Today some of these women can breathe again. Today some of these women feel heard. Today some of these women received some modicum of justice. Today some of these women saw that they were heard and more importantly, believed. Today some of these women as weeping with relief. Today their tormenter was sentenced to 23 years in prison for his crimes.

Today he said “I’m confused. I’m just confused. Men don’t get it.” Today he said his victims were his friends. Today he said he would appeal. Today he said that the judge was biased against him. Today he said that 23 years not “fair” because at his age it is a life sentence.

You know what, though? Maybe “men don’t get it”, or maybe HE doesn’t get it. Maybe he doesn’t see that his years of wielding influence mean nothing when people stand in your way. His trial reminded me of every man who ever gaslighted a woman – his frail, walker-required stumbling around an act by a man who loves actors. An act where he tries to convince people that he is too old, sick and frail to be the person he is accused of being. An act meant to show that he genuinely had no clue that what he was doing was wrong. It didn’t work. He is not a good enough actor to outperform the truth.

Today we get to see what happens when we stand up to bullies. Today we get to show our daughters that they do not have to be “good”. Today we can feel stronger. Today we can speak up. Today is a lesson that the tradition of letting men of this sort get away with things is on its way to obsolescence.

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