Hands Off Washington (Organization). Whatcom County Coalition Council

Hands Off Washington (HOW) was a project of the Washington Citizens for Fairness (WCF) that existed from 1993 to 1997.

WCF, a state-wide organization, was a coalition of concerned citizens and organizations with the specific aim of preserving the civil rights of all Washington citizens. HOW was created specifically to oppose initiatives 608 and 610, which sought to limit protection for Washington citizens against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Hands Off Washington, Whatcom County Coalition Council was a county branch of the state-wide HOW campaign, although by 1995 the branch incorporated campaign efforts in both Whatcom and Skagit counties. Branch activities included strategic planning, fundraisers, and a public education campaign to counteract the proposed initiatives, which ultimately failed to receive the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot. HOW also opposed similar initiatives, 166 and 167, proposed the following year. In 1995, HOW mobilized a unsuccessful campaign to put their own gay rights initiative on the ballot. Two years later, HOW proposed initiative 677, a measure aiming to ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. This initiative was put on the ballot, voted on by Washington citizens, and defeated. Unlike earlier defensive measures, this proactive approach received mixed support from the gay and lesbian community in the state. After this defeat, HOW ceased to be and changed their name to Equality Washington.

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