Time Magazine Chooses 'Silence Breakers' as Person of the Year

Time Magazine has chosen the 'Silence Breakers', women who have revealed their stories of sexual harassment, as its Person of the Year. According to the Associated Press, in the past four months, many women have exposed the harassment and inappropriate behavior of dozens of prominent men in the entertainment, media, business, and sports industries. Time praised those who 'brought a hidden secret to light, shared whispers on social media, and forced us to no longer tolerate unacceptable behavior.' The magazine featured photos of Ashley Judd, Taylor Swift, and others who claim to have been sexually harassed on its cover. This decision was announced on Wednesday during the 'Today' program on NBC, where the long-time host Matt Lauer was recently fired due to sexual harassment allegations. The new host acknowledged that the Time Person of the Year is related to this program and specifically mentioned Lauer. Initially, when these revelations were made against Harvey Weinstein, a powerful Hollywood producer, and others, they helped form a movement called 'Me Too' on social media, where millions shared their experiences of harassment and inappropriate sexual behavior. The starting point for these discussions on social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook was the encouragement of actress and activist Alyssa Milano, who was prompted by a friend to write on Facebook and Twitter: 'If you have been a victim of sexual harassment or assault, reply to this message with 'Me Too.' The hashtag 'Me Too' was shared nearly a million times within 48 hours. This hashtag was initiated about a decade ago by a women's rights activist named Tarana Burke, aiming to raise awareness about sexual violence. Alyssa Milano stated that she was unaware of Tarana Burke's role in starting this movement when she first used the hashtag but later acknowledged her contributions. Both Alyssa Milano and Tarana Burke were guests on NBC's 'Today' program on Wednesday. Ms. Burke said, 'This is just the beginning. From the very start, I have always said this is not a moment but a movement. Now our work has truly begun.' Alyssa Milano also stated, 'As women, we must defend each other and stand united and say enough is enough. I believe it is really necessary to organize programs to take further actions and continue this movement.' The other two nominees for Time's Person of the Year were China's president and Donald Trump, who has been accused of inappropriate behavior by several women. Mr. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Donald Trump, who was named Time's Person of the Year in 2016, recently tweeted that Time told him he might be selected again if he agreed to an interview and photo session. Mr. Trump added, 'I passed on that.' However, Time has denied this account.