Advocating for Boys
Advocating for boys is one way to help boys and men thrive.At present, there are no governmental commissions working on behalf of boys and men in the United States. Not at the federal level & not at the state level. Even though boys lag behind girls in academic achievement and boys & men experience suicide, murder, drug & alcohol addiction, homelessness, incarceration, & early death at disproportionately high rates. And even though there are multiple commissions dedicated to addressing & advancing the needs of girls and women.Blair Daly, founder of the Washington Initiative for Boys & Men (WIBM) is working to change that.“The male population, I think, can be described as an under-advocated-for population group,” Blair says. “There’s very little organized advocacy.”That’s why he created WIBM, which combines advocacy journalism and grassroots political action to draw attention to the unique needs of boys and men in Washington state. As a result, Washington state may become the first state in the US to establish a Commission on Boys & Men.“Without a focus on the male population, we think a lot is being missed,” Blair says. Advocacy is necessary to focus attention on (& find solutions for) issues that disproportionately harm boys & men.In this episode, Jen, Janet, & Blair discuss:Why boys need advocacyChallenges in advocating for boys & menDeveloping and demonstrating diverse support for boysHow to talk about boys’ issuesThe power of local advocacyWhy moms of boys are such great advocates for boysHow to start advocating for boysLinks we mentioned (or should have) in this episode:Washington Initiative for Boys & Men7 Democrats, 7 Republicans Sponsor 2024 Commission on Boys & Men Legislation — article highlighting the diverse support for a WA Commission on Boys & MenUpdated one-pager about WA legislation to develop a Commission on Boys & MenWhat is the Washington Initiative for Boys & Men? Blair Daly Explains — YouTube videoBoys Moms as Boy Advocates — ON BOYS episode featuring Gemma Gaudette50/50 Shared Parenting — ON BOYS episodeReal Talk about Fentanyl, Opioids, & Marijuana — ON BOYS episodeTalk with Boys Like a PRO (about anything & everything!) — Jen & Janet’s upcoming course (starts May 7, 2024)Sponsor Spotlight: My Life in a BookSponsor Spotlight: ArmoireClothing rental subscription that makes getting dressed easier. Visit armoire.style/ONBOYS to get up to 50% OFF your first month.Sponsor Spotlight: ByHeart Get 10% off your first order using code ONBOYS at byheart.comSponsor Spotlight: Factor Use code ONBOYS50 for 50% off Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy