TIME Magazine today declared their Person of the Year to be 'The Silence Breakers', the men and women who have come forward in the ongoing anti-harassment movement that included #MeToo and snowballed since the allegations against Harvey Weinstein became public knowledge.
TIME editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal made the announcement on this morning's 'Today' show and also revealed the cover which features Ashley Judd, Taylor Swift, former Uber engineer Susan Fowler and a woman whose face is obscured, intended to represent the women who haven't yet come forward.
The Silence Breakers are TIME's Person of the Year 2017 #TIMEPOY https://t.co/mLgNTveY9z pic.twitter.com/GBo9z57RVG
— TIME (@TIME) December 6, 2017
"The galvanizing actions of the women on our cover…along with those of hundreds of others, and of many men as well, have unleashed one of the highest-velocity shifts in our culture since the 1960s," Felsenthal said in a statement.
"The idea that influential, inspirational individuals shape the world could not be more apt this year. 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."
WATCH: “The image you see partially on the cover is of a woman we talked to… who doesn’t feel that she can come forward without threatening her livelihood.” @TIME EIC @efelsenthal talks #TIMEPOY cover pic.twitter.com/q3bPbKNPbg
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 6, 2017
In a joint interview, Alyssa Milano and the founder of #MeToo Tarana Burke, who have both spoken out about their experiences of sexual misconduct, reiterated how this is just the start of something bigger.
"I’ve been saying from the beginning that it’s not just a moment, it’s a movement," Burke said. "I think now the work really begins. The hashtag is a declaration. But now we’re poised to really stand up and do the work."
"I want companies to take on a code of conduct, I want companies to hire more women, I want to teach our children better," Milano added. "These are all things that we have to set in motion, and as women we have to support each other and stand together and say that’s it, we’re done, no more."
WATCH: “This is just the start… it’s not just a moment, it’s a movement.” #MeToo creator Tarana Burke #TIMEPOY pic.twitter.com/LEvcIcm9pO
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 6, 2017
TIME's own coverage features contributions from Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan, Taylor Swift, Terry Crews, Selma Blair, Megyn Kelly and all the other victims of sexual harassment and misconduct across many industries who have united under #MeToo.
TIME's own definition of 'Person of the Year' is the person they believe have most influenced news and events of the past year, "for good or ill."
Donald Trump was the first runner-up.
Via USA Today