Opinions Award Shows Should Remove Binary Awards

by ELLIE MCCUSKER

Historically, award ceremonies in the entertainment industry have revolved around gendered award categories. Hollywood’s best accept awards like “Best Actor” (Male) or “Best Actress” (Female). However, according to the University of California, Los Angeles’s School of Law, an estimated 11% of LGBTQ adults (ages 18-60) in the United States, or around 1.2 million people, identify as nonbinary. Out of these 1.2 million people, some talented individuals have dreams of being actors, singers, directors and so on. However, years of award shows have excluded nonbinary individuals by awards, such as the Grammys, and smaller awards, such as the Independent Spirit Awards and Gotham Awards, successfully combat sexism. The Gotham Awards had four genderless acting categories this year, with two won by men and two by women. Additionally, at the Independent Spirit Awards for film, eight of the ten nominees for “Best Lead Performance,” three of the 10 for “Best Supporting Performance” and four of the five nominees for “Best Breakthrough Performance” were women. inclusion. Sarah Polley, writer and director of “Women Talking,” which includes a nonbinary actor, August Winter, explains her support for gender-neutral categories because she “honors the person making the art,” not their gender. historically having gender-specific categories. Struggling with identity is already difficult and isolating, and having no representation in entertainment can be even more disheartening. Gender is evolving and becoming more fluid each year. It is essential for award shows to become more inclusive and not limit or isolate performers from getting the acknowledgment and acceptance they rightfully deserve.

In 2012, the Grammys became gender-neutral by removing binary superlatives and honors. When the Grammys announced this decision nine years ago, they faced backlash. Gender-specific awards were initially enacted to combat sexism and provide equal opportunity for male and female artists to be recognized. However, although people were initially worried about male domination in awards, over the past nine years, 38% of the songs nominated for “Best Country Solo Performance” were by women, 60% of the nominations for R&B were sung by women and 68% of nominations for “Best Pop Solo Performance” have gone to women.

Similar to the Grammys, last year, the BRIT Awards, Britain’s equivalent of the Grammys, dropped binary awards and created a singular gender-neutral “Best Artist” award to create more equality and inclusivity in the industry. However, their plan had the opposite effect, as no women were nominated for the award this year.

Although the BRITs failed to diminish sexism, other

The Coat of Arms

Although it is a step in the right direction, the Grammys, Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards are among the few award ceremonies to drop binary categories. The Oscars, Emmys and Tonys all still use “Best Actress” and “Best Actor” rather than combining the two and making one category: “Best Performance.” These award shows could also add an additional third category of “Best Performance” alongside the gendered awards. These ceremonies still refusing to do so leaves non-binary performers, such as Justin David Sullivan (he/she/they), to remove their name from consideration for the Tonys because performers are required to submit themselves into a gender male or female category. Similarly, Emma Corrin and Emma D’Arcy, transgender and nonbinary performers who have been nominated into “actress” categories in the past, also withdrew their names from consideration in the Tony Awards this year.

The New York Times asked celebrities at the Screen Actors Guild Awards if major award shows should eliminate binary awards. The immediate response of many attendees at the SAG Awards was a desire for awards to be more inclusive. Rhea Seehorn explained how “there are people who don’t want to be defined by gender, and I want to help make awards more inclusive for them.” Additionally, Jamie Lee Curtis, the “Most Outstanding Performance” winner for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” also supports the

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Although several individuals in the industry agree that the Academy Awards and others must push for progress and reflect society, the general disagreement on achieving this is the most significant obstacle. A successful way to tackle the problem could be by the Academy not entirely abolishing male and female categories but adding a general award such as “Best Performer” and “Best Supporting Performer” to ensure that people are given a chance to be nominated, no matter their gender identity. The word “performer” is broad, doesn’t exclude anyone from being nominated, and will not alienate or scrutinize gender-fluid individuals. Talent deserves admiration and recognition regardless of sex or gender. In 2023, it is the Academy’s responsibility to communicate this and prove to young people that anything is possible, regardless of identity.