TIME Magazine has chosen the “Silence Breakers”, the men and women who over the past few months have set off a national movement to come forward about the prevalence of sexual harassment in American society, as their 2017 Person of the Year. This news was revealed Wednesday on the Today Show by TIME’s editor-in-chef Edward Felsenthal, along with the runner-ups, and the magazine cover.
Dubbed the #MeToo movement, this national reckoning for sexual harassment was sparked when allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled at Hollywood producer and mogul, Harvey Weinstein, by numerous women, leading to his downfall. The hashtag #MeToo, which was created in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke, went viral after the Weinstein incident, when actress Alyssa Milano tweeted it out calling for people to share their own experiences with sexual harassment and assault. Thousands of courageous men and women stepped forward to share their stories on social media, outing numerous high-profile politicians, celebrities, and influencers for unwanted sexual advances. Included in this group are easily recognizable names such as: actor Kevin Spacey, comedian Louis C.K. and journalist Charlie Rose, along with many others on an ever-growing list. Only last week, Matt Lauer, news anchor on the TODAY Show, the show on which the Person of the Year was announced, was fired after being accused of sexual misconduct by several female coworkers.
Felsenthal told the TODAY Show anchors that the Silence Breakers were chosen as the Person of the Year because the #MeToo movement that they sparked was one of the fastest growing social movements that the United States has seen in decades. “The idea that influential, inspirational individuals shape the world could not be more apt this year,” Felsenthal stated. “For giving voice to open secrets, for moving whisper networks onto social networks, for pushing us all to stop accepting the unacceptable. The Silence Breakers are the 2017 Person of the Year.”
Some of these “influential, inspirational individuals” were featured on the cover of this issue, including actress Ashley Judd, singer Taylor Swift, activist Adama Iwu, strawberry-picker Isabel Pascual, and former Uber engineer Susan Fowler. Along with these women who spoke out using the #MeToo movement, also featured on the cover is a faceless woman. This unnamed woman, a hospital worker who shared her story of sexual harassment with the magazine but refuses to share it publicly in fear of repercussions at her job, can also be seen as representing the thousands of women and men as well who have not yet found their voice to speak out.
Runner-up was President Donald Trump, who was the previous Person of the Year in 2016 after he shocked the nation after unexpectedly winning the presidential election. Felenthal explained that he was this year’s runner up “because he has changed the very nature of the presidency and the way the White House functions.” Last month, President Trump tweeted out that he had been informed by the magazine that he was most likely going to be selected for Person of the Year again but he “took a pass.” TIME’s dismissal of this claim was confirmed by Felenthal on the TODAY Show, who stated the photoshoot for the Person of the Year cover was done five days before the tweet was issued. Other 2017 finalists included Chinese President Xi Jinping, special counsel Robert Mueller, former NFL quarterback Colin Kapernick, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.