Two high school girls in Maine are preparing to file a federal complaint, asserting that the state's policies on transgender athlete participation have led to unfair competition in girls' soccer. The complaint, slated to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), alleges that a transgender freshman competing on the South Portland High School girls' varsity soccer team has an inherent biological advantage.
According to a draft complaint, the athlete scored or assisted on approximately half of South Portland's goals this season, contributing significantly to the team's improved record. The complaint is being filed on behalf of Reagan Wilson, a junior at Fryeburg Academy, and Morgan Clark, a junior and varsity soccer captain at Windham High School. Both athletes believe their teams' results and their opportunities for victory have been negatively impacted.
The draft complaint targets the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association, the South Portland School Department, and the Windham Raymond School District. It requests federal investigation and mandated changes to eligibility policies, along with remedies for past violations.
The Maine Principals’ Association's gender identity participation policy allows transgender students to compete according to their gender identity, with no medical records or official documents required to establish that identity. ADF argues this policy violates Title IX by failing to preserve equal athletic opportunities for female students, contending that it allows biological males to compete in the female category, expanding opportunities for male athletes at the expense of female athletes.
This legal challenge references the Supreme Court's ruling in West Virginia v. B.P.J., which affirmed that Title IX permits eligibility rules based on biological sex, while leaving unresolved the question of transgender athletes competing on female teams. The complaint also cites the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, as the basis for the state's current participation policy.
The situation has previously drawn national attention. In early 2025, following a transgender athlete's victory in a girls' state pole-vault championship, then-President Trump confronted Maine Governor Janet Mills, threatening to withhold federal funding over the state's policies. The Justice Department subsequently sued Maine's education department over transgender participation in girls' sports.
Wilson and Clark are scheduled to hold a press conference alongside ADF and other advocacy groups to discuss the complaint and a potential referendum on school sports. The announcement coincides with Maine's closely watched Senate election.