Representative Mary Dye introduced the Washington State Men’s Commission bill on January 10, 2022. Since then, a growing coalition of men and women statewide and around the country have contacted state lawmakers to express their support.
[January 27, 2022: View an update regarding the effort to pass HB 1917]
We are telling legislators about the need for this commission and the value it would provide to Washington residents. We’re also requesting that HB 1917 receive a public hearing in the State Government and Tribal Relations Committee, which is the next step in the process for the bill. That decision is ultimately up to Representative Javier Valdez, the committee chairperson.
If the bill has not been scheduled for a hearing by January 25, our advocacy campaign for HB 1917 during the 2022 legislative session will end. Over the following months, the coalition of people who support the creation of a commission focused on the problems of Washington’s males will diversify and strengthen. Going into the 2023 legislative session, we believe that many more state legislators will be on board.
The state legislature’s webpage for HB 1917 has a link to the full text of the bill. The first six pages of the bill are very much worth a read! They lay out the breadth of gender-based disparities boys, male youth, and men in Washington are experiencing, and they emphasize the value of a men’s commission to alleviating those problems.
In the video below we talk about HB 1917 and invite viewers to participate in advocating for the bill. To stay connected with our year-round advocacy efforts on behalf of males in Washington, join our email list.
Support the Boys and Men’s Commission Bill, HB 1917
BELOW IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO ABOVE
A bill here in Washington state could make a positive difference for boys and men. We’re asking for your help advocating for it.
House Bill 1917 would establish a Washington state men’s commission. It would focus on problems where our boys and men are especially hurting. Along with the existing women’s commission, a men’s commission will build on the state’s work of dismantling sex-based and gender-based barriers for all residents.
The bill specifies that the men’s commission will focus on five areas:
- Education
- Fatherhood and Family
- Careers and Financial Health
- Physical and Mental Health
- And The Experiences of Males in Court Systems
We males are more likely to be homeless; to be murdered; to kill ourselves; to overdose on drugs; to end up in youth detention and prisons; to fail to complete high school; to lack a parent of the same sex in our house growing up; to lack access to our children when we are parents; to be seriously injured or killed while earning money; and we’re underrepresented in some professions of public importance, like teaching, social work, and mental healthcare.
A men’s commission will consider the specific needs and problems of boys and men, helping all Washington residents contribute to society to their fullest potential. For instructions on how you can help advocate for HB 1917, the men’s commission bill, please reach out to Washington Initiative for Boys and Men. Thank you.
