I really miss the age of nuance we once had. The one where soundbites aren’t meticulously extracted for scrutiny. But in our digital age, we tend to hone in on points and occasionally are guilty of distorting the message to fit an outrage narrative. I’m guilty of such crimes as well, but ultimately, I try to give people some grace before “canceling” them forever.
In the case of Mainer Leslie Trentalange, who served as vice chairman on the Kennebunk Select Board in Maine, she was instantly canceled after making a bold statement at a meeting, according to the New York Post. The meeting was set to discuss the district’s transgender-student athlete policy, which allows students to use bathrooms and join teams that align with their gender identity.
The newspaper reported that some parents and community members protested the policy, claiming it violates Title IX protections, which state: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Trentalange told the board on October 21, 2025, that “the majority in this district knows that all students are welcome,” meeting minutes read. She also said opponents of the transgender policy have “creepy obsessions” saying. “Their obsession with what is sitting in between the private parts of our students is nothing less than creepy and should absolutely be raising eyebrows in and around our school district,” she shared.
“Their obsession with genitalia points not to caring for the students in this district, but perhaps toward an underlying guilt for their own pedophilic tendencies,” she continued at the meeting. “There is a registry for that.”
Attendees told her that her comment was inappropriate, which she rebutted saying that she stood by what she said. The outrage from the community persisted, leading to dozens of calls on social media and letters to the school for accountability.
Days later Trentalange issued an “apology” for her statement that some are calling bogus as she announced she’d be stepping down from her position as liaison to the school board.
“If there are folks in the marginalized, queer community who feel my message did not serve them or hurt them in any way, it is that which I regret,” she said. “I do also regret any undue or undeserved backlash other members of the Select Board or town staff have felt over my comments as an individual.”
Many on Facebook in reaction to the video did not think the apology was adequate because she still stuck by her original statement.
“Having ‘regrets’ and apologizing are two very different things,” wrote one person.
“That’s no apology, she knows that and all of us can see that,” added someone else.
Many, including John Salamone, a Republican candidate for Maine Senate District 31, called for her censure after her earlier remarks. Considering we still currently have the First Amendment, however, I don’t think that’s the way to go. People have the right to say things whether you agree with them or not.
