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Henry Cavill apologises for controverial #MeToo comments

Henry Cavill apologises for controverial #MeToo comments

"Insensitivity was absolutely not my intention," said the Man of Steel actor
14 Jul, 2018

Henry Cavill may play Superman but his recent comments were out of character.

In an interview with GQ Australia, the actor made some controversial statements regarding the #MeToo movement, proving that he has completely missed the point.

While he acknowlegded that “Stuff has to change, absolutely,” regarding men’s behaviour, he went on to say, "It’s important to also retain the good things, which were a quality of the past, and get rid of the bad things."

“There’s something wonderful about a man chasing a woman. There’s a traditional approach to that, which is nice. I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I’m old-fashioned for thinking that."

Cavill made the very cliche move of blurring the lines between chivalry and harassment, ignoring the fact that women do know the difference between the two.

According to Cavill, "It’s very difficult to do that if there are certain rules in place. Because then it’s like: ‘Well, I don’t want to go up and talk to her, because I’m going to be called a rapist or something’. So you’re like, ‘Forget it, I’m going to call an ex-girlfriend instead, and then just go back to a relationship, which never really worked’. But it’s way safer than casting myself into the fires of hell, because I’m someone in the public eye, and if I go and flirt with someone, then who knows what’s going to happen?"

He added, much to our dismay, "Now? Now you really can’t pursue someone further than, ‘No’. It’s like, ‘OK, cool’. But then there’s the, ‘Oh why’d you give up?’ And it’s like, ‘Well, because I didn’t want to go to jail?’"

Cavill's comments were met with mixed reactions, with many pointing out how he has not only missed the point completely but is very ignorant of the MeToo movement in general. He was called out for not knowing the limits of flirting and the boundaries that should be respected. Seriously Cavill, what would Sups say?

Along with fans, Terry Crews, the most prominent male advocate of the MeToo movement also spoke up about his comments.

While the backlash was not as severe as one would expect, it was noticed by the Man of Steel actor. Cavill released a statement on CNN saying, "Having seen the reaction to an article in particular about my feelings on dating and the #MeToo movement, I just wanted to apologize for any confusion and misunderstanding that this may have created."

According to the statement, "Insensitivity was absolutely not my intention... In light of this I would just like to clarify and confirm to all that I have always and will continue to hold women in the highest of regard, no matter the type of relationship whether it be friendship, professional, or a significant other."

Said Cavill, "Never would I intend to disrespect in any way, shape or form," adding, "This experience has taught me a valuable lesson as to the context and the nuance of editorial liberties. I look forward to clarifying my position in the future towards a subject that it so vitally important and in which I wholeheartedly support."