By Bob Katzen
“All bodies are different, elite athletes have always reflected a wide spectrum of natural variation. This decision is rooted in a fundamentally unfair and deeply misogynistic premise, that women’s bodies must be policed, scrutinized and deemed ‘acceptable’ in order to compete. It targets transgender and intersex women, but in doing so, it undermines all women by reinforcing narrow and exclusionary definitions of womanhood that have no place in sport or society.”
—Tanya Neslusan, Executive Director of MassEquality, on the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to limit participation in female category events and ruling that only women who have XX chromosomes will be allowed to compete – resulting in the exclusion of transgender and intersex female athletes.
“Both Phil and Mark are seasoned federal prosecutors who each bring tremendous assets to the Fraud Team. With a combined 40+ years of prosecutorial experience, they will hit the ground running and make a lasting impact on the widespread and prolific benefit fraud we are seeing across the state.”
—United States Attorney Leah Foley naming two federal prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Mallard and Mark Grady, to lead the newly formed Benefit and Voter Fraud Team in rooting out benefit fraud in Massachusetts, including SNAP fraud, MassHealth fraud, childcare subsidy fraud and voter fraud.
“I’m thrilled to welcome the seven newest Climate Leader Communities. Their work to reduce municipal energy use and bills, add locally generated energy and create stronger, more resilient communities does not go unnoticed. Local energy projects like these add up to make Massachusetts more affordable and more resilient in the face of climate change.”
—Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper, announcing that the Department of Energy Resources certified seven new Climate Leader Communities which are now eligible to apply for grants up to $1,150,000 each for projects that reduce municipal emissions, or for technical support ahead of projects.
“The scale of this event requires preparation at every level, and Massachusetts is putting in the work to make sure we are ready. We are no strangers to hosting major events like the Boston Marathon and the Army Navy game, and we’re building on that experience by bringing together more than 70 agencies, securing $76 million in federal funding and coordinating closely with partners across government to plan for every scenario. Residents and visitors alike can be confident that we are prepared to host a safe, secure and successful World Cup.”
—Gov. Maura Healey, detailing Massachusetts’ extensive public safety and public health preparations underway ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.