It's that time of year again. On December 6, TIME announced its list of the most influential people of the year. Every year people eagerly anticipate the announcement of TIME's Person of the Year, but this year it's a little different. TIME's person is actually people.
A whole group of women, to be exact. This year TIME has decided to honor "The Silence Breakers," a group of women who spoke out against sexual assault in Hollywood, in the music industry, or just in their day to day lives. It's dedicated to the women who participated in the #MeToo movement and who weren't scared to stand up in a time where it can be hard to set yourself apart.
The TIME cover shows five women (and one elbow, but we'll get to that later) staring at the camera, all dressed in black.These women all come from different backgrounds and have their own story to tell.
Adama Iwu organized a group of more than 147 women to "expose sexual harassment in California government." Ashley Judd was the first to speak out about Harvey Weinstein. Taylor Swift testified against a DJ for groping her, and countersued the DJ after being accused that she ruined his career. Isabel Pascual (not her real name; she wants to protect her family) was stalked and forced into silence for fear of hurting her family. , Susan Fowler, a female engineer at Uber, faced sexual harassment in the workplace and reported it, leading to the eventual resignation of Uber's CEO, as well as the exposure of at least twenty other employees.
That elbow peeking out at the bottom right? That's a hospital worker from Texas who is also a victim of sexual harassment. She chooses to remain anonymous, but her presence there represents an act of solidarity with all those who could not speak out.
These women, as well as the other men and women who have been placed into similar situations, make up the Silence Breakers. The Silence Breakers spoke up when it was difficult too. They represent a glimmer of hope in a sometimes dark world. So much has happened in even the past month when it comes to celebrities and politicians being ousted for sexual allegations. Kevin Spacey, Matt Lauer, Roy Moore, and Al Franken are now names known for these inappropriate actions. Without Silence Breakers, we may not have ever known their actions.
Cheers to TIME for recognizing the true revolutionists within our communities. It's not always the huge celebrities we see on our TVs or the politicians working toward change; sometimes it's just the person sitting next to us who is facing their own battle.
So here's to you. Here's to the average man or woman who is working on drawing up the courage to speak out. Be a silence breaker.
