Gender Divide: "Story of the Year"; Washington Men and Boys Commission Bill tabled for year
The Gender Divide is increasingly becoming part of the public discourse; meanwhile, Democrats in Washington State tabled the Men and Boys Commission bill without a hearing.
People have often asked me why I care so much about gender issues, and my response is always that I see a huge divide in our world when it comes to gender. Instead of people helping each other out, too often I see division and pushing away, and I don’t like that. Life has its challenges for everyone, and we all need to support one another in various ways.
Recently, the gender divide, which I have been working on for over 30 years, has come more into mainstream view. In a recent podcast interview with Joe Rogan, Chris Williamson, host of his own podcast Modern Wisdom with millions of followers, called out the importance and growing awareness of the gender divide:
Have you been seeing the skew of young boys to the right and young girls to the left, in terms of their political perspective? Dude…I think that will be the story of 2024. I think that’s the story of this year.
Thanks to a reader from Silicon Valley who pointed out Rogan’s interest in gender issues. Williamson’s comment comes not long after the Financial Times published a graph that went viral that I re-posted in an earlier article entitled The Democratic Disconnect: Part of A Global and Domestic Gender Divide. This data visualization is so important I’m sharing it again:
We are seeing the gender divide happening most strongly with Gen Z, but in fact, it’s happening across multiple demographics. It’s not just Gen Z men, and it’s not the United States, it’s a global phenomenon, and I think it’s a worrying signal for global well-being.
It certainly has implications for the Democratic Party and the election of 2024 — if Biden does poorly with men, even if he wins the popular vote, he could lose the electoral votes and therefore the White House. Historically, Democrats have needed to achieve -8% or better with men to win the presidential election. Notice how this graph of US Presidential Exit Polls by Gender has the same general shape as those above.
As a registered Democrat for 35 years, I believe the party to which I have been loyal bears some responsibility (but not all) for the development of this divide, and the best way to begin to mend it is to have an open dialog on male gender issues alongside female gender issues. To be sure, they are intertwined — we are all interconnected. Let’s all support each other!
“Democratic Disconnect” Rears Its Head in Washington State
I couldn’t help but connect the implications of the gender divide in the graphs above, and in national voting trends, with the recent events in Washington State.
In an earlier post, I shared a somewhat optimistic look at the great work being done in Washington State by Blair Daly of the non-partisan Washington Initiative for Boys and Men to create a state-level Commission on the Status of Boys and Men. Unfortunately, I was disappointed when the bills failed to move forward. A classic example of what I call the Democratic Disconnect (the party’s lack of attention to male gender issues) occurred when two Democrats, one in the WA state senate, and another in the state house, tabled the bills without even giving them a single public hearing. The bills had broad support in both houses, including both Republicans and Democrats. Rep. Mary Dye from Pomeroy, WA has been one of the bill’s leading sponsors. Washington State resident Phil Cook, author of the book Abused Men: The Hidden Side of Domestic Violence, penned a stinging opinion piece for the Everett Herald on the development:
State Sen. Sam Hunt, D-Olympia, and Rep. Bill Ramos, D-Issaquah, suffocated a house bill and companion senate bill that had bipartisan support in both houses, refusing to grant these bills (HB 1270, SB 5830) a hearing. The bills were designed to establish a Washington State Commission on Boys and Men.
Cook continued:
The issues affecting boys and men cut across all racial groups, and the decision to forgo a hearing on establishing a Washington Commission on Boys and Men dismisses the underlying causes as well as the short-term and long-term painful consequences.
There are loads of statistics on male suicides, opioid deaths, and incarceration rates, and a sad story for a family behind each one. Unfortunately, we see them in the news every day. Maybe someone you know is dealing with some of these challenges. Let’s try to help our boys and men who are suffering.
I hope lawmakers and rank-and-file democrats alike will get this message, so that not only can we bridge the gender divide, but Democrats will not lose male voters and therefore, the White House and control of Congress.
Coming up: A look at 3rd Party candidates and their possible effect on the election and recent polling.
In development: I am moving forward with my book, “A Man Without a Party,” and I will update you once I schedule a launch date!
I you enjoyed this post, please feel free to like, comment, and share. I appreciate feedback and comments, or links to important gender-related news items from readers.