The 2017 Academy Awards Refused to Be #OscarsSoWhite, and That’s Progress – Glamour

February 27, 2017 2:56 pm

Like many other women in America, I settled in to watch the fashion and glamour of the 2017 Oscars with two bottles of wine, some popcorn, and plenty of chocolate. But this year the annual tradition felt different. After 2016's #OscarsSoWhite debacle, I wondered whether Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs' efforts to increase the diversity of award recipients would actually be fruitful. My nervous energy was reminiscent of the feelings I had while watching the election results come ina mix of anxiety and hopewith the implicit understanding that these results were going to reflect something either encouraging or disheartening about the world I live in. I know this sounds dramatic, but seriously: Try watching the Oscars with blind optimism every year, hoping against all evidence to the contrary that actors who look like you will be recognized for their stellar performances, only to be disappointed. It's hard not to become disenchanted with the entire institution. Because for me and many of the people Im rooting for, winning an Oscar is not just a gesture of appreciation; it's a symbol of social progress.

So I was pleasantly surprised when this year, the Academy refused to go down as racist. After two consecutive years of failing to even nominate any African Americans in the lead- and supporting-acting categories, the Academy switched it up and six people of color were nominated in every performer category. I guess after 88 years of overlooking actors of color, they could no longer call this obvious conspiracy a prolonged "coincidence." We werent having it.

Honestly, I was just elated to see the recognition. Denzel Washington was nominated for Best Actor; Ava Duvernay was nominated for her documentary 13th; Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Naomi Harris, and Ruth Negga were all nominated for their acting. Even better, many of them won. Last nights successes were a sign of hope. Mahershala Ali took home the golden statue for Best Supporting Actor, making him the first Muslim actor to receive an Oscar; the win for Best Supporting Actress (a category that was dominated by black women) went to Viola Davis; and even the epic failure of the night (that also proved to be amazing television) turned into a win for the top honor, Best Picture, to Moonlight. The stories of black, brown, and marginalized people were being recognized as important, and the dynamic performances of actors in these roles were finally being acknowledged. These successes are a by-product of diverse groups of writers and producers uniting their creative vision to provide new opportunities that didnt previously exist for actors of color.

Viola Davis said it best in her acceptance speech for the sixty-seventh Emmy Awards:

"'In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me, over that line. But I cant seem to get over that line.' That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. And let me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.

Shes right. But I would argue that what's great about films like Moonlight and Fencesand what makes last nights wins even more meaningfulis not only that they included people of color, but they also told their stories within the realm of the average Americans experience, including marital issues, coming to terms with sexuality, and family conflict. This allows audiences to take a peek into the lives of others and identify their shared humanity, which is arguably arts most important goal.

So, yes, movies like Hidden Figures, with its three quick-witted mathematicians helping NASA get to the moon while battling the injustice of the Jim Crow laws, or The Help, in which a group of steadfast nannies heroically demand fair wages and treatment from their white bosses in the dangerous, segregated South, are important. But its also important to place people of color in the here and now and give those actors the opportunity to demonstrate their versatility, expose their flaws and complexity, and ultimately transcend roles based on race. Lets stop casting Middle Eastern actors as terrorists, Indians as IT specialists, or black men as gangsters.

As the Academy continues to acknowledge these stories, from the epic to the more mundane, actors of color will gain more exposure and opportunities in film. Great strides are already being made in television. Casting decisions like Kerry Washington as the well-educated fixer for a Republican candidate in Scandal and Zoe Kravitz as a bohemian step-mother in a predominantly white neighborhood in Big Little Lies push the boundaries of peoples subconscious prejudices and transform the way we think about people of color. By continuing to celebrate talented writers and directors like Issa Rae, Melina Matsoukas, Donald Glover, and Aziz Ansari, organizations that give out the awards like the Emmys, Golden Globes, and Oscars are acknowledging and reinforcing the important work of creators of color.

I've always loved television and film. I devour all kinds of storiesfrom Homeland to Girls to Veep to This Is Usbut very few of these shows reflect my lived experience. Im looking forward to a more inclusive landscape in Hollywood, one that shares the powerful and enlightening stories of people like me and not like me. Art that illuminates and humanizes others' perspectives helps create a society of people who learn to empathize before we criticize. And now, more than ever, we could all use a little of that.

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The 2017 Academy Awards Refused to Be #OscarsSoWhite, and That's Progress - Glamour