'The Silence Breakers,' those fueling #MeToo movement, named TIME Person of the Year

Wednesday, December 6, 2017
The Person of the Year for 2017 is "The Silence Breakers," those who came forward to open a conversation about sexual harassment.



The title, which was awarded on Wednesday, goes to the individual or group that TIME deems to have been the most influential in 2017. The tradition stretches back to 1927.
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Among the women on the cover representing the movement is Taylor Swift, who won a symbolic $1 in a civil court case after a jury found that a DJ had groped her. Actress Ashley Judd, who came forward with allegations about Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment, is also on the cover. Susan Fowler, Adama Iwu and Isabel Pascual also represent the movement on the cover.

"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," TIME's Editor-in-Chief, Edward Felsenthal, wrote of the decision.

TIME has chosen a group rather than a person for the title in years past. In 2014 it was the Ebola fighters.



As for this year, Kim Jong Un, Colin Kaepernick and President Donald Trump were all in the running, and Trump was ultimately named runner-up.

World leaders, social activists and more had made the shortlist, which the magazine announced Monday morning.
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The president was named Person of the Year in 2016, shortly after being elected.

Here's a look at everyone who was on the shortlist.

Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO
The Dreamers, Undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children by their parents whose legal immigration status is uncertain
Patty Jenkins, Director of record-breaking film Wonder Woman
Kim Jong Un, Leader of North Korea
Colin Kaepernick, Current NFL free agent who inspired other NFL players to bend a knee during the national anthem to protest racism and police brutality
The #MeToo movement, A social media movement that brings light to sexual harassment, especially in the workplace
Robert Mueller, the lead of the investigation into the potential involvement of various individuals in the Trump campaign to help Russia influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 32-year-old son of Saudi Arabia's King Salman
Donald Trump, President of the United States, 2016 Person of the Year
Xi Jinping, President of China
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TIME has been picking a "Person of the Year " since 1927. Here's how it all started.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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