According to Washington's Governor Bob Ferguson, women now need accommodations for a natural phenomenon that has occurred since the beginning of time. On Monday, Ferguson signed an executive order to "support women in the workplace who experience perimenopause and menopause symptoms."
Today, I signed an executive order to support women in the workplace who experience perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) June 1, 2026
This will ensure my cabinet agencies have appropriate measures in place to support state employees experiencing menopause symptoms.
As Governor, my… pic.twitter.com/m1DKypdpIX
Governor Ferguson’s Menopause Order: Erasing Women from a Women’s Issue.
— 𝒜𝓃𝒾𝓉𝒶𝐹𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓀𝑒💞 (@AFkokogems) June 2, 2026
Bob Ferguson, a man, just signed Executive Order 26-01 with fanfare, directing the Women’s Commission to push training, model policies, and accommodations for “people experiencing menopause” across state… https://t.co/HOhCEKBIKo
According to local outlets, the order will take effect immediately and apply to state governments while creating a model for the private sector. Operating within existing Discrimination Law, the Washington State Women's Commission in partnership with the Office of Financial Management will review and update existing policies to create accommodation procedures, as well as training materials for work spaces. Ferguson's order does not detail specific action beyond these measures.
Governor Ferguson backed his order by referencing declining numbers of women in the workforce.
“We are losing women in the workforce with tremendous knowledge and experience because we are not doing enough to prepare for a natural stage of life. As governor, my Administration will be a place where the best, most experienced workers can come serve the people of Washington, and know that they will be supported. We must do more to support women, and to support employers who want to keep their experienced staff in the workforce. This Executive Order ensures Washington will remain a leader in supporting our workers.”
Given Governor Ferguson's history of supporting so-called "gender affirming care" and men in women's bathrooms, it is unclear whether he can define the term woman and whether or not this policy applies to men pretending to be women.
The order comes as Seattle, Washington is faced with rising unemployment and inflation outpacing wage growth, Axios Seatle reports. Governor Ferguson is focused, instead, on intervening in a natural condition that women have dealt with for all of history.
