I wanted to comment on the actions of Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby. As everyone now knows, Rep. Libby posted a photograph and the name of a high school transgender student athlete on her Facebook page. Evidently she did not blur the face of that particular student in her post.

Apparently Rep. Libby believes transgender girls should not be participating in girl’s athletic events. This is a hot button issue right now throughout the country. I have read articles supporting both sides of that issue. I believe it is an issue that should be debated openly but respectfully by both sides.

However, what Rep. Libby did by posting photos of the high school student on her Facebook page is disgusting. She used that young student to gain political points. In my opinion, what Libby did is a form of cyberbullying. It may not meet the legal definition of cyberbullying, but in my view that’s what she did.

As an adult, Rep. Libby should be very well aware of how posts on social media can negatively affect adolescents. As a representative, Libby already has an avenue to express her views, and that of her constituents. The media is laser focused on her comments, and the post in question got the attention of President Trump. Did she really need to post a photo of a young student athlete in order to score political points?

I don’t know if Rep. Libby should have been formally censured by the Maine Legislature for her actions. But rather than be ashamed of her actions, she apparently wears the censure like a badge of honor. At least that’s how I interpret the front page article on March 2 (“Republican Libby turns a muzzle into a megaphone.”)

So while Rep. Libby and her supporters say her Facebook post is about the unfairness of transgender students participating in girl’s sports, I sincerely hope reasonable people will see through that smokescreen. In my opinion, Rep. Libby posted the name and picture of that student to gain political points, plain and simple.

Mike Barron

Augusta