girls’ sports.
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The Maine Department of Education has a new deadline after receiving what the U.S. Department of Education called a “final warning” to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning biological males from girls’ sports.
The department sent a letter on Monday, March 31, giving Maine until April 11 to comply, or it will send the case to the Department of Justice.
What was the original deadline?
Maine officials originally had until March 29 to sign an agreement changing state law and policies to prohibit transgender females from competing. Still, according to Bradley Burke, the regional director of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, they have refused to discuss a resolution.
The Trump administration said earlier this month that the Maine Department of Education, Maine Principals’ Association and a high school were each in violation of Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
The federal investigation came after a public dispute between Trump and Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills.
The Department of Education said the deal aligns with President Trump’s executive order from January, which states that the government will only recognize two sexes determined at conception.
Is there a refusal to sign?
In a statement last week, Maine School Administrative District 51, which includes the high school found to be in violation of Title IX, said it would not be signing the agreement, citing the Maine Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on gender identity.
“To our students: thank you for your maturity, perseverance and dedication to learning through these distractions. Please continue to lead the way,” the MSAD #51 board of directors said.
The Maine Principals’ Association also refused to sign the agreement, based again on the Maine Human Rights Act.
How is Sen. Susan Collins supporting Trump?
Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins supported the Trump administration’s stance in a statement obtained by Fox News.
“It is critically important to treat people who are transgender with respect and dignity,” Collins said in the statement. “But that does not change the fact that Title IX, which was passed in 1972, has greatly expanded opportunities for girls and young women to participate in organized sports at the high school and college levels. It did so, in part, by mandating equal access to athletic resources and facilities on the basis of sex — not on the basis of gender identity. Safe and fair athletic competition has been one of the keys to the success of Title IX. That is why I do not believe that transgender athletes should compete in girls’ and women’s athletics.”
Collins went on to say she will advocate for Maine to receive its fair share of federal funding, but she supports the original intent behind Title IX.
The Maine Department of Education has not responded to the Department of Education’s updated deadline.
World Athletics to require cheek swab tests for athletes in female track events
World Athletics has introduced cheek-swab tests to verify the eligibility of athletes competing in the female category. The timeline for implementation is still unknown.
President Sebastian Coe emphasized the importance of protecting the integrity of women’s sports and vowed to defend the female category.
The test will detect the SRY gene, a key determinant of male-typical sex development, through a cheek swab or blood sample.
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World Athletics on Tuesday, March 25, approved the implementation of cheek-swab tests to verify if an athlete is female as part of efforts to maintain the integrity of women’s sports, according to the organization’s president, Sebastian Coe. Coe reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to protecting the female category in athletics.
“It’s important to do it because it maintains everything that we’ve been talking about and particularly recently about –– not just talking about –– the integrity of female women’s sport but actually guaranteeing it. And this, we feel, is a really important way of providing confidence and maintaining absolute focus on integrity of competition.”
Sebastian Coe, World Athletics President
Coe emphasized that pre-clearance testing would be required for athletes who wish to compete in the female category. He described the process as “very straightforward” and emphasized its significance.
“Neither of these are invasive. They are necessary, and they will be done to absolutely international medical standards,” Coe said during a media briefing. “I wouldn’t have set off down this path in 2016, 2017, to protect the female category in sport if I’d been anything other than prepared to take the challenge head-on.”
Cheek-swab test to detect SRY gene
The newly introduced test will look for the SRY gene, which is located on the Y chromosome and plays a crucial role in male-typical sex development.
According to World Athletics officials, the test will be conducted via a cheek swab, with a dry blood sample as a possible alternative. The SRY gene is responsible for producing a protein involved in sex determination, typically associated with male development.
Paris Olympics led to some calls for gender testing
Gender testing has been a contentious issue in sports, with recent controversies surrounding the eligibility of athletes like Imane Khelif of Algeria and Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan, both of whom won gold medals in female events at the Paris Olympics.
Khelif and Yu-ting were accused of failing a gender test administered by the International Boxing Association (IBA), formerly known as the International Boxing Federation. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) denounced the IBF’s tests as “not legitimate.”
“The whole process is flawed. From the conception of the test, to how the test was shared with us, to how the tests have become public, is so flawed that it’s impossible to engage with it,” said IOC spokesperson Mark Adams.
