Over the past two decades, an increasing number of artists, public figures, and celebrities have stepped out of the shell of their seclusion and come out to the world about their gender and sexual orientation. One of the latest among them is Bella Ramsey, the young star from the unequivocally acclaimed hit HBO show, The Last of Us.
Ramsey, who identifies as she/her and came out as non-binary last year after the premiere of her HBO adaptation, has publicly called for “more space” for categories beyond the binary genders – a request that is being matched in intensity by numerous artists and fans across all platforms. But for every rallying cry of support, there exists dissent from the court of public opinion.
Bella Ramsey Calls For More Space For Non-Binary Actors
Game of Thrones alum and The Last of Us star, Bella Ramsey is one of the many non-binary stars who are finding it increasingly difficult to find a space in Hollywood where they can belong. The call for more space is one born out of necessity in a time that is already witnessing a record surge in revolutionary socio-political ideas and identities. According to Ramsey,
“The categories at the moment feel extremely gendered with the language around them… I don’t want the limitations in terms of the language in the categories to be a reason that nonbinary actors like me can’t be celebrated.”
However, while the actor advocates for space and acknowledgment, netizens get worked up on Twitter and are quick to point out all the supposed flaws in what Ramsey has been suggesting.
Bella Ramsey calls for ‘more space’ for non-binary actors at awards shows:
“The categories at the moment feel extremely gendered with the language around them … I don’t want the limitations in terms of the language in the categories to be a reason that nonbinary actors like me… pic.twitter.com/LEvPLsSxVz
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) May 29, 2023
No I think we’re good
— 🌈 rainbows & sunshine ☀️ (@slut4demetria) May 29, 2023
Why not do all 7,000 genders and make the Oscars a month long festival because we care that much about people getting a participation award.
— Rancor Steve 🔨 (@RancorSteve) May 29, 2023
this is so annoying because the only people in disadvantage if we take away gendered categories are female actors because the industry always favors males lol
— pedro 🫧 (@goodnightnpedro) May 29, 2023
By de-gendering awards we walk back in time where mostly men win with less opportunity for everyone else. When young ppl make comments they need to learn history to improve on it and not repeat it. If you change one thing, ensure everything else changes…like society mindset.
— ARP (@Aishsuth) May 29, 2023
Bella Ramsey’s call for more space at award ceremonies is not the only dialogue that exists around the highly relevant social issue. There also exists another angle that seeks to ultimately remove all gendered categories altogether and make the award shows one unified platform that only recognizes and rewards the best talents, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on.
Dialogue Surrounding More Gendered Categories at Oscars
The past century has witnessed an unfurling of the gendered identities and sexual orientation of people at an unprecedented scale. No longer were non-heteronormative identities treated as an illness of the mind or the unabashed writings of Oscar Wilde subjected to censorship and termed as too “vulgar” for civilized society. But still, as long as ideas and identities thrive in a manner that upsets the status quo, criticism will exist at the same magnitude working to shut any and all such ideals down.
The progress that was being seen with the inclusion and representation on screen is quickly ripped away when the narrative shifts away from the fictional stories told on screen to the reality of award ceremonies and cultural events celebrating the accomplishment of film and television. The Academy Awards – the highest of all honors that can be bestowed in the artistic field of cinema – to date refuses to acknowledge the categories of gendered identities outside the established binaries.
The ‘Best Actor’ and ‘Best Actress’ categories work toward awarding and respecting only the identities that conform – a thought that greatly bothers a younger generation of artists and creators who have struggled against the established system to publicly accept themselves in their own skin. An acknowledgment and inclusion of more gendered categories in esteemed award shows will then go a long way toward validating the industry’s artists and setting an example on a global scale, considering the weighted worth and reputation of the Oscars.
Source: Twitter
