A New Jersey-based magazine owned by women has canceled a women's empowerment panel following criticism because the participants were all men.
In a statement released Monday, SJ Magazine says it believes it is "helpful when everyone is part of the conversation on women's empowerment and feminism."
But the magazine says it was never its intention to offend anyone with the Nov. 6, four-man panel "Women in Business: A Man's Point of View."
Criticism was harsh on social media and began after the magazine announced the #WES17 panel.
The magazine explained three other panels were composed of all women and said it wanted to start a discussion with men. SJ Magazine tweeted "Men have a responsibility to step up & support women."
One of the participants, New Jersey Democratic Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, had decided to withdraw because of the panel's composition.
