Controversy erupted at a Maine high school track meet earlier this month when transgender athlete Soren Stark-Chessa won both the 800-meter and 1600-meter races competing in the girls' division.
The competition comes amid an escalating legal battle between Maine and the Trump administration, which has sued the state over its policies allowing transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
Junior Soren Stark-Chessa, who was born male, coasted to victory while running for North Yarmouth Academy, leaving female competitors behind.
Yarmouth High's Lilah Connor finished second in the 800m race, visibly shaking her head in disappointment as she crossed the finish line.
Donald Trump has taken action to protect women's sports amid the debate over trans athletesREUTERSThe silent gesture sparked outrage online, with commenters calling the situation 'deeply unfair' and expressing sympathy for 'these girls forced to compete against big fat cheating males'.
One observer suggested Stark-Chessa deliberately slowed down 'to win without making it look lopsided'.
Fuelling the debate is the background of Stark-Chessa's parents, who hold influential academic positions.
Dr. Frank Chessa, Soren's father, serves as director of clinical ethics at Maine Medical Center and a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine.
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Soren Stark-Chessa (pictured) won both 800m and 1600m in the girl's division
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He plays a senior role at the hospital's Gender Care Clinic, which provides 'gender-affirming' care for patients, including adolescents, while Soren's mother, Susan Stark, is a philosophy professor at Bates College.
Stark-Chessa's athletic trajectory has been swift and controversial. Just eighteen months ago, Stark-Chessa competed on the boys' team as a freshman before beginning to identify as female. Since then, the athlete has dominated girls' competitions across multiple sports, including cross country, track and field, and Nordic skiing.
In fall 2023, Stark-Chessa placed third in the Class C girls' cross country state championship and earned all-state team honours.
At a Festival of Champions cross-country meet, the runner placed fifth among girls, but at the same time would have ranked 162nd in the boys' competition.
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Parents across Maine have expressed growing concerns about the impact on female athletes.
Chantal Mincey, a mother from Houlton, said: "I hugged three girls crying after that race. They love this sport, but what's the point if they're just going to lose every time to someone who has a male advantage?"
Chris Boyington added, "My daughter trains every day. She has potential. But the moment a biological male enters the field, her future is jeopardized."
In 2021, Maine's Human Rights Act was revised to bar discrimination in school athletics based on gender identity.
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The difference in muscle structure was evident, according to onlookers on X
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The Maine Principals' Association followed suit in 2023, repealing a rule that had barred athletes from competing in girls' sports if they had an 'unfair athletic advantage'.
Current MPA rules require no medical records or gender reassignment documentation, meaning a school alone can verify an athlete's declared gender for competition purposes.
Mike Burnham, MPA executive director, stated, "The MPA, and its member schools, don't make state law, but are required to follow it."
Last month, the Trump administration sued Maine for not complying with the federal push to ban transgender athletes in girls' sports.
The lawsuit followed weeks of feuding between President Trump and Democratic Governor Janet Mills, who famously told him she will 'see you in court' during a White House meeting.
Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasized the president's position: "Pretty simple: girls play in girls' sports, boys play in boys' sports."
Mills has defended Maine's stance, calling it "about states rights and defending the rule of law against a federal government bent on imposing its will."
The Maine controversy reflects a broader national debate, with 26 states now having laws or policies barring transgender girls from girls' school sports.
Biological males have reportedly claimed more than 30 girls' and women's titles across the US in the past 19 years, with most occurring in recent years.
Trump's February executive order, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports," directed federal agencies to interpret Title IX based on biological sex at birth, with questions over transgender rights becoming a major political issue in the past five years.
