Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks Feb. 11 against the supplemental budget bill during a debate at the Maine State House in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

AUBURN — As the U.S. attorney general threatens Gov. Janet Mills with a lawsuit over Maine’s policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in school sports, residents are reacting to Tuesday night’s Maine House of Representatives vote to censure Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, for posting unblurred photos of a transgender student-athlete on social media.

Libby, 43, represents Minot and part of Auburn for Maine House District 90. Libby’s Facebook post depicted a transgender student, criticizing the athlete for placing first in a girls pole vault event after finishing fifth in 2022 when competing with the boys. Libby referred to the student by first name but did not use a last name.

Democrats argued it was inappropriate for a lawmaker to post photos of a minor without consent, saying it subjected the student to harassment. Republicans defended Libby’s actions as free speech and warned of the precedent set by censuring a lawmaker over a social media post, though some voiced concerns about the post’s impact on the student.

Christina Dolloff comments Thursday afternoon at Georgio’s Pizza & Donut Shop on Minot Avenue in Auburn on Rep. Laurel Libby’s decision to out a transgender athlete on Facebook. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

With the House voting 75-70 along party lines to censure Libby — barring her from speaking or voting unless she apologizes — community members in her district were decidedly supportive of their representative.

In Auburn and Minot, locals at Georgio’s Pizza & Donut Shop and at Minot Country Store, both on Minot Avenue, weighed in on the controversy.

“Silencing Libby is definitely unconstitutional because that is basically freedom of speech,” Christina Dolloff said.

“You are free to be who you want. You are free to feel who you feel that you are,” Dolloff continued. “There is a little bit of unfairness with trans women competing with cis women because even though they are taking estrogen to help them become comfortable in their bodies, they still do have a lot more testosterone running through their body than what regular women do.”

“That helps with muscles, growth and all that jazz to make them a little bit more athletically-inclined,” Dolloff added.

Dolloff said she believes the fairest way would be to have trans athletes compete against each other in a separate category.

Amanda Gagne comments Thursday afternoon at Georgio’s Pizza & Donut Shop on Minot Avenue in Auburn on Rep. Laurel Libby’s decision to out a transgender athlete on Facebook. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Amanda Gagne voiced a similar opinion.

“I don’t agree with any kind of man competing in women’s sports,” Gagne said. “The picture could have been blurred for that child’s sake but I do feel the information is needed, we should know about it,” she added.

Gagne said she has nothing against transgender folks. “If that’s what you want to do and that’s how you want to live your life, have at it, do your thing. It’s not my life, but if it is directly affecting my daughters, then it is a problem.”

Plum Potter comments Thursday afternoon at Minot Country Store on Minot Avenue in Minot on Rep. Laurel Libby’s decision to out a transgender athlete on Facebook. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

“I support Libby,” Plum Potter said. “It’s ridiculous (to have transgender athletes in women’s sports.)”

“I’m a born again Christian, and I think it’s just a bad idea,” Potter continued. “My question is, if I’m a guy and I want to say I’m a girl and I want to play sports with them, does that mean I get to go in the locker room and check out the girls?” he asked. “That’s my concern. It’s ridiculous.”

The Auburn School Department follows the Maine Principals’ Association’s guidelines, “which allows transgender athletes to compete based on their gender identity,” Superintendent Susan Dorris said in an email Thursday.

Dorris did not disclose whether or not the district had any transgender athletes on its sports teams.

Auburn City Democratic Committee did not respond to Sun Journal by late Thursday afternoon.

The Maine Republican Party issued a statement defending Libby, with Chairman Jim Deyermond calling the censure “nothing more than a desperate attempt by Democrats and the media to change the subject from Janet Mills’ petulant fight with President Trump.”