In 2023, the IOC stripped the IBA of its role as an Olympic governing body due to its ties to a Russian state energy firm and its way of judging fights.
The topic of transgender women competing in women’s sports featured prominently in Coe’s campaign for the presidency of the IOC. Kirsty Coventry shared his position, who ultimately won the election to succeed Thomas Bach as IOC president.
Transgender Americans challenge Trump passport policy changes in court
The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the Trump administration over changes to U.S. passport policy for transgender Americans. The ACLU is seeking a preliminary injunction to block the executive order on Tuesday as its lawsuit on behalf of seven plaintiffs plays out.
Plaintiffs argued the policy has restricted their travel and fear it will have harmful repercussions.
The Trump administration contends the executive order is in line with the U.S. Constitution and does not harm the plaintiffs.
The ACLU’s case against the federal government will begin in court on Tuesday, March 25, in Boston, as the civil rights group seeks a preliminary injunction to halt the Trump administration policy while its lawsuit moves forward.
Who is the lead plaintiff in the case?
The lead plaintiff in the case is Ash Lazarus Orr, a transgender man from West Virginia.
“I have transitioned from female to male,” Orr said. “I am a trans man, and all of my documentation accurately represents this transition. However, with my passport, due to the current executive order and Marco Rubio’s policy, the government is wanting to issue me a passport with the inaccurate sex designation.”
What does Orr allege?
Orr argued an executive order issued by President Donald Trump on his first day in office banning the use of the “X” marker and changing gender marker rules has left him bound to the United States by creating major barriers to travel globally and domestically for months.
“Due to this, I have not been able to travel internationally, which has led to me access to gender-affirming care,” Orr said. “I am also unable to freely move around the country.”
What does the ACLU lawsuit say?
The ACLU’s lawsuit stated that the seven plaintiffs in the case have all faced “mistreatment due to their gender identities, and they fear that having incorrect sex designations on their passports will cause them further mistreatment– including putting them in danger.”
What happened in Orr’s case?
Before applying for his new passport, Orr said he was accused of using fake documents by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) while traveling from West Virginia to New York.
Orr said it is because he had a male designation on his driver’s license but a female one on his passport.
The incident led him to request and updated passport with a male designation, days before Trump took office.
“I had assumed that, you know, I’d be getting my passport back in a timely manner.” Orr continued, “I paid for my expedited services. I was doing a simple name change and gender marker update, and unfortunately, even though my passport packet was received prior to the inauguration, I did not receive my passport back. I still am without a passport at this moment in time.”
What is the Trump administration saying?
The Trump administration asserted the president has broad authority to enforce passport policy and the plaintiffs in the lawsuit would not be harmed by the changes because they are still able to travel abroad.
Following Trump’s executive order, the U.S. State Department suspended issuing travel documents with “X” gender markers and disallowed the alteration of the gender listed on a person’s passport from the one assigned at birth.
The policy is in line with several changes during the Trump administration, including the removal of transgender members of the military and banning transgender girls and women from competing in women’s sports.
Trump administration gives Maine 10 days to change transgender athlete rules
The Trump administration gave the state of Maine 10 days to rescind its policy allowing transgender athletes in girls’ high school sports. It cited violations of federal anti-discrimination law, following a compliance review.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to exclude transgender girls and women from female-only sports, directing the Department of Justice to enforce this under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.
After a confrontation between Gov. Janet Mills and Trump, Maine became a central focus for the debate.
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Maine became a focal point on the issue of transgender athletes after a student who transitioned from male to female won the state championship in pole vaulting in the girls’ division in February. Now, the Trump administration gave the state 10 days to rescind its policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls high school sports as part of a proposed resolution agreement after it found the state violated federal anti-discrimination law.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February 2025 to exclude transgender girls and women from female-only sports. It’s a directive supporters say will restore fairness, while critics say it infringes on the rights of a small fraction of athletes.
The order directs the Department of Justice to make sure all government agencies enforce a ban under Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
What’s in the agreement?
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it gave the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association and Greely High School in Cumberland, Maine, the 10-day deadline to take care of the alleged violation, or it would pass the issue on to the Department of Justice.
Trump versus Mills
The order came after the start of a compliance review last month following a confrontation between Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills and Trump at the White House, where Mills told Trump, “I’ll see you in court.”
