Remember Jennifer Lawrence’s letter on sexism? It was bold, concise and spoke candidly to the gender issue at large in Hollywood. While discrimination isn’t necessarily something people like to think about when they turn on the television or head to the movies, it’s firmly rooted in Hollywood’s history and culture. And don’t go thinking this is the distant past, either—just last year, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite was trending in light of the lack of diversity at the awards.
As we gear up for another award season and America faces a period of turbulent uncertainty, it’s high time to recognize that the Oscars are due for a recert on inclusion and equality. ASexistHollywood.Sucks and it’s about time the cultural works of all Americans were recognized with little gold men. Here are four film industry achievements that were too little, too late.
1. First Female Director to Ever Win an Oscar
In an industry where mostly white men dominate both on-screen roles and behind-the-scenes production, inequality runs high. In 2015, women in film made the smaller gains than minorities in terms of employment equality. The business world’s glass ceiling is Hollywood’s celluloid ceiling: for one female director, there are eight male directors. The Academy Awards sadly reflects this trend, with only four women ever having been nominated for a Best Director award, which was only awarded to a woman in 2009. Kathryn Bigelow made history with The Hurt Locker, being the first and only woman to take home the coveted award. With no shortage of female talent, what gives, Hollywood?!
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2. First Person of Color to Win Best Director
2006 put a dent in the Oscar’s otherwise predominantly white male winners: it was the first year an Asian man won the Best Director award. And while Ang Lee received his first Oscar for Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi got him his second Best Director award in 2013. The Taiwanese director literally went from rags to riches and he is increasingly being rewarded for his emotionally-laden movies. It’s quite unbelievable it took the Academy Awards 85 years to celebrate Asian diversity in Hollywood, but we’re thrilled for Ang Lee—he totally deserved it. That said, having one drop in the bucket isn’t enough to ignore all the white-washing that goes on come award season.
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3. First Woman of Color to Win Best Actress
Now that we’ve gotten a somewhat gloomy peek behind the scenes, let’s take a closer look at what’s actually happening on the screen. And sadly, the bias transpires. Hollywood is still a man’s world where art imitates life, meaning women often play roles that reinforce the gender divide. The Oscars mirror the discrimination evident in the film industry, recording a dismal lack of diversity over the past several years. The first African American woman to win an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress) was Hattie McDaniel, who did so playing a maid in Gone With the Wind in 1939. Still, segregation precluded her from attending the film’s premiere in Atlanta. Racism.sucks, right? Halle Berry was the first Black Woman ever to win a Best Actress Oscar in 2002, but she’s rightfully unhappy with the persisting bias.
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4. First Woman of Color to Win Debut Oscar
Speaking of women of color, Lupita Nyong’o bumps up the groups’ size to seven. Yes, you’ve read correctly. Only seven African American women have won an Oscar in the Academy’s 88 years history. The Yale Drama School graduate played a supporting role in Steve McQueens’ 12 Years a Slave and won an Academy Award for her debut performance.
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The Takeaway
Maybe it’s because of all the bigotry, sexism and racism the recent presidential campaign brought to light. Or perhaps it was last year’s #OscarsSoWhite. Either way: the 89th Academy Awards saw six Black Actor nominations, and there’s even an Indian actor nomination. With the award season in full swing and a more diverse list of nominees than we’ve seen in years, we can’t wait to watch the ceremony. Fingers crossed that La La Land doesn’t rob deserving films of their recognition. But Hollywood won’t change overnight, and these inequalities can’t go unaddressed.
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Photos: Flickr / lincolnblues, Shutterstock / Joe Seer, Flickr / Disney ABC