Change—and grace—show themselves in unexpected ways. The “Trump video” is well-known, and by now eight women have come forward to give the lie to Trump’s claim that “he never did anything wrong, it [the tape] was just locker room talk.” Some men acknowledged that they did, indeed, talk like that and many of Trump’s supporters said, in essence, that such talk was expected and to be accepted.

In other words, Trump and those who approve of “locker room” talk such as his agree that is acceptable: to objectify and minimize women; “rate” them on their “looks;” openly leer as they approach; and, discuss various methods of sexual assault and battery that they would like to commit upon them. Worse, most heterosexual men, including me, have been guilty of such sexism to one degree or another. That does not excuse it. That does not make it right.

It is something that we men need to struggle to end. That is where change and grace comes in. Perhaps the tape and subsequent allegations made against Trump will serve to bring about much needed change and raise the level of the familial, social and cultural relationships between men and women in our society.

An article in yesterday’s New York Times suggests that this week’s events might give women a new way of seeing their own experiences with sexual assault and male sexism going forward. You can find the article here.