This year, allegations have come up about sexual harassment and insinuations from former aides against “America’s governor,” Andrew Cuomo. Multiple women have come forward making these accusations. The New York Attorney General’s office has appointed independent legal experts to lead a full investigation into the allegations. If the allegations are true, Cuomo should certainly resign and consider changing his party affiliation.

I’ve heard the era of the #MeToo movement be referred to as the time when women can say anything about a powerful man and bring him down. This sort of belief seems to stem from a particular faction of the United States’s political spectrum.

However, I think this is just some well-fed conspiracy. 

It is probably, and most likely, coming from some powerful men with dirty laundry piled up.

For years, I had this belief that sexual harassment was going to be part of our (women’s) lives. I used to think there just wasn’t much that could be done. We can speak out all we want about something, but it doesn’t always change our circumstances right away.

Cynicism was my way of dealing with it.

Having experienced sexual harassment at work myself, I thought moving or leaving a job was the best way to get rid of it — actions that resulted in running away from the problem and continuing to keep that problem in place. That’s not how I think anymore.

I am afraid this way of thinking is shared amongst many women, but I’m not here to examine the way women think about sexual harassment or inappropriateness at work. I’m here to discuss the idea that Cuomo believes he has “unintentionally” made some women uncomfortable by his actions — that he feels “awful about it, and frankly” “embarrassed by it,” but that he won’t resign. His apology comes amidst the allegations and calls from other lawmakers for him to resign.

I take his apology with a grain of salt.

From the sexual harassment accusations, the sexual harassment behavior has been going on for years. If this is true, the guy had plenty of time to change his ways.

He didn’t.

Then, there is his use of the word “unintentionally,” which really bothers me.

How many times have we heard that line? The one where men didn’t know they had crossed a line? The one where men thought it was okay to violate women’s personal spaces and/or bodies?

And when they are done doing that, all they do get is a slap on the wrist or finger-wagging, “just don’t do it again.” Brock Turner comes to mind.

I don’t know about you, but it’s exhausting.

It’s exhausting wanting to be treated equally. And I don’t speak for only myself but all women I know who are struggling with this because it is our fight.

It’s exhausting watching news after news about the violence women have to incur at the hands of men because the men felt entitled to something.

Cuomo is a grown man. He should have known better. Yes, we all make mistakes (and everybody has those days), but that’s no reason not to expect better.

There are good and qualified men who don’t “unintentionally” make sexually charged comments at their coworkers or grope them. How come they understand how it should be done?

Imagine if it took public office and national coverage for some men to realize their comments and actions are wholly inappropriate at work. We don’t have enough offices nor time for that.

Mix the sexual accusations with the lying he did to hide the thousands of deaths at the nursing homes, and it may be the case that Cuomo may make a better Republican than Democrat. All these scandals are up to par with the expectations Republicans have for their presidential nominees.

His Democratic record doesn’t need to stand in his way. He can simply put out a new statement saying he has changed his mind, and his new campaign messaging can easily be copied from former President Donald Trump’s playbook.

If found guilty, there can be no place for someone like Cuomo in Democratic leadership.