11 Good Things That Happened In 2017 for Human Rights | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

11 Good Things That Happened In 2017 for Human Rights

So many good things happened last year. Here are a few of them.

139
11 Good Things That Happened In 2017 for Human Rights
New York Times

Let’s face it – in some respects, 2017 was a pure, unmitigated disaster, a series of unending, terrible events. There were natural disasters that decimated whole cities, elections that divided more than they unified and terrible, terrible abuses by people in positions of power (however, most were men).

2017 was not the best year for human rights, nor was it terribly good for the fight for equality. There were a few things about this past year that were not entirely awful, however. Here is a short list of the good that quietly (or not-so-quietly) happened in 2017:

1. The royal engagement.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry got engaged: while this may not seem all that important, Ms. Markle is biracial, divorced and American, making her someone who defies royal traditions. She is also an outspoken feminist and activist, and her new status gives her a larger platform to continue her incredible work.

2. #MeToo.

The #metoo campaign took off, and brought about a very necessary discussion on sexual harassment both inside and outside of the workplace and gave a platform for survivors of sexual harassment and sexual assault to be seen and heard (if they wished to be).

3. Women's marches.

In relation to the above highlight, the Women’s Marches that occurred globally were a powerful demonstration of strength in numbers and of the still necessary fight for equality for all women. Speaking as a woman, it was incredibly powerful to read and hear about the marches taking place across the country, especially after an upsetting and disheartening election.

4. Local governments' action.

When the US Federal government failed, local governments stepped up: they fought the infamous travel ban, they vowed to do better by the environment. They continued to love America enough to hold her to higher standards, to demand that we do better. They continued to lead.

5. A more inclusive Barbie.

Another highlight of 2017 was Mattel’s newest creation: a hijab-wearing Barbie based off of Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, another incredibly powerful woman. Their move towards inclusivity was not isolated, however.

6. Anti-bullying campaigns.

Across the nation, students are speaking up about and against bullying, with some students in Boca Raton, Florida creating a club so none of their peers have to eat alone.

7. A newfound treatment for ALS.

Israeli scientists revealed that they have discovered a new treatment for Lou Gehrig’s disease, more commonly known as ALS. They are hopeful that this revolutionary treatment will also benefit those affected by Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s.

8. The first commercial artificial pancreas.

Medtronic came out with the first commercial “artificial” pancreas. While it is not entirely self-sufficient, it allows someone with Type 1 Diabetes (like me!) to spend less time worrying about their blood glucose levels and more time doing things they enjoy.

9. A self-assembled artificial pancreas.

On the same note, one woman actually created her own artificial pancreas out of an insulin pump and mail-order parts in an effort to take control of her own healthcare and well-being. She then gave away the plans to make it for free.

10. Broken record for amount of days spent in space.

Commander Peggy Whitson broke the US record for most days spent in space with 665 days total.

11. A man accidentally sent hundreds of cookies to an overseas soldier.

Delightfully, one man, after he was added to a group chat by mistake, sent hundreds of cookies to a soldier stationed overseasbecause he saw it as the least awkward way to get out of the situation. When interviewed, he claimed that “[t]here are so many more worthy causes than sending cookies to a stranger” and that the campaign was “pretty silly.” The soldier and his family (presumably) have no idea this is taking place.

2017 may have been a disaster of a year in many regards, but good things also happened. Medical breakthroughs were discovered. Women were listened to after years and years of speaking up. Powerful, incredible women were given the recognition they deserve. Hundreds of strangers came together to send one man halfway across the world cookies. There were things that are worthy of remembering about 2017, of which these are clearly only a few.

What are some good things you remember about 2017?

Happy New Year, friends.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Blair Waldorf

The "Gossip Girl" series may be over, but Blair Waldorf's iconic character lives in our hearts forever. Blair was the queen of the Upper East Side, and a character you either loved or hated. She taught us everything we needed to know about life, love and of course, how to score a Chuck Bass. So the next time you feel a bit lost and are in need of guidance, look no further than to the Queen B herself.

As I spend my Sunday avoiding my homework and other adult responsibilities, I realized that I've watched this series over and over about a million times. Sadly, there isn't a Blair quote I don't know, so I came up with a list of a few favorites. You know you love her...xoxo

Keep Reading...Show less
class
Odyssey

College is an endless cycle of crappy, sleepless nights, tedious, boring lectures, and hours of never-ending piles of homework.

Keep Reading...Show less
two women enjoying confetti

Summer: a time (usually) free from school work and a time to relax with your friends and family. Maybe you go on a vacation or maybe you work all summer, but the time off really does help. When you're in college you become super close with so many people it's hard to think that you won't see many of them for three months. But, then you get that text saying, "Hey, clear your schedule next weekend, I'm coming up" and you begin to flip out. Here are the emotions you go through as your best friend makes her trip to your house.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week As Told By Kourtney Kardashian

Feeling Lost During Syllabus Week? You're Not Alone!

853
Kourtney Kardashian

Winter break is over, we're all back at our respective colleges, and the first week of classes is underway. This is a little bit how that week tends to go.

The professor starts to go over something more than the syllabus

You get homework assigned on the first day of class

There are multiple group projects on the syllabus

You learn attendance is mandatory and will be taken every class

Professor starts chatting about their personal life and what inspired them to teach this class

Participation is mandatory and you have to play "icebreaker games"

Everybody is going out because its 'syllabus week' but you're laying in bed watching Grey's Anatomy

Looking outside anytime past 8 PM every night of this week

Nobody actually has any idea what's happening this entire week

Syllabus week is over and you realize you actually have to try now...or not

Now it's time to get back into the REAL swing of things. Second semester is really here and we all have to deal with it.

panera bread

Whether you specialized in ringing people up or preparing the food, if you worked at Panera Bread it holds a special place in your heart. Here are some signs that you worked at Panera in high school.

1. You own so many pairs of khaki pants you don’t even know what to do with them

Definitely the worst part about working at Panera was the uniform and having someone cute come in. Please don’t look at me in my hat.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments