Say Anything at Riot Fest, photo by James Richards IV

Say Anything frontman Max Bemis took to Twitter to sound off on sexual misconduct in the punk and emo scene. “I was a naive kid when I entered ‘this scene’ at 19,” Bemis began, “and found out that a lot of people I knew of or looked up to repeatedly cheated on their spouses and girlfriends, hooked up with underage girls etc.” He continued, “it has been heartbreaking and continues to be jarring as someone who I hope is different. It makes me question even the mutual not-coerced of-age interactions I’ve had with women during my youth. We should all question the dynamics of sexuality and our role in this.”

Bemis asserted that he would “never cheat on my wife or betray my family,” but says that he’ll be retiring the song “Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too.” “It may speak partially of my flaws,” he says, “but it’s mostly a sarcastic caricature of someone I’ve never been at all and is no longer appropriate during this crisis.” Bemis concludes by saying, “this is a social disease, the most chronic dire symptom of which being rape, coercion, and sexual assault. We all need to care more, respect women more, respect ourselves more and GIVE A SHIT.” Read Bemis’s full statement below.

Bemis did not explicitly state what inspired his tweets, but they come shortly after allegations of sexual misconduct against Jesse Lacey of Brand New. Outside of music, on Friday (11/10) Louis C.K. also made a statement verifying the validity of the accusations of sexual misconduct against him.

Gotta sound in — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017

I was a naive kid when I entered "this scene" at 19 and found out that a lot of people I knew of or looked up to repeatedly cheated on their spouses and girlfriends, hooked up with underage girls etc — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017

It has been heartbreaking and continues to be jarring as someone who I hope is different. It makes me question even the mutual not-coerced of-age interactions i've had with women during my youth. We should all question the dynamics of sexuality and our role in this. — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017

That being said, I've never and would never cheat on my wife or betray my family and that is also a form of emotional abuse I see pervaded by many many people in entertainment as well as this other obvious creepy shit — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017

Given all of this, I'm going to be retiring the song Wow I Can Get Sexual, Too for the foreseeable future. It may speak partially of my flaws but it's mostly a sarcastic caricature of someone i've never been at all and is no longer appropriate during this crisis — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017

consent is a no brainer (obviously not to some) but it can even go beyond that into much more finicky places. maybe i kissed a girl who was having a secret emotional crisis i never asked about. maybe somebody i was with was already in a relationship. this is a social disease.. — Max Bemis (@maxbemis) November 10, 2017