A state that's known for its rugged coastlines and quiet towns is finding itself at the center of a heated national debate over transgender athletes in women's sports. The controversy has ignited fierce discussions about fairness and equality which are now playing out across Maine.

For Cassidy Carlisle, a high school senior and varsity athlete, the issue is personal. "It shouldn't be my goal to beat a biological male. But it was and when I didn't, it was super defeating," said Carlisle, who has competed in three sports throughout her high school career.

Cassidy's experience began in middle school when she found herself changing in a locker room with a transgender student. The issue followed her into high school, where she faced a transgender athlete in Nordic skiing. That individual had previously outperformed several of her friends in track events. "I believe that God has created spaces for women to flourish, and we need to protect those spaces," she said.

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Cassidy's father, Doug Carlisle, also says he's frustrated. "I know the runner individually; he placed in like the bottom 15 or 20% when he competed against the males his freshman year in high school. And as he transitioned, he became one of the top female runners."

This issue isn't confined to just Cassidy's experience. The growing debate has spanned from high school competitions to the Olympic level, as critics insist that biological males competing in women's sports gives them an unfair advantage.

In February, President Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports, threatening states that refuse to comply with the loss of federal funding. 

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The White House's hard stance quickly set off a series of public and legal confrontations. Maine Governor Janet Mills, responding to the new federal order, pushed back during a White House event, telling President Trump, "We'll see you in court."

The debate hit home for many in Maine when a transgender athlete from a local high school recently won the girls' pole vault event at a Class B state championship, a stark contrast to when the same athlete competed as a male just two years prior and tied for fifth in the same event.

Rep. Liz Caruso (R-Maine), who is sponsoring a bill to ban transgender athletes from competing in female categories, said, "Maine policy has been ignoring Title IX protections, and it has caused chaos and discrimination in our athletic fields. If this continues, female sports won't be sustainable without critical legislation."

So far, more than two dozen states have passed laws or regulations restricting transgender girls and women from competing in sports categories that don't align with their biological sex at birth. However, these laws are being challenged in court with transgender rights advocates asserting that the playing field has never been level for women's sports.

In Maine, the controversy also took a political turn. Republican Rep. Laurel Libby was censured by the state House for identifying the transgender athlete from the pole vault incident in a social media post. Libby quickly filed a lawsuit against the House speaker, claiming her right to free speech had been violated. 

"If you choose, as a biological male, to participate in female sports and you win the state championship, aren't you proud?" Libby questioned. "It's mind-boggling that we're here discussing this, and that this is not just a foregone conclusion that males are males, females are females, and males do not belong in female sports. It's basic biology."

Maine's legislative and legal developments on this issue could shape not only the state's policies but also have national ramifications for transgender rights, both in sports and in broader policies. Polls show 80% of Americans believe transgender athletes should not compete in women's sports.

Nick Adolphsen of the Christian Civic League of Maine says concerns extend beyond sports. "They want our girls to be comfortable sharing a locker room with a biological male. They want our kids to have a different perspective than their parents' generation on the value, the beauty of gender and sexuality as God created us," he said.

As the debate rages, Cassidy continues to fight for what she believes is fairness in competition. She's taken part in rallies, protests, and even attended a White House roundtable discussion on the issue with Attorney General Pam Bondi. 

"These girls deserve a fair and equal opportunity," she said at one rally. Though she plans to step away from athletics to focus on college, Cassidy hopes her actions will empower future generations of athletes. "Who's to know what opportunities could have come had this individual not been competing against us? And for many girls, the opportunities, people didn't make that main team because a spot was taken. People lost a place on the podium because that spot was taken."

Despite the growing tensions, Cassidy insists that she harbors no ill will towards her transgender competitors. "I love them because I'm a Christian and I believe that we love everybody. And just because I'm speaking out on this doesn't mean that I don't love them the same that I would love everyone else. But I want all of us to be able to compete fairly and equally, and right now, that's not happening."