When people in your community are having their civil rights challenged and taken away and they call on you to help, you step up and help. It’s basic humanity and it’s caring about your neighbors, coworkers, friends and family. The resolution for Greenfield to become a safe city (also known as sanctuary city) for transgender and gender diverse people is just that, an answer to the call for help and support. Unless you are part of that community or know people who are part of that community, you probably don’t realize the extent of the assault that is happening right now on their everyday lives. It’s not their responsibility to educate you, but if you’re going to argue against Greenfield becoming a safe city for them, you should step up and educate yourselves.

In a recent letter to the editor one reader pointed out that they don’t approve of ”transgenderism.” This is a term used by opponents of transgender equality and is considered derogatory, used as a means to dehumanize a marginalized minority. This type of ignorance and bigotry, which the letter writer states holds true for tens of millions of women, is one of many reasons that cities and towns are passing these ordinances. Another letter writer made several false statements — about gender dysphoria being something that kids outgrow to become happy gay adults, how life-saving gender affirming care isn’t something that people need, and how men enter women’s locker rooms (which is a completely different topic). It’s this kind of transphobia and misinformation being presented to impressionable readers that is going to do the exact opposite of what this resolution is about and put a divide in our communities.

The city of Greenfield has made history by passing this resolution, and I look forward to it becoming an ordinance. Transgender and gender diverse people do nothing to affect your life negatively, so instead of writing letters in opposition of something you know nothing about, why don’t you learn and grow and be a better human?

Robin Whitcomb

Greenfield