The conflict put Maine into the national spotlight and recharged a debate over gender and sports, sparking protests in the state from both sides.
During the week of March 10, the Trump administration reversed its decision to freeze U.S. Department of Agriculture funding to the University of Maine System (UMS) after Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, intervened.
The funding had been paused earlier in the week while an investigation was conducted to determine whether UMS violated federal civil rights law by allowing transgender athletes to participate in women’s sports.
In 2021, Maine legislators updated a state law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.
USDA freezes millions for Maine universities after Mills, Trump dispute
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has temporarily paused millions of dollars in federal funding to the University of Maine System. This comes pending a review of compliance with a new order aimed at banning transgender athletes from competing in certain sports.
The freeze follows a tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills, where Trump warned that funding would be pulled if trans athletes were allowed to participate in sports in Maine.
UMS has provided responses to the USDA confirming its athletic programs comply with state and federal laws, as well as the NCAA’s policy barring male-assigned athletes from competing in women’s sports.
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The University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has temporarily paused millions of dollars in federal funding, pending a review of compliance with a new order aimed at banning transgender athletes.
The freeze comes after President Donald Trump had a tense exchange with Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills at the White House in February.
Speaking to the National Governors Association on Feb. 21, Trump called on Mills, warning her that the federal government would pull funding from Maine schools if they allowed trans athletes to play in sports.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills responded to Trump.
The day after the argument, the USDA launched a compliance review accusing UMS of disregarding President Trump’s order.
How is a lack of funding impacting Maine universities?
In fiscal year 2024, the USDA gave UMS about $30 million in funding. The frozen grants impact research to understand contamination on Maine farms as well as money for youth programs, fishermen and foresters.
According to the USDA order, “The pause will remain in effect until further notice,” or until all actions related to possible violations are evaluated.
How is UMS responding?
The school system said Tuesday, March 11, that it had provided responses to the USDA confirming its athletic programs complied with state and federal law.
School officials also said they complied with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s policy barring varsity athletes assigned male at birth from competing in women’s sports.
‘Deeply unfair’: Newsom addresses trans athletes in women’s sports on podcast
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s comments on transgender athletes during his podcast launch have drawn some criticism from fellow Democrats. His remarks centered on fairness in women’s sports.
Newsom expressed both support for fairness in sports and sympathy for transgender individuals.
A New York Times poll found that a majority of Americans, including 67% of Democrats, believe transgender athletes should not compete in women’s sports.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom launched his new podcast, and his first episode quickly became a focal point of controversy. During a conversation with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Newsom was asked if he would support a policy barring biological males from participating in female sports.
“Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?” Kirk asked.
“I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness; it’s deeply unfair,” Newsom responded.
This exchange led to widespread criticism and sharp headlines.
Controversy in headlines
The Los Angeles Times: “Newsom’s remarks about trans athletes has some Democrats ‘sickened and frustrated’”
The Guardian: “Newsom condemned for ‘throwing trans people under bus’ after sports comment”
Forbes: “California’s Newsom—Long-Time Gay Rights Ally—Opposes Trans Athletes In Women’s Sports
Further comments from Newsom
Newsom noted that he has four children, including two daughters, and his wife, who played college soccer. He reaffirmed his stance, stating, “The issue of fairness is completely legit.”
However, in the same discussion, Newsom also expressed empathy for transgender individuals.
“That’s easy to call out, the unfairness of it. But there’s also humility and grace that these poor people are more likely to commit suicide,” Newsom said. “The way people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue I have a hard time with as well. Both things I can hold in my hand.”
“We woke up profoundly sickened and frustrated by these remarks. All students deserve the academic and health benefits of sports activity, and until Donald Trump began obsessing about it, playing on a team consistent with one’s gender has not been a problem since the standard was passed in 2013.”
“The Governor has had many courageous moments over the decades supporting LGBTQ people,” Wiener said. “This is not one of those moments. Charlie Kirk is a vile bigot, and standing with him on this issue is profoundly disturbing.”
How do Americans feel about Newsom?
Speculation continues about Newsom’s potential candidacy in the 2028 presidential election. Some suggest his remarks on transgender athletes may resonate with voters.
A recent New York Times poll found that 79% of people believe biological males should not participate in women’s sports. Additionally, the poll revealed that 67% of Democrats agree that transgender individuals should not compete in women’s sports.
