Apologies from men are having a moment. While the #MeToo crusade has created space for women (and men) who have experienced sexual harassment or assault to come forward with their stories — it has also forced men (and women) who have been accused of abusive behavior to take responsibility for their actions.
The apologies have been far from perfect: Some are missing key words, such as “sorry,” or “apologize.” And some apologies included a “sorry,” but also came with curious rants about the NRA or delicious, yet unsolicited, pizza dessert recipes.
But the mere act of recognizing wrongdoing and the subsequent cultural shift of placing the burden of responsibility for sexual assault and harassment on men, rather than women, is groundbreaking. As Anna North pointed out at Vox, “for some survivors of harassment and assault, a perpetrator admitting fault can make a big difference in healing.” In the case of Al Franken, for instance, his initial apology was accepted by the woman he victimized.
There is one man, however, who has a history of bragging about sexual assault, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by 19 women, and who regularly demeans women in his workplace, but has been curiously silent: President Donald Trump.
Given that President Trump has admitted that he never asks for forgiveness, even though his sexist behaviors make women feel harmed on a daily basis, we decided to do it for him — using his own words.
As a woman and a Canadian, I consider myself a foremost expert on apologizing and felt it was my duty to help out.
This is my holiday present to you.