Overview

• Two women and a man removed their clothing to their underwear during Wednesday’s Augusta School Department meeting as local activist Nick Blanchard delivered a protest speech.
• The Augusta school board voted to retain its policy allowing students to compete on teams matching their gender identity under the Maine Human Rights Act, according to local reports.
• Maine’s inclusive approach is reinforced by a 2024 Maine Principals’ Association policy that explicitly permits participation based on gender identity.
• The U.S. Department of Justice has filed lawsuits against Maine and California after a February executive order by President Trump seeking to restrict transgender girls from women’s sports, and some local districts have adopted resolutions to follow the order.
• The Maine demonstration follows a Sept. 18 incident in Davis, California, where activist Beth Bourne undressed during a school board meeting, and in Augusta some board members looked away as others remained expressionless.