Well, it's about time that we put rapists on equal footing with their victims — after all, they have feelings, too!

captured, and sent immediately to serve on washington’s restorative justice commission

Washington state will change the term “sex offender:” (which was itself originally “rapist”, but that was deemed offensive to …?) “ to “those who have participated in the rape experience”

Democrats in the Washington state legislature have introduced a bill that would replace the term "sex offender" in an apparent attempt to avoid defining a sex offender by their crime.

House Bill 2177, if passed, would change the name of the Sex Offender Policy Board, or SOPB, to the Sex Offense Policy Board. The bill also adds a convicted sex offender to the board, as proponents argue the offender's "lived experiences" are "invaluable."

"One representative with lived experience with incarceration for a sex offense appointed by the chair of the sex offense policy board and approved by a majority vote of the board's voting membership" would serve on the board, the bill states.

Board membership is not restricted to Level One sex offenders, who are least likely to recommit a sex offense, but rather, the bill allows Level Three, the most dangerous felons [convicted of 2 or more rapes – Ed] to serve on the board. The sex offender will serve alongside victims of sex crimes, who would be another new addition to the board.

State Rep. Tarra Simmons, a Democrat sponsoring the bill called for a sex offender to serve on the board alongside sex offense victims and their advocates. Simmons served time [30 months[] for three felony convictions for possession of controlled substances and retail theft in 2011.

"I think that we all do better when we have a diverse legislature. That’s why I'm here," Simmons said at a House Community Safety, Justice, and Reentry hearing. "And I'm proud to be here. I think I bring some lived experience that was missing from here. And while some people may have a stigma [sic] for people who have committed a sex offense, I think they have invaluable information to share that can really guide this board." [sick]