The so-called Silence Breakers behind the anti-harassment #MeToo movement have been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year.
In the wake of allegations against Harvey Weinstein and other men, millions have shared their stories about being sexually harassed and assaulted.
The announcement was made Wednesday on NBC’s Today show, where longtime host Matt Lauer was recently fired amid harassment allegations.
“This is the fastest-moving social change we’ve seen in decades, and it began with individual acts of courage by hundreds of women — and some men, too — who came forward to tell their own stories,” Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal told Today, referring to them as the “Silence Breakers.”
In announcing the Person of the Year, the magazine said on its website: “The people who have broken their silence on sexual assault and harassment span all races, all income classes, all occupations and virtually all corners of the globe. Their collective anger has spurred immediate and shocking results. For their influence on 2017, they are Time’s Person of the Year.”
Other finalists include U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping and quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
More to come
