Letter: Don't Deny Trans Youth Access to Sports

To the Editor:

Last night [Thursday], I attended the Berkshire Transgender Rights Town Hall at Pittsfield's Unitarian Universalist Church. And I am so grateful that I did.

In a room packed with members of the local trans community, allies and Massachusetts state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, trans neighbors from across the county shared heartbreaking, powerful, profound, inspiring and eye-opening personal testimonials about their childhood struggles; battles to survive cruelty, abuse, depression; and in several cases, the very real and transformative power of participating in sports as young people.

In April of this year Massachusetts passed a budget bill that included a transgender sports ban, which, if it becomes law, will limit trans youth to participating only on teams that align with their biological sex. Transphobic media would have us believe that allowing trans kids to participate will create a lack of fairness in school sports, but there is no scientific evidence to prove this. Athletic abilities vary greatly from person to person, and there are many misconceptions about testosterone levels and their impact on performance. (Visit genderjustice.us for more information.)

What would be truly unfair is to deny any young person the opportunity to participate fully in school life. Athletics provide an important place of social connection and belonging. They support physical, mental and emotional health and often lead to greater academic success. In addition, allowing cisgender and trans kids to interact in this way provides a crucial opportunity for increased understanding, acceptance and respect.

Trans people are in the crosshairs in countless ways right now. Fueled by well-funded and vicious propaganda meant to create a political wedge by sowing fear and division, this administration is working hard — and succeeding — in threatening their rights, safety, livelihood and very existence. The goal seems to be to obliterate them entirely, to make them unwelcome in our society, and to render them invisible.

Jurian Hughes
Pittsfield, Mass.

Pittsfield Remembers Lives Lost to Overdose, Underscores Harm Reduction

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:33AM / Tuesday, September 01, 2026

Mayor Peter Marchetti reads a proclamation at City Hall encouraging residents to raise awareness and lift each other up. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Dozens of people gathered downtown on Monday to remember those lost to overdose and work toward a future of zero deaths from substance use disorder. 

The Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative and its partners held a proclamation reading and flag-raising at City Hall, followed by a standout in Park Square with signs promoting the use of naloxone, harm reduction, and reducing associated stigma. 

There were 23 fatal overdoses in Berkshire County in 2025, 11 in Pittsfield. This is down 44 percent from the 41 countywide fatalities in 2024. 

While it is a significant decrease, advocates want to see that number at zero. 

"On the one hand, we're very pleased to see this significant of a decrease. This is actually the lowest number that we've had since [Department of Public Health] started collecting these numbers in 2013, but the goal is still zero," said Andy Ottoson, public health planner with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. 

August is International Overdose Awareness Month, the world's largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember those lost without stigma, and acknowledge the grief of families and friends left behind. September is National Recovery Month, a national observance to educate the public on the importance of substance use treatment and mental health services.

Samantha Kendall of Berkshire Harm Reduction explained that it is truly meeting people where they are, as they are, and when they are, "and I think we all do a really great job at that."

"We also want to remember that we're building a community for everybody, and systems and policies for everybody. That's really important in harm reduction work, so that's also the reason we're here today," she said.