President Donald Trump imposes new tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. And Trump puts American military aid to Ukraine on hold as he questions whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wants peace. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Canada, China respond swiftly to new US tariffs taking effect
The tariff war between the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China has begun. President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and Canada officially started at midnight, and he has doubled the 10% tariff slapped on China last month to 20%.
Additionally, Canadian energy products will now see a 10% import duty.
Retaliation has been swift, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing that his country will impose its own tariffs against the U.S. over the next 21 days, vowing to implement taxes of up to 25% on more than $100 billion worth of American goods.
China has also responded, targeting American agricultural products. The new Chinese levies will include a 15% tariff on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, as well as a 10% tariff on sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, fruits, vegetables and dairy products, including fish.
These will take effect next Monday, March 10.
Mexico has not yet responded.
Altogether, China, Canada and Mexico accounted for over 40% of all U.S. imports last year. They’re also the top three markets for American exports.
The tariffs against Mexico and Canada were scheduled to take effect last month, but Trump postponed them by 30 days to allow for ongoing negotiations.
Trump has maintained that the tariffs are intended to compel those countries to stop the flow of the powerful drug fentanyl into this country. He has also demanded that Mexico and Canada take strong action to prevent migrants from crossing their borders into the U.S. illegally.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform, “To the great farmers of the United States, get ready to start making a lot of agricultural products to be sold inside the United States.”
Trump pauses military aid for Ukraine
At least one top Ukrainian official is speaking publicly about Trump’s decision to pause U.S. military aid to the country.
Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the Ukrainian parliament’s foreign affairs committee, said the move appears to be an attempt to force Ukraine to accept Russia’s demands when negotiating a peace agreement, Reuters reported.
“On the surface, this looks really bad. It looks like he is pushing us towards capitulation, meaning (accepting) Russia’s demands. To stop aid now means to help Putin,” Merezhko said.
This all comes after last week’s contentious meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which escalated into an argument in front of reporters on live TV.
Straight Arrow News reporter Karah Rucker has more on what led up to this moment here.
The Ukrainian official, Merezhko, compared the U.S. cutting off military aid to the Munich Agreement of 1938, when Nazi Germany was permitted to annex part of Czechoslovakia.
Meanwhile, in a statement, a White House official said, “President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.”
Trump to deliver first joint address to Congress on Tuesday
The pause to Ukraine aid comes as Trump readies to address both chambers of Congress for the first time during his second term in office on Tuesday, March 4.
White House staffers told Fox News that tonight’s speech will focus on four main parts and have the theme “The renewal of the American dream.”
They included highlighting accomplishments from Trump’s second term so far, both in the U.S. and internationally. This includes his administration’s impact on the economy, Trump’s renewed push for Congress to pass more funding for border security and how the president plans to encourage global peace.
The event comes just ten days before the federal government is expected to run out of money, with the possibility of a shutdown looming March 14.
Trump has already urged the Republican-led Congress to adopt a stopgap funding measure to keep the government open—and this is likely to take center stage Tuesday as well.
FBI has turned over ‘truckloads’ of Epstein files: AG Bondi
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department has received additional Jeffrey Epstein files from the FBI. After last week’s major release, which turned out to be somewhat disappointing, it was revealed that the files contained Epstein’s contact list, but not what is believed to be his client list.
She told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday night, March 3, that the DOJ delivered “truckloads” of additional documents.
Bondi said the FBI would review thousands of new documents, and Director Kash Patel would issue a detailed report explaining why the bureau had not released them initially.
This comes as the agency forces James Dennehy, the top special agent overseeing the FBI’s New York field office, to retire.
Multiple news outlets reported that Dennehy sent an email to colleagues saying he was told to submit his retirement papers last Friday, Feb. 28, but was not given a reason why.
Dennehy was appointed to lead the New York field office in September 2024 by then-FBI director Christopher Wray, who departed when former President Joe Biden left office.
Senate blocks bill banning transgender athletes from women’s sports
The U.S. Senate failed to advance a bill that bars transgender women and girls from participating in school sports designated for female athletes.
The vote was along party lines with 51 republicans voting for the measure and 45 democrats voting against it.
The bill needed 60 votes to advance in the Senate.
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools and education programs that receive federal funding.
