DENMARK, Maine — At a meeting about transgender athletes in local schools that drew about 50 people to Denmark’s Municipal Building, a guest speaker challenged the MSAD 72 superintendent’s claim that the school district cannot prevent biological boys from competing in girls’ sports.
A group of district residents, including Trish Burnell, Donna Dodge and Sonya Harding of Denmark, calling itself Fairness 1st, has expressed concern with MSAD 72’s policies regarding male transgender students participating in girls’ sports. They argue biological boys have size and strength advantages, and that girls have been injured while playing against transgender students. The organizers stressed they are not bigoted.
kAm“~FC 8@2= :D E@ 7:?5 2 D@=FE:@? E@ >2<6 E9:?8D 72:C 7@C 6G6CJ@?6[ E@ AC@E64E E96 8:C=D 7C@> A@DD:3=6 :?;FCJ 7C@> D@>6@?6 H9@ :D 3:@=@8:42==J DEC@?86C 5F6 E@ 3@?6 DECF4EFC6[ >FD4=6 >2DD 2?5 >F=E:A=6 @E96C 3:@=@8:42= 5:776C6?46D[” D2:5 qFC?6==] “(6’C6 2=D@ 4@?46C?65 7@C @FC 49:=5C6? H96? E96J ?665 E@ 492?86 7@C 24E:G:E:6D :? @FC DA@CED 2?5 E96 =@4<6C C@@>D]”k^Am
kAm|62?H9:=6[ E96 DE2E6 @7 |2:?6 2?5 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E 2C6 :? 4@FCE @G6C E9:D :DDF6] !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A D:8?65 2? 6I64FE:G6 @C56C 2:>65 2E AC6G6?E:?8 >2=6D 7C@> 4@>A6E:?8 :? 76>2=6 DA@CED 3J C6D4:?5:?8 7F?5D 7C@> 65F42E:@?2= AC@8C2>D E92E “56AC:G6 H@>6? 2?5 8:C=D @7 72:C 2E9=6E:4 @AA@CEF?:E:6D]”k^Am
kAms@586 D2:5[ “Wv@G]X y2?6E |:==D :D AFEE:?8 2E C:D< Sag_ >:==:@? E92E 4@F=5 36 2H2C565 E@ @FC DE2E6[ 3642FD6 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E :D D2J:?8[ :7 J@F 5@?’E 4@>A=J H:E9 E96 6I64FE:G6 @C56C[ H6 H@F=5 H:E99@=5 7656C2= 7F?5:?8]”k^Am
kAmw@H6G6C[ |$ps fa $FA6C:?E6?56?E y2J #@3:?D@? D2:5 E96 6I64FE:G6 @C56C 5:5?’E 492?86 %:E=6 x)[ 2?5 E92E |$ps fa :D @3=:82E65 E@ 7@==@H E96 |2:?6 wF>2? #:89ED p4E]k^Am
kAm“%96 |2:?6 wF>2? #:89ED p4E D9@F=5 8@G6C? 2446DD @7 EC2?D86?56C DEF56?ED E@ DA@CED[ =@4<6C C@@>D[ 32E9C@@>D[ 6E4][” D2:5 #@3:?D@? =2DE H66<] %96 D49@@= 3@2C5 G@E65 :? pAC:= ?@E E@ E2<6 2?J 24E:@? F?E:= >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 6>6C86D]k^Am
kAmvF6DE DA62<6C w6:5: $2>AD@?[ 5:C64E@C @7 E96 |2:?6 t5F42E:@? x?:E:2E:G6[ E@=5 E96 2F5:6?46 E92E |$ps fa 42? 7@==@H E96 6I64FE:G6 @C56C :7 :E 49@@D6D E@] $2>AD@? :D 2 7@C>6C |2:?6 DE2E6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 2?5 q@2C5 @7 t5F42E:@? >6>36C] $96 D2:5 E96 |2:?6 t5F42E:@? x?:E:2E:G6 :D 2? @C82?:K2E:@? E92E :?7@C>D D49@@= 3@2C5D]k^Am
