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Time Names ‘The Silence Breakers’ Of #MeToo Movement Person Of The Year
"It turns out that — in the most painful and personal ways — movie stars are more like you and me than we ever knew."
On Wednesday morning, Time’s 2017 Person of the Year was revealed on "Today." This year, the person is not a single individual but an entire group of people: the silence breakers of the #MeToo movement. The publication gave the title to the "The Silence Breakers" of the #MeToo movement for giving a voice to those who have been sexually harassed and assaulted.
“This reckoning appears to have sprung up overnight,” the Time feature states. “But it has actually been simmering for years, decades, centuries. Women have had it with bosses and co-workers who not only cross boundaries but don't even seem to know that boundaries exist. They've had it with the fear of retaliation, of being blackballed, of being fired from a job they can't afford to lose.”
In October, a tidal wave of celebrities shared their stories of sexual assault and harassment, resulting in a series of scandals against some of Hollywood’s most prominent men and prompting the destruction of several careers. The #MeToo campaign was invented in 2006 by activist Tarana Burke, but it was virally utilized this fall.
"I could never imagine this, I could never have envisioned something that could change the world," Burke told "Today.”
Included in the Time feature are Harvey Weinstein accusers, including actress Rose McGowan, who has been one of the most outspoken individuals on the topic of sexual harassment. According to NBC, in 1997 she settled with Weinstein after she accused the movie mogul of rape. Ashley Judd, Selma Blair, Alyssa Milano and Taylor Swift are just a few of the celebrities featured in the cover story. Swift famously took a radio host to court this year for groping her and won.
Person of the Year runner-ups included Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Robert Mueller, Kim Jong Un, Colin Kaepernick and Patty Jenkins.
[Photo: Getty Images]
