Supreme Court Reinstates Maine Legislator Who Identified Trans Athlete in Social Post

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the reinstatement of a Maine legislator after she was punished for identifying a transgender student-athlete in a social media post. 

According to CBS News, the highest court in the land granted a request by Laurel Libby for emergency relief. Libby represents House District 90 and was censured by her colleagues for criticizing the Maine's position on allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports. Libby also called out on social media a transgender athlete who had competed in the state's track-and-field championship. 

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson both dissented from the Supreme Court's decision to grant an injunction.

Libby was censured after she refused to remove her post identifying the transgender athlete, even after her colleagues warned her that it could endanger the student-athlete. 

"It is a basic tenet of politics and good moral character that children should not be targeted by adult politicians, especially when that targeting could result in serious harm," the resolution stated. 

The censure directed Libby to accept responsibility for the post and to apologize to the House and to the people of the state of Maine. Libby refused to apologize, at which point the speaker found her in violation of a centuries-old Maine House rule that bars a member who is in breach of the House's rules from participating in debates or from voting on House matters. 

Libby and six of her constituents sued in federal court to have her right to vote in the Maine House restored. A federal district court declined to provide them with preliminary relief, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit rejected a request to intervene.

The case then went to the Supreme Court, where Libby's request for relief was granted.