International Men's Day: An Apology

"A writer never finds time to write. A writer makes it," -Nora Roberts

November nineteenth is International Men's Day, as well as No Shave November to raise awareness for prostate cancer. And truthfully, I have no room to talk, but I hope that

On behalf of everyone, I would like to apologize to all the men of the world for a few things.

I'm sorry that we find women hitting men as funny, but when a man hits a woman, it is a capital offence.

I'm sorry for all the women who have wrongly accused you of rape.

I'm sorry that the media portrays fathers as antagonists.

I'm sorry that society doesn't take you seriously when you come forward with domestic abuse situations.

I'm sorry for the unrealistic expectations that we force on you.  You don't have to look like Channing Tatum for us to like you. <3

I'm sorry that you don't have parental rights until the baby is born.

I'm sorry that you are constantly objectified in the media, but no one bats an eye.

I'm sorry that we won't let you be emotional because of unrealistic gender expectations.

I'm sorry that you can buy actual mugs that say 'male tears'.

I'm sorry that you have the highest rates of suicide, cancer deaths, and workplace deaths.

I'm sorry because no one should be labeled a rapist because of their gender.

Women have problems.  Men have problems.  People have problems.  Let's stop ignoring the facts of life that men have it bad too, that they are privileged and run the patriarchy. Let's take the focus off of gender and even deepening the animosity and widening the divide and place it on the problems that we both face.

I apologize in advance.  Men, please step in and speak up, for this isn't really my place.  I just think something needed to be said, because no one listens when men present their gender issues.

Just saying.

~The WordShaker