The #MeToo movement has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2017.
On its cover, Time called the movement "The Silence Breakers."
The concept of the hashtag was started years ago by activist Tarana Burke, but its use became part of the national social media conversation in October after celebrities on social media used it to share their own sexual abuse stories in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Actress Alyssa Milano began the popularization of the hashtag.
The shortlist of candidates for the distinction included:
- The Dreamers
- Amazon founder Jeff Bezos
- Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins
- North Korean leader Kim Jong Un
- Protest leader Colin Kaepernick
- Special Counsel Robert Mueller
- Chinese President Xi Jinping
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia
- President Trump
Time also conducted a reader poll, which the magazine says was won by Mohammed bin Salman. Second place went to the #MeToo movement, followed by Colin Kaepernick.
In the magazine's tally, Trump was the runner-up to #MeToo.
The final decision comes weeks after Trump — who was named Person of the Year in 2016 — said that he "took a pass" on being named again in 2017.
Trump, who had called it "a tremendous honor" to win last year, said the magazine had been in touch to say he would "probably" win.