Throughout 2017, young adults found themselves participating in rallies, wearing statement clothing and using memes as a response to nearly everything negative in the world. Regardless of whether a young adult paid attention to the trends of the entertainment industry or the ever-evolving meme culture, many movements in 2017 were rooted in the same thing: political and social change.

In the beginning of 2017, a worldwide protest, dubbed ‘The Women’s March,” was held on the day President Trump became inaugurated. Although there are no exact numbers, global participating was estimated to be over 5 million. Later in the year, people also protested the ending of DACA, the Keystone Pipeline and the repeal of Net Neutrality. In rallies across the country, both women and men were seen wearing bright pink clothing, often with slogans such as ‘Deport Trump’ and ‘Women’s Rights are Human Rights.’

The trend of wearing clothing that sports messages supporting one’s political and social views carried on throughout 2017. Stores frequented by young women, such as Charlotte Rousse and Forever 21, began carrying dresses and shirts with the word ‘Feminist’ stamped across the chest.

Even high-fashion brands have begun to show their support for social movements. In 2017, male and female models walked down many runways together as famous brands like Calvin Klein combined their collections, which were typically separated by gender.
The entertainment industry is experiencing social change. After a year where many of the highest-grossing movies told the tales of superheroes rescuing humanity (Spider-Man: Homecoming and Wonder Woman), many actors and actresses came forward to speak of their experience with sexual assault while on the job. This wave of accusations, which began in late 2017 with Harvey Weinstein and continues to present day, sparked the #MeToo movement, which encourages sexual assault survivors to come forward with their story.

Even avid consumers of video games are calling out the corporate greed that found its way into the technology industry, with the protesting of ‘loot boxes,’ which pushes players to spend money on add-ons that are unnecessary.
With the large turnout of the Second Annual Women’s March, the underlying theme of political and social progression in most trends of 2017 seems to be continuing into 2018.