For decades, award shows have separated nominees into categories based on their gender, with separate awards for Best Actor and Best Actress, among others. However, in recent years, a growing number of celebrities have been advocating for greater gender inclusivity in entertainment awards shows. Several celebrities have publicly spoken out about their discomfort with being forced to choose between male and female categories at award shows, including The Oscars.
Their concerns are not unfounded, as gendered categories can limit recognition and opportunities for non-binary and gender non-conforming individuals in the entertainment industry. This movement has gained momentum in Hollywood, with several prominent stars expressing their support for the cause. As more celebrities and industry professionals push for change, it remains to be seen whether award shows like The Academy Awards will leap to more inclusive categories in the future.
8 Asia Kate Dillon Spent Years Pushing For Gender-Neutral Categories
Asia Kate Dillon is a non-binary actor known for their roles in the Showtime series Billions and the John Wick film franchise. In a 2021 interview with NPR, Dillon spoke out against being asked to participate in gendered award categories, citing that it resulted in their identity being erased. Dillon explained that such a practice was exclusionary and upheld the gender binary, which could be ultimately harmful. “When pitted against each other in the context of an awards show, they only mean male or female, or man or woman, when presented with those options, I am neither of those things.”
Dillon challenged the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which runs the Emmy Awards, to clarify the category in which they, as a non-binary actors, would be considered. Their campaign to end gendered categories has spanned several years and has included turning down award considerations for their roles in the production of Macbeth during the Tony season and in the Showtime series Billions during the Emmy Awards in 2017.
7 Emma Corrin Won A Female Lead Award Despite Being Non-Binary
In July 2021, Emma Corrin publicly came out as queer and non-binary. Corrin, who won a Golden Globe Award for best actress for their role as Princess Diana in the Netflix series The Crown, spoke with the BBC about the challenges of being non-binary and competing in female award categories.
In a statement to Vanity Fair, they expressed the need for more non-binary roles in the entertainment industry and emphasized the importance of supporting queer writers and creating opportunities for the development of projects that feature non-binary characters and storylines.
6 Bella Ramsey Does Not Care About What Pronouns Refer To Her
Bella Ramsey gained prominence for her role as young noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in the hit TV series Game of Thrones. However, her portrayal of Ellie in The Last Of Us has catapulted her to stardom in Hollywood. Ramsey came out as non-binary in January, and she told The New York Times, “I guess my gender has always been very fluid. Someone would call me ‘she’ or ‘her’, and I wouldn’t think about it, but I knew that if someone called me ‘he’ it was a bit exciting. I’m very much just a person. Being gendered isn’t something that I particularly like, but in terms of pronouns, I really couldn’t care less.”
At this time, she has not commented on whether she actually cares about award show categories.
5 Emma D’Arcy Used To Lie About Their Gender Identity
Emma D’Arcy is recognized for their portrayal of Rhaenyra Targaryen on the HBO series House of the Dragon. In a recent interview, D’Arcy discussed their career journey and the evolution of gender identity in the entertainment industry.
D’Arcy expressed that early on in their career, they felt that presenting as a woman was necessary for success in the industry, but eventually found it to be unsustainable and stopped pretending. Ironically, it was after this realization that D’Arcy received the Best Actress nomination at the Golden Globe Awards. D’Arcy viewed the nomination as an indication that the entertainment industry is making space for trans and gender non-conforming individuals, which they consider a privilege.
4 Sam Smith Called Out The Brit Awards To Become Gender-Neutral
British pop star Sam Smith came out as non-binary in 2019 and uses they/them pronouns. In 2021, the singer expressed their desire for The Brit Awards to eliminate gender-based distinctions. Smith stated, “I look forward to a time when awards shows can be reflective of the society we live in. Let’s celebrate everybody, regardless of gender, race, age, ability, sexuality, and class.”
3 Why Did Justin David Sullivan Not Want A Tony Award?
Justin David Sullivan who stars in the Broadway production of & Juliet made headlines for declining a potential Tony Award nomination due to the continued use of gendered categories by the American Theater Wing. As a trans-non-binary individual who identifies using he, she, and them, Sullivan felt that conforming to a system that did not acknowledge their identity would be disingenuous.
“There’s nothing more that I want to empower than non-binary people, to show that it’s possible to be non-binary on Broadway, play a non-binary character on Broadway and be nominated, and possibly potentially awarded. I felt like I couldn’t choose. I didn’t feel right being in either category because it didn’t resonate with me.” Sullivan told Playbill.
2 Janelle Monáe Supports Gender-Neutral Hollywood Awards
Janelle Monáe publicly came out as non-binary in 2020. In an interview with Vanity Fair, the singer explained that like many others, they had been conditioned to view awards in binary terms, with separate categories for men and women.
However, they expressed support for the idea of expanding award categories to be more inclusive of non-binary individuals, noting that it would help to ensure that people from all walks of life feel represented and included.
1 How Does Mason Alexander Park Feel About Gendered-Award Shows?
Mason Alexander Park identifies as a non-binary actor and uses they/them pronouns. They won a Helen Hayes Award in 2020 for Olney Theater Center’s Cabaret, which was also the show’s first year with gender-neutral categories, and now star in the NBC series Quantum Leap. Park shared their thoughts about deciding whether to compete in a gendered category or abstain from an awards show saying, “It just doesn’t make any sense to me that [gender] would be how we separate people nowadays. It’s very strange because your talent feels almost reduced to archaic ideas of sex and gender.”
As more and more individuals identify as gender fluid, it becomes increasingly important to create inclusive spaces that recognize and celebrate all genders. While some award shows have taken steps towards eliminating gendered categories, such as The Independent Spirit Awards, The Tonys, and The Brits, there is still much work to be done. The hope is that more award shows will follow suit, creating a more inclusive and equitable industry for all artists.