TIME’s Person of the Year was announced on Wednesday, Dec. 6, and this year’s recipients are “The Silence Breakers,” aka the women who came forward with their stories of sexual harassment and assault throughout this year.
Over the past few months, the hashtag “Me Too” took social media by storm. This seemingly followed after multiple accusations against the well-known Hollywood producer, Harvey Weinstein, came out. After that, high-profile names have surfaced with sexual harassment accusation against them. And like a rippling effect, individuals who felt afraid or felt supported enough to voice their stories as well.
Today we want to share the best quotes from TIME’s Person Of The Year:
- “It’s hard to call 147 women liars. We can’t all be crazy. We can’t all be sluts.” – Adama Iwu
- “Sexual harassment does bring shame. And I think it’s really powerful that this transfer is happening, that these women are able not just to share their shame but to put the shame where it belongs: on the perpetrator.” – Tarana Burke
- “Why are you questioning the victim here? Let’s flip it. Let’s talk about what the predator is doing.” – Terry Crews
- “I decided to forgo any courtroom formalities and just answer the questions the way it happened. This man hadn’t considered any formalities when he assaulted me” – Taylor Swift
- “You should not be blamed for waiting 15 minutes or 15 days or 15 years to report sexual assault or harassment, or for the outcome of what happens to a person after he or she makes the choice to sexually harass or assault you.” — Taylor Swift
- “It’s the right thing to do. It’s an honor to say I spoke about this.” – Susan Fowler
- “Someone who is in the limelight is able to speak out more easily than people who are poor…The reality of being a woman is the same—the difference is the risk each woman must take.” – Sandra Pezqueda
- “People forget a lot that there’s a human behind this, someone who is very hurt. But that’s O.K. It fuels my fire. They really f-cked with the wrong person.”– Rose McGowan
- “All those voices can be amplified. That’s my advice to women. That and if something feels wrong, it is wrong—and it’s wrong by my definition and not necessarily someone else’s.” – Ashley Judd
- “Please, let it be that my daughter never has to go through anything like this.” – Alyssa Milano
- “We have to cleanse society to find a better way. I’m sure the road will be long and difficult, but it will be positive in the end” – Sandra Muller
- “I think working together was powerful. It was hard to silence all of us.” – Celeste Kidd and Jessica Cantlon
- “So I said, Enough. I lost the fear. It doesn’t matter if they criticize me. I can support other people who are going through the same thing.” – Isabel Pascual
- “For so long, I went around harboring this ridiculous belief that because I was a nonwhite woman in my 20s that somehow it was expected that I would have to be treated this way. And now I see that that is so silly. I am a person with dignity.” – Lindsay Meyer
- “The harassment began so early, and it was so accepted in the industry. When I finally spoke out publicly, I wondered why I hadn’t sooner. I was afraid that I didn’t have the strength to make it stop. I don’t feel that fear anymore.” – Amanda Schmitt
- “On the reservation, we keep to ourselves and don’t really put too much out there. I thought of all the other people that had no voice. They’re scared to do something like this because their parents say, ‘You’re not supposed to do that. You’re not supposed to speak up.’ ” – Anonymous, Native American woman
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