The measure looked to determine protections for Title IX, “Based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth. “
Trump signed an executive order last month giving federal agencies power to ensure that entities that receive government funding interpret sex as a person’s gender at birth. He said it’s “common sense” that men play men’s sports and women play women’s sports.
Republicans in Congress have now tried to make that policy, into law. Democrats and LGBTQ+ activists have called the measure bullying.
NCAA conference launches women’s flag football as varsity sport
The Atlantic East Conference launched its first women’s flag football season on Monday at a press conference in Philadelphia, at the home stadium of the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
The Atlantic East Conference is a group of schools in the NCAA’s smallest division, but it said it is setting the stage for a new era of growth and recognition for the sport.
The conference has seven members, and while not all of them will field a team, three outside schools will participate for the flag season only.
Women and girls’ flag football has gained popularity in recent years, with 14 states already sanctioning it for play at the high school varsity level and 18 more testing pilot programs.
Additionally, the National Federation of State High School Associations reported that participation doubled last year, with almost 43,000 girls participating.
DOE to investigate Maine Education Department over trans athletes, Title IX
The DOE announced it is launching an investigation into Maine’s Education Department, citing alleged Title IX violations. The news comes after a transgender athlete reportedly won a girls’ state pole vaulting competition.
Hours before the investigation was announced, President Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills had a public exchange about transgender athletes during a White House event.
If found to be in violation of Title IX and Trump’s recent executive order restricting trans athletes in women’s and girls’ sports, Maine’s Education Department could lose its federal funding.
In a letter sent to the Maine Department of Education Commissioner Pender Makin, the DOE accused Maine’s Education Department of “violating antidiscrimination law” by continuing to allow athletes assigned male at birth to compete on girls’ teams, while also “[denying] female athletes female-only intimate facilities.”
Trump reportedly asked Mills if her state would comply with his executive order, to which Mills said, “I’m complying with state and federal laws.” Trump responded, “We are the federal law,” adding, “You’d better comply, otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”
Mills tersely replied, “We’ll see you in court.”
In a statement, acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said, “Let me be clear: If Maine wants to continue to receive federal funds from the Education Department, it has to follow Title IX. If it wants to forgo federal funds and continue to trample the rights of its young female athletes, that, too, is its choice. OCR will do everything in its power to ensure taxpayers are not funding blatant civil rights violators.”
Mills released her own statement, saying in part, “My administration will begin work with the attorney general to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a president can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”
New England city votes to become a sanctuary for transgender community
Worcester City Council voted 9-2 to declare the city a sanctuary for transgender individuals. This new declaration bars out-of-state agencies from accessing healthcare data and refusing cooperation with what the council calls potentially harmful policies.
The city said the resolution reinforces its commitment to protecting transgender rights.
The decision followed fiery public comments, with supporters urging the city to provide safety and opponents raising concerns about legal and financial consequences.
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The Worcester City Council voted 9-2 to declare the Massachusetts city a sanctuary for transgender individuals. The city joins other cities like Sacramento, California and Ithaca, New York, in providing protections for transgender residents.
What does the measure do?
The measure bars out-of-state agencies from accessing data from local healthcare clinics regarding gender-transition treatments and surgeries. Worcester officials also committed to refusing cooperation with federal or state policies that they say could harm the transgender community.
“I need the city to protect me because no one else will. And if you think you’re afraid of Trump, you should see how afraid of Trump I am,” one resident said. “If you say you’re afraid of Trump and don’t want the city to be a safe space for trans people, you better prepare for trans people to make this a very unsafe space.”
“Let us remember that the Nazis burned books on gender sciences first,” another resident said at the city council meeting. “Now, the administration has villainized and marginalized migrant workers, trans, LGBT people and even special needs, denying life-saving and affirming care.”
However, Council Member Morris Bergman opposed it, arguing that transgender individuals already have equal protections under existing laws and warning of potential loss of federal funding.
“I can’t say without 100% confidence that the unintended consequences of doing something that doesn’t add protection that already exists isn’t going to cause harm to the other 200,000-plus people in the city of Worcester,” Bergman said. “There are no new rights that this resolution gives that don’t already exist. However, there’s a potential for federal dollars to be taken away from the city of Worcester.”
President Trump’s executive orders
The resolution comes after two executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in January: one recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and another seeking to end gender-transition treatments for children.
LGBTQ+ advocates said they brought the measure forward in response to these federal policies.