Women Of The Year: 33 Canadians Who Rocked 2017

For rocking braids and bringing the issue of body shaming to parliament: Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes, who represents Whitby, Ont., made a powerful speech in the House of Commons that went viral in October after the HuffPost, AJ+ and Now This picked it up. She began by bringing attention to her hair, sending a message to Black women and girls. “It has come to my attention that there are young girls here in Canada and other parts of the world who are removed from school, or shamed because of their hairstyle,” she said. “Body shaming of any woman in any form from the top of her head to the soles of her feet is wrong, irrespective of her hairstyle, the size of her thighs, the size of her hips, the size of her baby bump, the size of her breasts or the size of her lips, what makes us different is what makes us unique and beautiful.” Preach! —S.A.