kAm“%96 D49@@= 3@2C5 >6>36CD 2C6 5:C64E@CD @7 E96 5:DEC:4E] %96J’C6 E96 @?6D E92E 2C6 DFAA@D65 E@ 36 CF??:?8 E96 D49@@=[ 3FE :7 E96J 5@?’E <?@H E96:C 2FE9@C:EJ[ E96J 5@?’E <?@H 9@H E@ 24E 2AAC@AC:2E6=J H:E9 E92E 2FE9@C:EJ[” D2:5 $2>AD@?]k^Am
kAmu@C :?DE2?46[ 27E6C E96 |2:?6 t5F42E:@? x?:E:2E:G6 H@C<65 H:E9 |$ps f_ :? w@585@?[ E92E D49@@= 3@2C5 564:565 :E H@F=5 7@==@H %CF>A’D 6I64FE:G6 @C56C C2E96C E92? |2:?6’D DE2E6 =2H] $96 D2:5 >2?J D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED FD6 E96 =2H 7:C> sCF>>@?5 (@@5DF>[ H9:49 25G:D6D 3@2C5D E@ 7@==@H |2:?6 DE2E6 =2H]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 |$ps f_ 8@E 2 D64@?5 @A:?:@? 23@FE %:E=6 x) 2?5 E96? 28C665 E@ 7@==@H E96 6I64FE:G6 @C56C :?DE625]k^Am
kAm“*@F 92G6 2 7656C2= 6I64FE:G6 @C56C[ 2?5 E96? J@F 92G6 E96 DE2E6 =2H[ H96C6 D9@F=5 D49@@=D 8@n (96C6 2C6 DFA6C:?E6?56?ED DFAA@D65 E@ =2?5 @? E9:Dn xE :D ?@E 2? 62DJ 564:D:@?[ 7@=<D[” D96 D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED 92G6 76=E AC6DDFC6 E@ 4@>A=J H:E9 DE2E6 =2H @FE @7 4@?46C? 23@FE 36:?8 DF65]k^Am
kAmx? 2? 6>2:=[ #@3:?D@? 4@?7:C>65 E96C6 2C6 ?@ 62DJ 2?DH6CD]k^Am
kAm“x E9:?< :7 E96 ‘2?DH6CD’ E@ E96 BF6DE:@?D C682C5:?8 EC2?D86?56C DEF56?ED H6C6 D:>A=6 2?5 DEC2:89E7@CH2C5[ E96? H6 H@F=5 92G6 E9@D6 2?DH6CD 2=C625J[” D2:5 #@3:?D@?] “x? @C56C E@ 82:? 4=2C:EJ @? E96 :DDF6[ E9:?8D >FDE >@G6 E9C@F89 E96 4@FCE DJDE6>[ H9:49 :D H96C6 DF49 BF6DE:@?D 2C6 36DE 2?DH6C65] pD<:?8 E96 D49@@= 3@2C5 @C 25>:?:DEC2E@CD E@ G:@=2E6 |2:?6 DE2E6 =2H 32D65 FA@? H92E A6@A=6 H2?E E@ D66 92AA6? 5@6D?’E 766= =:<6 2 H@C<23=6 D@=FE:@?[ 2?5 2D D@>6@?6 H:E9 E96 C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ @7 FA9@=5:?8 5:DEC:4E A@=:4:6D[ DE2E6 =2HD[ 2?5 7656C2= =2HD[ x 766= H6 5@?’E 92G6 6?@F89 :?7@C>2E:@? 2E E9:D A@:?E E@ <?@H H92E E96 ‘C:89E’ 2AAC@249 :D :? E9:D D:EF2E:@? F?E:= E96 4@FCED D6EE=6 :E 7@C 6G6CJ@?6]”k^Am
kAmr:?5J (2=<6C @7 qC@H?7:6=5 2D<65 9@H >2?J EC2?D86?56C DEF56?ED E96C6 2C6 2E |$ps fa] $2>AD@? C6A=:65 E92E ?F>36C 42??@E 36 C6=62D65 3642FD6 @7 wx!pp]k^Am
kAm(2=<6C 2=D@ D2:5 :E’D ?@E 62DJ E@ @AA@D6 E96 D49@@= 5:DEC:4E 2?5 E92E :? E96 A2DE[ #@3:?D@? D6?E 96C 2?5 @E96C G@E6CD 2? 6>2:= 27E6C E96J G@E65 282:?DE E96 D49@@= 5:DEC:4E 3F586E]k^Am
kAm$2>AD@? H2D “2AA2==65” 2? 25>:?:DEC2E@C H@F=5 4C:E:4:K6 2 C6D:56?E @G6C E96:C G@E6] $96 D2:5 G@E6CD D9@F=5 2D< 23@FE 86EE:?8 2 D64C6E 32==@E]k^Am
kAm#@3:?D@? E@=5 E96 $F? @? |@?52J[ “x H2?E E@ 36 G6CJ 4=62C :? D2J:?8 E92E 2?J@?6 H9@ H:D96D E@ G@E6 E9:D H2J 42? 46CE2:?=J 5@ D@[ 2D ?@ @?6 ?665D >J 3=6DD:?8 @C A6C>:DD:@? E@ G@E6 E96:C 4@?D4:6?46] %96 ?2EFC6 @7 E96 =6EE6C H2D D:>A=J 6IE6?5:?8 2? @776C E@ 5:D4FDD 2?J A2CE @7 @FC 3F586E[ 3F586E AC@46DD[ 6E4] E92E >:89E 96=A E@ 4=62C FA 4@?46C?D E92E E96J 925]”k^Am
kAm%9:D J62C’D D49@@= 3F586E G@E6 :D D4965F=65 7@C |2J ag] u@FC @C 7:G6 |$ps fa D49@@= 3@2C5 >6>36CD H6C6 :? 2EE6?52?46] %96J DE@@5 H96? 2D<65 3J @C82?:K6CD :7 E96C6 H6C6 3@2C5 >6>36CD :? E96 C@@>]k^Am
kAm|2C8@ r2CC@== @7 {@G6== 2D<65 9@H @77:4:2=D H@F=5 <?@H H9@ :D @C :D?’E EC2?D86?56C]k^Am
kAm$2>AD@? C6A=:65 E92E :E H2D 2 72:C BF6DE:@? 2?5 D2:5 E96 |2:?6 !C:?4:A2=D’ pDD@4:2E:@? D6ED E96 CF=6D 2?5 8F:56=:?6D 7@C 2E9=6E:4D]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 @?6 H2J E@ 255C6DD E96 :DDF6 H@F=5 36 7@C E96 2DD@4:2E:@? E@ C6EFC? E@ :ED AC6\a_ac A@=:4J[ :? H9:49 2 EC2?D86?56C 2E9=6E6 H@F=5 AC6D6?E 6G:56?46 E92E E96J 925 ?@ A9JD:42= 25G2?E286 @G6C 8:C=D] %96 2DD@4:2E:@? H@F=5 E96? 56E6C>:?6 :7 E96 DEF56?E 4@F=5 A=2J]k^Am
kAm}@H[ $2>AD@? D2:5[ E96 2DD@4:2E:@? 2?5 DE2E6 =2HD 2==@H 3@JD E@ A=2J DA@CED H:E9@FE 2?J AC@@7 E96J 2C6 :? E96 AC@46DD @7 >65:42==J EC2?D:E:@?:?8]k^Am
kAmr9C:D s6'C:6D @7 uCJ63FC8 D2:5 DA@CED 2C6 36?67:4:2= 7@C 49:=5C6? 2?5 BF6DE:@?65 H96E96C :E :D 2AAC@AC:2E6 E@ A=246 DEF56?ED H9@ 2C6 EC2?D:E:@?:?8 :?E@ 8:C=D :? E96 3@JD’ =@4<6C C@@>] w6 2=D@ ?@E65 E92E EC2?D86?56C 49:=5C6? 92G6 9:89 C2E6D @7 DF:4:56]k^Am
kAm“x H@CCJ E92E[ 6DA64:2==J EC2?D DEF56?ED[ H9@ 2C6 >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 4@>>:E DF:4:56[ >@C6 =:<6=J E@ 6IA6C:6?46 G:@=6?46[ J@F <?@H[ >@C6 =:<6=J E@ EFC? E@ DF3DE2?46 23FD6[ 4@F=5 C62==J 36?67:E 7C@> DA@CED[” D2:5 s6'C:6D] “!6@A=6 H9@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? DA@CED 24EF2==J 23FD6 5CF8D 2E 2 =@H6C C2E6 E92? A6@A=6 H9@ 92G6[ D@ x H2?E E@ <66A @FC 49:=5C6? D276[ 3FE x H2?E E92E E@ :?4=F56 2== @FC 49:=5C6?]”k^Am
kAm$2>AD@? 28C665 2?5 D2:5 E96C6 2C6 D@=FE:@?D E@ AC@E64E 2== 49:=5C6?]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.