TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year? “The Silence Breakers” (aka #MeToo) Including Taylor Swift

Donald Trump got a mention as well: As one of the accused.

TIME Magazine has announced its annual Person of the Year, this time bestowing the honour on an entire group they call “The Silence Breakers”.

The women featured on the cover and inside the magazine’s pages (alongside some men) are those who trumpeted the #MeToo movement and caused a righteous wave of action against sexual abusers not just in Hollywood, but across industries of all kinds.

The cover stars include Ashley Judd, who was the first high-profile actress to go on the record against Harvey Weinstein; Susan Fowler, who exposed the culture of harassment at Uber; Mexican strawberry picker Isabel Pascual (using a pseudonym, for the safety of her family); lobbyist Adama Iwu; and Taylor Swift, who needs no introduction, though her placement on the cover probably needs clarification.

Though not officially aligned with the #MeToo movement—she has remained mum on the subject these past few months—Swift successfully countersued DJ David Mueller, who initially took Swift to court after claiming she got him fired for allegedly groping her during a meet-and-greet.

After her legal victory, she pledged to make donations to “multiple organisations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves”.

Last year, she also helped fund Kesha’s own legal battle with her alleged abuser, Dr. Luke.

Still, some questioned her prominent position alongside Judd and Fowler, especially instead of those who didn’t make the cover, such as Rose McGowan, Alyssa Milano, Terry Crews, and the woman who created the #MeToo hashtag, Tarana Burke.

Taylor Swift included on the cover of Time as a “Silence Breaker” is sickening. She is the most opportunistic feminist there is, so many other brave women to have praised other than her.

— Alison (@alisonjmcdonald) December 6, 2017

She nonetheless spoke with TIME about the lawsuit for the first time, offering advice to survivors of sexual assault: "[Don't] blame yourself and do not accept the blame others will try to place on you."

Swift also noted Mueller is yet to pay her the "symbolic $1" awarded to her at the conclusion of the case. 

"To this day he has not paid me that dollar, and I think that act of defiance is symbolic in itself."

There was, however, a sixth figure on the cover, represented solely by an anonymous elbow, meant to represent all those who are yet to come forward with their stories of abuse (or those who are unable to do so).

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump bragged that he had turned down the coveted ‘Person of the Year’ cover, though TIME said they had never offered it to him in the first place.

Instead, he was named one of the runners-up, alongside Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and #BlackLivesMatter activist and sportsperson Colin Kaepernick.

Trump did get another mention in the magazine though: As one of the accused sexual harassers exposed by “The Silence Breakers”.

Photo: TIME Magazine